Proposal to provide Professional Services
RFQ
Contract Compliance Management
City of Richmond
Submitted by
Davillier-Sloan, Inc.
March 2025
Cover Letter
March 14, 2025
Ms. Tamara Walker
[email protected]
Subject: Proposal to Provide Professional Services
Contract Compliance Management
City of Richmond
Request for Qualifications Issue Date: February 28, 2025
Dear Ms. Walker,
Davillier-Sloan, Inc. (DSI), is pleased to submit the company’s qualifications to provide the full range of Contract Compliance Management services for the City of Richmond (City), as described in subject Request for Qualifications (RFQ).
DSI is eminently qualified to administer, implement, and monitor the various City identified social equity/justice and employment programs such as Local, Small Local, Very Small Local Disadvantaged Construction Programs (LBE/SLBE/VSLBE/DBE), Minority Busin ess Enterprise/ Women Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE), and prevailing wage requirements under Federal, State, and local laws for City projects. Specifically, DSI is qualified and immediately prepared to address the City’s applicable ordinances, including but not limited to:
• The Local Employment Program Ordinance
• The Business Opportunity Ordinance
• The Minimum Wage Ordinance
• The Ban the Box Ordinance
The DSI team is prepared to provide the services based on extensive general experience in the public sector construction industry, as well as the specific experience required to manage compliance with the City’s Contract Compliance Management needs. The DS I experience is deep and widespread. We are currently serving in a similar capacity for three clients in Alameda County and one in Contra Costa Couty. DSI also has experience working with developers, program and project managers and contractors. DSI is cur rently providing some of the same services to the City.
The DSI team looks forward to the possibility of continuing a strong and positive relationship with the City and to providing collaborative, user -friendly and cost -efficient services. For this effort, Jake Sloan, president of DSI, will be the lead and the primary point of contact.
If you have any questions about our proposal or qualifications, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached at [email protected], [email protected] or by phone at (510) 385-1242.
Sincerely,
Jake Sloan
President
Table of Contents
1. General Business Information ............................................... 1
2. Qualifications of Firms and Key Personnel .......................... 2
3. Understanding of an Approach ............................................. 5
4. Timing ..................................................................................... 7
5. Cost ......................................................................................... 7
1 1. General Business Information
Name of Company
Address of Company
Federal Tax ID #
Principal
Professional License #
Davillier-Sloan, Inc.
1632 12th Street, Oakland, California 94607
94-3206493
Jake Sloan
N/A
Certifications
Alameda County
City of Oakland
Port of Oakland
Small Local Emerging Business
Small Local Business Enterprise
Local Impact Area Business Enterprise
Small Business Enterprise
Very Small Business Enterprise
2 2. Qualifications of Firms and Key Personnel
The Firm
Davillier-Sloan, Inc. (DSI) has experience in all the areas of emphasis identified in the RFQ. DSI is the only locally based firm with extensive experience in negotiating and administering both traditional and non -traditional social justice -oriented Project Labor Agreements (P LAs) that contain provisions for the hiring and retention of local residents, as well as other provisions for social justice, such as local business opportunities, minimum wage, prevailing wage, Ban the Box, etc.. DSI has been the lead negotiator or a team member in negotiating such PLAs for Alameda County, the Port of Oakland, the Peralta Community College District, the Oakland Unified School District, and the San Diego County Water Authority, among others. DSI is currently managing or advising on the implementation of four such PLAs, three of which are located in Alameda County and one in Contra Costa County . This past and current experience demonstrates the unique level and quality of professionalism that DSI brings to this effort.
In addition to its unique social justice-oriented PLA experience, DSI has experience in monitoring and prevailing wage labor compliance programs. DSI is the only firm in Contra Costa County that was previously certified by the California Department of Industrial Relations to provide third party Labor Compliance Program services, when such accreditation was available. DSI was one of only two such firms in the entire East Bay that are still operational that received this certification. DSI was one of the firs t firms to be certified by the State of California Department of Industrial Relations in 2003.
DSI takes great pride in building long -term relationships. We have provided services to the Oakland Unified School District and the Bay Area Rapid Transit District intermittently for more than 30 years, to the Port of Oakland for more than 2 5 years, to the Peralta Community College District for more than 20 years, to the County of Alameda for more than 10 years and now the City of Richmond since 2023.
In identifying and supporting local residents interested in careers in construction, DSI has worked with other organizations in conducting workshops and presentations to local Community Based Organizations (CBOs), probation agencies, high schools, and workforce development agencies.
Through these efforts, DSI has engaged over 700 residents to increase awareness about the steps necessary to succeed in Union apprenticeships.
