807 S. Lemon Avenue, Diamond Bar, CA 91789
Tel: 909-895-7146 • Fax: 909-859-3881 • www.agi.com.co 1 August 6, 2026
Jessica Serrano
City of Commerce
Director of Community Development
2535 Commerce Way
Commerce, CA 90040
Subject: Proposal to Administer the City of Commerce Advantage Business Program Dear Mrs. Serrano,
It is with great pleasure that I provide you with this proposal to administer the City’s funded Advantage Business Program.
Our years of practice have resulted in a solid foundation of experience and technical expertise, along with a dedication to integrity, excellence, and quality.
We are proud of our strong reputation for meeting aggressive schedules and our ability to multitask to provide our clients specialized attention and service.
Avant-Garde was incorporated in September 2002, and our corporate office— through which services will be provided—is located at 802 S. Lemon Avenue, Diamond Bar, CA 91789. Avant-Garde is a 100% woman-owned California Corporation. Furthermore, Avant-Garde is a certified Minority Business Enterprise, Women Business Enterprise, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, and Small Business Enterprise (MBE, WBE, DBE, SBE).
We have prepared this fee proposal for administration of the program, which will address the following: (A) our proposed scope of work and (B) our consulting fee.
A. Scope of Work
Avant-Garde’s scope of work for administration for the City’s Advantage Business Program will include the following services:
a. Program Development and Implementation Support - Assist the City with program development and implementation, including review and refinement of program guidelines, application materials, policies/procedures, eligibility requirements, and internal processing workflows to ensure the program is effectively structured, compliant, and ready for launch.
807 S. Lemon Avenue, Diamond Bar, CA 91789
Tel: 909-895-7146 • Fax: 909-859-3881 • www.agi.com.co 2 b. Outreach and Program Promotion - Conduct outreach and community engagement activities as needed to support program participation and ensure eligible households are informed of available resources. c. Applicant Intake and Eligibility Review - Review applications for completeness, confirm applicant and property eligibility, and verify that the property is within City boundaries.
d. Code Violation Check - Verify existing code violations and coordinate with appropriate City staff.
e. Initial Site Visit - Conduct an initial property assessment, take photographs, and verify proposed improvements.
f. Scope of Work Development - Prepare and finalize the scope of work based on the site assessment, eligible improvements, and City standards. g. RFP Preparation - Prepare the bid package
h. Bid Management and Review - Respond to contractor questions, review submitted bids, and prepare a contractor selection recommendation i. Agreement Preparation - Prepare the required business owner, contractor, and City agreements.
j. Preconstruction Meeting - Coordinate and conduct the meeting to review agreements, the approved scope of work, and project requirements k. Construction Inspections - Conduct inspections and a final inspection to verify that work complies with the approved scope.
l. Invoice Review and Payment Processing - Review contractor invoices, verify completed work, and coordinate payment approval.
m. Project Closeout - Compile final documentation, confirm completion of all requirements, and prepare the physical project file.
Avant-Garde will provide up to four (4) hours per week of in-person public counter service at City Hall on Wednesdays, plus additional off-site administrative support as needed to complete intake processing, eligibility determinations, document preparation, reporting, and coordination of grant payments.
807 S. Lemon Avenue, Diamond Bar, CA 91789
Tel: 909-895-7146 • Fax: 909-859-3881 • www.agi.com.co 3 B. Compensation
Avant-Garde proposes to provide administration and program development services for the City’s Advantage Business Program on a time-and-materials basis, billed at the hourly rates listed below. Compensation will be based on actual time spent performing the services outlined in the Scope of Work.
Hourly Rate Schedule
We are requesting a fee of $148,990. Any work requested beyond this amount will require authorization and approval in advance.
Thank you for your consideration of this request. If you have any questions, or if I can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact me at 323-371-5530.
Sincerely,
Lissette Montoya Lissette Montoya
Vice President
APPROVED TO PROCEED:
____________________________________ __________________________ City Representative Date
Classification Hourly Rate
Program Director $150
Program Manager $135
Sr Program Coordinator $125
Program Coordinator $110
Program Assistant $100