TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF DECEMBER 7, 2017
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Title
Issue purchase orders and enter into agreements for Contract 18-RFP-01 State Legislative Consulting Services, with Charles R. Vaughn, in an amount not to exceed $21,000.00, Ado L. Rugai Attorney at Law, in an amount not to exceed $21,000.00, Law Offices of Paul L. Williams & Associates, in an amount not to exceed $21,000.00, and Miguel A. Santiago Consulting, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $21,000.00, Account 101-15000-612430, Requisition 1472035
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to issue purchase orders and enter into agreements with Charles R. Vaughn, Ado L. Rugai Attorney at Law, Law Offices of Paul L. Williams & Associates, and Miguel A. Santiago Consulting, Inc. for state legislative consulting services.
This request for proposal is for services of state legislative consultants to work with the District’s legislative liaison and staff to develop and facilitate the District’s annual state legislative program.
Contract 18-RFP-01 was advertised on September 13, 2017. Eighty-five (85) firms were notified, with nineteen (19) requesting proposals. Ten (10) proposals were received on October 6, 2017 from a consortium of Liz-Brown Reeves Consulting, Aptus Strategies, Roger C. Marquardt & Co and Ron Holmes Consulting; Dorgan, Butcher & Phelps LLC; The August Group, Ltd., and Susan M. Sikes; Nekritz Amdor Consulting LLC; Ado L. Rugai, Attorney at Law; Miguel A. Santiago Consulting, Inc.; Tristan & Cervantes; Charles R. Vaughn; and Law Offices of Paul L. Williams & Associates. The proposal from the consortium of Liz-Brown Reeves Consulting, et al. was deemed non-responsive.
The proposals were reviewed and evaluated by a panel consisting of staff from General Administration, the Law Department, and the Department of Procurement & Materials Management. The proposals were rated on understanding and approach to the scope of work, consultant technical competence, and cost of services. Each department provided one (1) ranking for each firm who met the listed qualifications in the contract documents. The proposals from Dorgan, Butcher & Phelps LLC; The August Group, Ltd., and Susan M. Sikes; and Nekritz Amdor Consulting LLC were removed from consideration due to failure to meet the requirement that the proposer has been in business for a minimum of five (5) consecutive years, and have a minimum of at least five (5) consecutive years’ experience in legislative consulting. The remaining proposers were then invited to give presentations to the evaluation panel. The presentations were rated on understanding and approach to the scope of work and consultant technical competence.
Mr. Charles R. Vaughn’s, Mr. Ado L. Rugai’s, Mr. Paul L. Williams’, and Mr. Miguel A. Santiago’s knowledge of the District’s needs, goals, and objectives, and their experience with the legislative process in the Illinois General Assembly, qualifies them as the best suited to provide the requested services to the District.
Further, it should be noted that the District, as a governmental body, has a legitimate public interest in making certain that the expenditure of public funds is done in an efficient and effective manner while also serving the various diverse populations and communities that formulate the District’s vast service area.
The agreements will begin upon Board approval and execution of agreements and purchase orders and continue for approximately six (6) months during the 2018 Illinois General Assembly and veto session. There is an option to extend the services for two (2) additional General Assembly and veto sessions at the same monthly fee. The monthly fee will remain fixed during the entire contract period. The option to extend is at the sole discretion of the District and will be approved by the Board of Commissioners.
Inasmuch as Mr. Charles R. Vaughn, Mr. Ado L. Rugai, Mr. Paul L. Williams, and Mr. Miguel A. Santiago possess a high degree of professional skills, it is recommended that the Director of Procurement & Materials Management be authorized to issue purchase orders and enter into agreements per Section 11.4 of the Purchasing Act, in an amount not to exceed $21,000.00 for each consultant.
Funds are being requested in 2018 in Account 101-15000-612430 and are contingent on the Board of Commissioners’ approval of the District’s budget for that year.
Requested, Eileen M. McElligott, Administrative Services Officer, JRM
Recommended, Darlene A. LoCascio, Director of Procurement and Materials Management
Respectfully Submitted, Barbara J. McGowan, Chairman Committee on Procurement
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for December 7, 2017