The range of size, cost, and complexity of program and project services is broad. For example, DSI is currently administering a social justice-oriented PLA on a pipeline construction project with a cost of 4 million dollars for the Santa Clarita Valley Water Authority. Formerly, DSI was part of a team that administered a PLA for the construction of a major dam with a cost of 1 billion dollars for the San Diego County Water Authority.
There will be no learning curve for the DSI team in terms of familiarity with the overall local working environment. The team members have experience working with the Building and Construction Trades Council s of Alameda County and Contra Costa Counties , experience that
3 extends back over more than 40 years. The team has had the same experience with the local contracting community and related CBOs.
For any issues specific to support of workforce development initiatives, the DSI team has developed relationships with and provided strategic input to Richmond Build the Workforce Collaborative, the Oakland Private Industry Council, Cypress Mandela Pre -Apprenticeship Training Program, Men of Valor, Rising Sun Center for Opportunities, Youth Uprising, and the Alameda County Reentry Department. The teams’ relationships with these organizations will be important in assisting the City with employing disadvantaged local workers on upcoming projects.
The DSI team understands that the City intends to use this work as a vehicle for traditional project stability, uniform working conditions and project safety. We also understand the desire to address the employment of local residents and businesses and he range of Local, Small Local, Very Small Local Disadvantaged Construction Programs (LBE/SLBE/VSLBE/DBE), Minority Business Enterprise/ Women Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) . Finally, we understand that the City intends to assure workers are paid the proper wage.
For compliance with either the local hiring goals or, as needed, the payment of prevailing wages, the DSI team is capable of monitoring certified payroll reports either manually or electronically, as preferred by the City. DSI is familiar with and has worked with the most recognized and respected electronic reporting systems, such as, but not limited to, Elation Systems, LCPtracker and Hill International. DSI can review and confirm accuracy of the certified payroll reports submitted online or as hard copies.
The Team
DSI takes pride in matching client’s needs with its team talent. The team will have four (4) key people and one (1) support staff available, capable, knowledgeable, and willing to provide a range of services. From the team’s principal to its support staff, the DSI team has more than 70 years of combined experience working in the public sector. All of DSI’s current work is public sector construction related and affected by applicable labor laws. Two of the team members are Richmond residents.
Jake Sloan: As the principal in charge and team leader, Mr. Sloan, a resident of Richmond, will oversee all facets of managing/coordinating the services identified in the RFQ. Mr. Sloan has more than 30 years’ experience in developing and managing labor, contract co mpliance and labor compliance programs, Local, Small Local, Very Small Local Disadvantaged Construction Programs (LBE/SLBE/VSLBE/DBE), Minority Business Enterprise/ Women Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE). Mr. Sloan was a member of the team that suc cessfully negotiated the Port of Oakland’s innovative Maritime Aviation Project Labor Agreement (MAPLA) over 25 years ago and has been a part of the team that has been administering it since that time. Additional experience includes co-administering a PLA for Peralta Community College District’s Vista College campus and negotiating and administering the Peralta District-wide PLA beginning in 2009. In 2006, Mr.
Sloan began to oversee the administration of the PLA for the Oakland Unified School District. He has also overseen the administration of PLAs for the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, the Fremont
4 Unified School District, and the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. All have significant local hiring and Labor Compliance language embedded.
Kitty Creech: Ms. Creech has over 20 years of work experience in federal and state funded projects’ labor compliance monitoring and P LA administration. Ms. Creech’s experience in construction began as a residential real estate developer over 30 years ago. As a labor compliance officer and program manager for several of DSI’s clients, she assured us that prevailing wages were paid, and clients were compliant with their LCP. Her social justice-oriented PLA experience includes day-to-to-today management of the Port of Oakland’s MAPLA. She has also participated in negotiations of several other PLAs, including but not limited to , the City of Oakland’s Army Base, Port of Oakland’s innovative PLA, and Alameda County’s two PLAs, all of which contain local hiring and other social justice-oriented provisions. Ms. Creech’s responsibility for this work will include but not be limited to providing administrative and general program support for all the elements identified in the RFQ.
Maribel Alejandre: Ms. Alejandre, a resident of Richmond, has more than 20 years of experience in the administration of Labor Compliance Programs (LCPs), P LAs and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) outreach programs. Ms. Alejandre uses web -based systems to monitor PLA requirements. Her comprehensive knowledge and experience with prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements enables her to review the automated processes and manually complete any function the electronic system cannot perform. She is currently developing new functions and reports to increase the efficiency of computer system s. Ms. Alejandre is fluent in Spanish, which has assisted her in collecting information during site visits and worker interviews.
For this work she will be the lead for the labor compliance component of the work, as applicable, or as support in PLA monitoring of local hiring provisions.
