BACKGROUND:
The City of Cathedral City continues to find it both efficient and cost effective to bid out for on call Miscellaneous Concrete Installation Services. Regularly called upon to assist the City's Engineering and Public Works Departments, this specialized service provider has trained personnel and the specialized equipment to address the needs of the City in this maintenance area.
Miscellaneous Concrete Installation Services
For the past five (5) years, the City has contracted services to address the City’s Professional Miscellaneous Concrete Installation Services need. Desert Ants Engineering (Desert Ants) has provided these services to the City since 2018 and have demonstrated the timeliness and performance required of the contract with the City.
Desert Ants has also demonstrated that they can work closely with the Public Works Department and perform the services required for ordered tasks.
Concrete professionals assist with projects such as street improvements, A-6 & A-8 curbs, gutter work, sidewalks, ADA ramps, and other projects that require concrete flatwork base on square feet in either 4”, 6” or 8” thickness with or without wire mesh.
To prepare for the next on-call contract cycle for these services, the City Engineering Staff solicited a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Miscellaneous Concrete Installation and Repair Services. The RFPs for Services were advertised in the Desert Sun on May 25, 2022, and June 01, 2022. The RFP was also posted at City Hall and on the City Website.
The RFP was circulated for triennial services (every three (3) years), with the option for two (2) one-year extensions for a potential contract term of five (5) years. This is a change from securing proposals every two years. Staff is seeing that increasing the term of these agreements during this volatile market helps the City secure stable pricing in a period of spiking/rising costs.
Firms were asked to provide cost proposals that included hourly rates and/or unit costs for various services in a separate, sealed envelope. The deadline to submit the RFP was on June 22, 2022, at 2:00 PM. However, at the time of the deadline no RFP’s were submitted and Staff had to identify an alternative to secure proposals.
DISCUSSION:
The Engineering Staff decided it would readvertise for on call Miscellaneous Concrete Installation Services using the services of a firm named UrbanLeap. UrbanLeap uses a proprietary online procurement software that turns the traditional RFP solicitation process into an online process. UrbanLeap allows firms to submit their proposals (cover letters, statement of qualifications) and separate cost proposals onto an online platform.
UrbanLeap helps streamline the procurement process and increases outreach by contacting qualified firms who may be interested in the RFP.
As a result, the RFP was posted on the UrbanLeap procurement portal on August 1, 2022. The deadline to submit a RFP was on August 15, 2022, at 2:00 PM. A link to this webpage was also posted on the City Website and City Hall. A total of twenty-eight (28) vendors were invited to submit a proposal. Of the nine (9) vendors interested in the RFP, two (2) vendors submitted proposals.
The proposals were reviewed by a panel consisting of City Staff on August 15, 2022.
Based on these reviews, the panel selected the firm deemed to be the most responsive, qualified, and knowledgeable about the requirements for the various services and knowledge of Cathedral City and its Projects. The selected firm will work closely with the Engineering Department and/or Public Works to perform the services required for ordered tasks.
Concrete Work Services:
Proposals were received from two firms:
•Desert Ants Engineering – Palm Desert, CA
•Hardy & Harper – Lake Forest, CA
After Staff evaluated the proposals, the selected firm to provide as-needed concrete services is:
•Desert Ants Engineering – Palm Desert, CA
Engineering Staff then evaluated their cost proposal prices. The cost proposal prices were in reason for the small projects. Staff further negotiated and clarified in discussions with Desert Ants that their proposed bid items cost would need to be further reduced as the quantities of each cost item increases and Desert Ants clarified that this would occur. Staff also clarified that the unit prices included the removal and disposal of the existing concrete and construction debris.
Desert Ants is a General Engineering Contractor located in Palm Desert with over 30 years of experience in the concrete industry. Desert Ants provides installation and repair of ADA ramps, curb and gutters, sidewalks, spandrels and cross gutters. Projects such as the Panorama Dog Park, the Canyon Plaza Shopping Center in Cathedral City showcase their work and their experience.
Desert Ants Engineering currently holds an “A - General Engineering” license and a SCAQMD PM-10 Certification. Desert Ants Engineering is a suitable firm for this contract since they have worked with Cathedral City in the past.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The project location where the services will be rendered will determine from which FY budgeted fund will cover the cost. Using the unit prices from the agreements, City Staff will negotiate Task Orders for each type of service required for a project base on size and scope. Total costs and funding sources for Task Orders prepared under the on-call and/or as needed contracts will be identified as each Task Order is issued. City Council approval, if needed, will be obtained prior to execution of a Task Order that exceeds a City Department's respective purchasing guideline requirements.
The valuation of this on call work overall ranges between $65,000 to $85,000 each year.