March 21, 2023
Library and Community Services
DATE: March 21, 2023
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
LaShonda White, Deputy City Manager, Community
Services
Tamara Walker, Deputy Director for Community Services,
Employment & Training
Fred Lucero, Program Manager
Subject:
Three-year Contract with Universal Safety & CPR Solutions to Provide Hazardous Materials Training and HAZWOPER
40 Certifications
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed expenditure of $31,000 will not affect the general fund. The funds will come from the newly awarded Environmental Protection Agency grant (12571141-
400538-22944)
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Environmental Protection Agency awarded the City a
$200,000 grant which funds hazardous materials training and HAZWOPER 40 certifications. City Council approval
is required for the expenditure of EPA grant funds to enter into a three-year contract with Universal Safety & CPR
Solutions to provide that training.
RECOMMENDED
ACTION:
APPROVE a three-year contract with Universal Safety &
CPR Solutions, in an amount not to exceed $31,000, with a term from July 1, 2022 thorugh June 30, 2023, to provide hazardous materials training and HAZWOPER 40
certifications at the RichmondBUILD facility – Community Services Department, Employment & Training (LaShonda
White/Tamara Walker/Fred Lucero 510-621-1562).
DISCUSSION:
AGENDA
REPORT
March 21, 2023
In May of 2022, the Employment & Training Division (E&T) was awarded $200,000 through a competitive grant from the Environmental Protection Agency for Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grant funds will allow the City to train 80 students and place at least 51 graduates in environmental jobs. Any additional funds will allow E&T to provide training to additional participants.
The core training program includes 234 hours of instruction in 40-hour HAZWOPER, OSHA 10, confined space entry, customized utility-scale solar installation, refinery safety, first aid/CPR, and Richmond BUILD pre-apprenticeship construction.
Participants who complete the training will earn three federal certifications. The City is targeting low-income, unemployed, underemployed, and veteran residents with a focus on outreach to minority populations.
As part of the grant, E&T required a HAZWOPER trainer. E&T followed the City of Richmond’s protocol for selecting a vendor through Bids Online. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was released in April 2022 and panel of three (3) reviewers scored proposals from Universal Safety & CPR Solutions, NES, and HMI. After reviewing bid packets of three vendors, Universal Safety & CPR Solutions was selected. Not only were they the lowest bidder but they have worked exclusively with very similar demographics that RichmondBUILD serves. The proposed contract is fully grant funded and has a term from July 1, 2022 though June 30, 2025. Due to City staff’s oversight and challenges, this contract is just now being brought forth for City Council’s approval.
City staff is working internally to ensure that future contracts are presented to City Council timely.
The vendor will conduct construction safety classes and HAZWOPER 40 classes at the RichmondBUILD facility. The certifications earned at RichmondBUILD will broaden the employment opportunities for RichmondBUILD graduates. Classes under the new EPA grant started in October 2022 and the construction safety classes and HAZWOPER 40 classes are required as outlined in the EPA grant. All participants of the grant will be enrolled in the RichmondBUILD Academy.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Contract with Universal Safety and CPR Solutions Proposal Attachment 2 – Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
Attachment 3 – Universal Safety and CPR Solutions Proposal Attachment 4 – Scoring Matrix