Johari Sloan-Malek: Ms. Sloan-Malek has more than 25 years of work-related experience in the field of labor compliance monitoring and administration for both state and federally funded projects. Ms. Sloan-Malek also has experience with applying and successfully receiving approval from the Department of Industrial Relations for prevailing wage rates on any residential projects.
Ms. Sloan-Malek has assisted several organizations with the initial implementation and administration of their LCPs as well as successfully managing those programs. Ms. Sloan-Malek also has experience with support work in administering PLAs containing local hiring provisions.
5 3. Understanding and Approach
The team of DSI understands the City’s District’s desire to achieve project stability and to complete the work on time and within budget but also to maximize opportunities for Local, Small Local, Very Small Local Disadvantaged Construction Programs (LBE/SL BE/VSLBE/DBE), Minority Business Enterprise/ Women Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE).DSI proposes to serve as the Coordinator, reporting to the Deputy City Manager or designee, and provide ongoing support.
All work will be executed at the direction of and in coordination with the Deputy City Manager or designee and the needs that are identified below.
DSI is aware that one potential challenge may be a shortage of local residents qualified, available, capable, and willing to work on the City projects to fulfill hiring goals, as well as the ability to identify residents prepared and committed to face the challenge s of apprenticeship training. To maximize the potential for success, DSI proposes implementing a focused approach, working with the City, the Unions, the Contractors, and related CBOs.
The basic DSI approach will be to engage the designated City staff, any related consultants, Contractors, the Unions, and related CBOs at all levels, early and often. Such engagement ensures that, as the City consultant , all DSI communications and processes are in line with the overall vision and goals of the City. The basic philosophy/approach of DSI is to maintain ongoing communications with applicable City staff before and during construction , in order to address compliance issues early and assure clearly defined remediation steps that can be shared with each Contractor and the related unions.
With these understandings, DSI proposes to assist in using the Compliance Management Program as a catalyst for not only stimulating local opportunities but also as a vehicle for maintaining sound and cooperative labor/management relations and ensuring project stability. To that end, DSI anticipates providing the following services, as needed, which will satisfy the minimum requirements identified in the RFQ, as well as other services that may be beneficial based on team experience and that meet the City’s time schedule.
• Review Project Specifications and Request for Proposals to ensure incorporation of the City's social equity/justice program requirements.
• Attend pre-bid meetings to ensure developers and contractors are aware of the City's various programs and requirements.
• Support City staff to support pre-bidder’s and pre-construction meetings to ensure that the low bidder has complied with the City's program. Conduct pre -construction meetings to ensure that the contractor and all of their subcontractors are familiar with all program requirements.
• Meet with developers, contractors, subcontractors, and tenants to explain the City's various social equity/justice programs and policies; encourage and assist developers, contractors, and subcontractors in achieving the City's goals for program participation, and the employment and training of Richmond residents.
• Monitors City projects to ensure compliance with the various programs from the beginning of the project to its completion.
6 • Perform on-site compliance reviews with contractors. • Investigate formal and informal complaints of non -compliance with City programs, minimum wage, and labor and/or prevailing wage violations. • Confer with contractors to ensure timely submittal of weekly payroll reports; monitor payroll reports for payment of prevailing wages and the employment of Richmond residents.
• Prepare monthly reports and letters of non -compliance and/or labor violations to developers and contractors.
• Certify Local, Small Local, Very Small Local firms, Minority Business Enterprise/ Women Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE), review documents submitted by company and conduct on-site review of company to determine program eligibility. • As qualified, p rovide technical assistance to current and prospective LBE/SLBE/VSLBE/DBE/MBE/WBE contractors.
• Monitors client service providers and/or contractors receiving City funds to ensure that funding-source requirements and City goals and requirements are satisfied, and proper documentation maintained.
• Conducts contractor audits of source documents and processes penalties as needed. • Monitors client service providers and/or contractors receiving City funds to ensure that funding-source requirements and City goals and requirements are satisfied, and proper documentation maintained.
• Management of LCPtracker, the City of Richmond’s cloud -based, labor compliance and payroll software.
7 4. Timing
DSI will start work immediately upon Notice to Proceed and continue until the budget of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) is exhausted.
5. Cost
Since it is more than difficult to determine the exact level of effort and related time required for the various work items identified, DSI proposes to work as required for a total fee not to exceed Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), which amount will no t be exceeded without prior, written agreement. This cost will not cover the cost of retaining an electronic reporting system. DSI will provide all work at the following hourly rates:
Hour Rates
Jake Sloan $200.00
Kitty Creech $165.00
Maribel Alejandre $150.00
Johari Sloan-Malek $150.00
Catherine Manuel $100.00
We see this as an exciting opportunity, and we look forward to the chance to continue working with the very professional staff of the City of Richmond