City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: August 22, 2023
Agenda Item: 5.A
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Anuj Gupta, Interim Director of Transportation, Department of Transportation, Transit Operations
Subject: Award Bid to Uniform Accessories Warehouse for Big Blue Bus Motor Coach Operator Uniforms
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
2. Award Bid #4443 to Uniform Accessories Warehouse for the provision of Motor Coach Operator (MCO) uniforms for the Department of Transportation.
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Uniform Accessories Warehouse, in an amount not to exceed $841,700, over a five-year period with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Summary
Big Blue Bus (BBB), a division of the Santa Monica Department of Transportation (DOT), employs Motor Coach Operators (MCOs) tasked with operating its bus service across the greater Los Angeles area. As part of the Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the MCOs’ bargaining unit SMART-TD, the City is directed to provide uniforms and related supplies and services to each MCO on an annual basis.
After conducting a formal solicitation and reviewing the bids received, staff recommends that Bid #4443 be awarded to Uniform Accessories Warehouse for the provision of uniforms and related services for a total amount not to exceed $841,700 over a fiveyear period. 2 of 4
Discussion
To ensure MCOs dress uniformly to present a professional image to the public, the City and the MCOs’ bargaining unit SMART-TD agreed to a voucher system for the purchase of new uniforms which include but are not limited to shirts, pants, sweaters, shoes, jackets, and belts. Vendors will also generally provide alteration services at the time of the initial purchase, as well as the embroidery and installation of City patches and emblems reflecting safe driving awards. Using this voucher system provides MCOs discretion in the type and quantity of items purchased based on their own individual requirements and uniform needs. These vouchers can be used in-store, or during scheduled vendor site visits to the BBB facility. While DOT is among many transit agencies actively addressing a national shortage in MCOs, the department continues to yield positive results in response to its recruitment efforts and continues to add newly trained MCOs to its ranks. As a result, DOT anticipates that approximately 323 MCOs will require uniform vouchers annually, taking into consideration natural attrition. The not to exceed amount of $841,700 considers both the annual uniform voucher amount and the total budgeted MCO full-time equivalents (FTE). The winning bid provided by the recommended best bidder was an estimated total cost based on itemized uniform quantities provided in the procurement process.
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Vendor Selection
Bidder Recommendation
Best Bidder Uniform Accessories Warehouse
Evaluation Criteria Price; the quality of the uniform material and alteration services offered; the ability, capacity, and skill of the bidder to provide excellent customer experience for MCOs selecting uniforms.
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.180
Submittals Received
Sinatra Uniforms,
Inc
$934,972.50
Uniform
Accessories
Warehouse
$657,892.50
Becnel Uniforms $899,445.25
Bid Data
Date
Posted Posted On
Advertise In
(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
6/26/2023 City's Online
Bidding Site
Santa Monica Daily
Press
23 7/11/2023
Best Bidder Justification
Bids were evaluated based on the criteria in SMMC 2.24.180 including price, customer experience, and capacity to provide quality MCO uniforms. Staff recommends Uniform Accessories Warehouse as the best bidder based on their ability to provide a high level of customer service and customer experience during the provision of MCO uniform services. Uniform Accessories Warehouse maintains a modern and dynamic facility that produces uniforms onsite versus outsourcing the work and is able to provide MCOs with a high level of customer service while sampling uniforms. Over the last 7 years Uniform Accessories Warehouse has provided Santa Monica Police Department with excellent service in providing police uniforms. Uniform Accessories Warehouse is also the lowestcost bidder. It is for these reasons that Staff recommends Uniform Accessories Warehouse as the best bidder and the lowest cost bidder.
Environmental Review
The award agreement is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines. The award agreement is covered by the commonsense exemption, which states that CEQA does not apply, “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a 4 of 4
significant effect on the environment.” The agreement will provide the City with MCO uniforms and related services. Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that the proposed agreement would not result in adverse physical impacts on the environment, and as such, is categorically exempt from CEQA.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve funding from the Big Blue Bus Fund to award a contract with Uniform Accessories Warehouse for MCO uniforms and related services. Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Contract Request
Vendor Account # FY2023-24
Request Amount
Future
Years
Amount
Total Contract
Amount
Uniform Accessories
Warehouse
60600013.523380 $92,340 $749,360 $841,700
Prepared By: Peter Seller, Senior Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Uniform Warehouse Oaks Form 7.20.23