TITLE
Recommendation to adopt specifications No. RFP HR14-056 and award contracts to Bennett-Streb & Associates, of Pasadena, CA; California Manufacturing Technology Consulting, of Torrance, CA; Carey and Associates, of Long Beach, CA; JagTag Enterprises, Inc., of Redondo Beach, CA; Pelletier and Associates, of Lake Forest, CA; Performance Excellence Partners, of Huntington Beach, CA; Public Consulting Group Human Services, of Baltimore, MD; Substance Abuse Foundation, of Long Beach, CA; and Workforce Connections, of Lakewood, CA to provide various workforce development services delivered through America's Job Center of California (AJCC), in an aggregate annual amount not to exceed $935,000, for a period of two years, with the option to renew for two additional one-year periods, at the discretion of the City Manager. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into annual contracts with various service providers for workforce development services delivered through America's Job Center of California (AJCC) in support of strategies that provide training and employment services to residents and job seekers.
Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network (Pacific Gateway) administers the federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and other employment and training funds received annually by the City. These funds support job training programs and business services delivered by the Career Transition Center, Youth Opportunity Center, Torrance Career Center, Harbor WorkSource Center, and selected community-based organizations, to assist local residents in acquiring skills leading to employment in high-demand occupations with local employers.
A Request for Proposals (RFP) was advertised in the Press-Telegram on July 25, 2014, and 3,227 potential bidders specializing in workforce development services were notified of the RFP opportunity. Of those potential bidders, 65 downloaded the bid via the City's electronic bid system. The RFP document was made available from the Purchasing Division, located on the seventh floor of City Hall, the Division's website at www.longbeach.gov/purchasing <http://www.longbeach.gov/purchasing> and Pacific Gateway's website at www.Pacific-Gateway.org. An RFP announcement was also included in the Purchasing Division's weekly update of Open Bid Opportunities, which is sent to 30 local, minority and women-owned business groups. Fifteen proposals were received on August 21, 2014. Of those 15 proposals, one was a Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBEs), one was a Women-owned Business Enterprise (WBE), six were certified Small Business Enterprises (SBEs), and three were Long Beach businesses (Local).
A selection committee, comprised of staff from the Workforce Development Bureau in the Human Resources Department, and a Program/Data Management staff from another Workforce Investment Board, reviewed the proposals and determined the following nine firms to be the most qualified to meet the City's needs.
Firm |
City, State |
Subject Matter Expertise Category(ies) / Area of Instruction |
Bennett-Streb & Associates |
Pasadena, CA |
§ Skills Development/Pre-Vocational Services |
California Manufacturing Technology Consulting |
Torrance, CA |
§ Workforce Intermediary |
Carey and Associates (WBE/SBE/Local) |
Long Beach, CA |
§ Grant Writing/Project Development § Workforce Intermediary § Quality Assurance-Oversight Monitoring |
JagTag Enterprises, Inc. (SBE) |
Redondo Beach, CA |
§ Skills Development/Pre-Vocational Services |
Pelletier and Associates (SBE) |
Lake Forest, CA |
§ Skills Development/Pre-Vocational Services |
Performance Excellence Partners (SBE) |
Huntington Beach, CA |
§ Communications Outreach § Quality Assurance-Continuous Improvement § Grant Writing/Project Development § Workforce Intermediary § Asset Mapping Board/System Development, Innovation, Measurement |
Public Consulting Group Human Services |
Baltimore, MD |
§ Economic and Workforce Analysis § Quality Assurance-Continuous Improvement § Grant Writing/Project Development § Workforce Intermediary § Quality Assurance-Oversight Monitoring § Asset Mapping § Asset Mapping Board/System Development, Innovation, Measurement |
Substance Abuse Foundation (Local) |
Long Beach, CA |
§ Skills Development/Pre-Vocational Services |
Workforce Connections (SBE) |
Lakewood, CA |
§ Skills Development/Pre-Vocational Services § Workforce Intermediary |
Local Business Outreach
In an effort to align with our outreach goal, Long Beach businesses are encouraged to submit proposals for City contracts. The Purchasing Division also assists businesses with registering on the Bids Online database to download the RFP. Through outreach, 360 Long Beach vendors were notified to submit an RFP, of which ten downloaded and three submitted proposals.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Gary Anderson on January 23, 2015 and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on January 23, 2015.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action to adopt Specifications No. RFP HR14-056 and award contracts concurrently is requested on February 10, 2015 to ensure contracts are in place expeditiously.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total aggregate annual not to exceed amount of $935,000 for a two-year period will be funded by existing WIA grants. Sufficient WIA grant funding is currently appropriated in the Community Development Grants Fund (SR 150) in the Human Resources Department (HR). The award of these contracts will provide continued support to our local economy by delivering job training, skills enhancement, and employment opportunities to hundreds of residents.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
DEBORAH R. MILLS
DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
JOHN GROSS
DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER