Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: George Tablack
Department: Finance and Administrative Services Division: Purchasing
Information
Requested Action
title
MOTION TO APPROVE final ranking of the qualified firms for Request for Proposals (RFP) No. PNC2126443P1, Design-Build Sheridan St. Bridge over FL Turnpike (Step Two), for the Highway and Bridge Maintenance Division. The top ranked firms are: 1 - Structural Technologies, LLC; 2 - GLF Construction Corporation.
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Why Action is Necessary
In accordance with Broward County Procurement Code Section 21.42(j), Procedures for RFPs, RLIs, and RFQs, if an objection or protest has been filed with respect to an Evaluation Committee's ranking, the ranking must be submitted to the Board for final approval. The Board, by majority vote, may (1) accept the ranking as final; (2) reject all responses to the solicitation; or (3) direct the Evaluation Committee to reconvene to consider any new or additional information the Board directs the Evaluation Committee to consider. In addition, the Board may request presentations by the ranked vendors and may, by supermajority vote, re-rank those vendors in a final ranking.
What Action Accomplishes
Approves the Evaluation Committee's recommendation of the final ranking of qualified firms.
Goal Related Icon(s)
☐County Commission
☐Go Green
☐MAP Broward
Previous Action Taken
None.
Summary Explanation/Background
THE PURCHASING DIVISION AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/HIGHWAY AND BRIDGE MAINTENANCE DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
The Office of Economic and Small Business Development (OESBD) established a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation goal of 10% for this contract. Structural Technologies, LLC has committed to 14.10% DBE participation, which has been reviewed and approved by the OESBD (Exhibit 1).
The purpose of this item is to approve the final ranking of qualified firms to provide professional engineering, surveying, and construction services required for increasing the vertical clearance of Sheridan Street Bridge over Florida’s Turnpike and authorize the Director of Purchasing to negotiate and execute the contract between Broward County and Structural Technologies, LLC.
The County utilized a Two-Step solicitation process for this project consisting of a Step-One Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and a Step-Two Request for Proposals (RFP).
Step-One RFQ No. PNC2126443R1, Design Build: Sheridan St. Bridge Over FL Turnpike, required vendors to submit their qualifications and for the Evaluation Committee (EC) to shortlist the most qualified responsive and responsible vendors to proceed to the Step-Two RFP. The Step-Two RFP consisted of inviting shortlisted vendors from the Step-One RFQ to submit proposals for ranking, based on other evaluation criteria.
On July 21, 2023, the Step-One RFQ was advertised, and closed on August 30, 2023. Four submittals were received: Cone & Graham, Inc.; GLF Construction Corporation; Strongcore Group, LLC; and Structural Technologies, LLC.
On November 3, 2023, a Qualification EC Meeting for Step-One RFQ was held. The EC members determined Cone & Graham, Inc.; GLF Construction Corporation: and Structural Technologies, LLC as responsive and responsible to all Step-One RFQ solicitation requirements. Strongcore Group, LLC was found non-responsive to the submittal bond requirement.
Cone & Graham, Inc.; GLF Construction Corporation; and Structural Technologies, LLC. were shortlisted to move forward to Step-Two RFP.
On March 19, 2024, Step-Two RFP was advertised and closed on May 20, 2024. Three submittals were received: Cone & Graham, Inc.; GLF Construction Corporation; and Structural Technologies, LLC.
On July 23, 2024, an Initial EC meeting for Step-Two RFP was held. The EC members determined GLF Construction Corporation and Structural Technologies, LLC as responsive and responsible to all Step-Two RFP solicitations requirements and to proceed to the Final Evaluation for scoring and ranking. Cone & Graham, Inc. was found non-responsive to the bid bond requirement.
On July 29, 2024, a Final EC meeting for Step-Two RFP was held to hear presentations and score and rank the two firms, GLF Construction Corporation and Structural Technologies, LLC.
After the presentations, scoring and ranking of firms, the EC members named Structural Technologies, LLC (ST) as the first-ranked firm with 419 points, and GLF Construction Corporation (GLF) as the second-ranked firm with 404 points.
The EC’s proposed recommendation of ranking was posted on the Purchasing Division website from August 1 - 6, 2024, providing an opportunity for any proposer or interested party to present any new or additional information regarding the responsibility of the proposers.
On August 5, 2024, the Director of Purchasing received a timely objection letter from GLF Construction Corporation (Exhibit 2).
On September 19, 2024, the Director of Purchasing issued a response to GLF’s objection. All objection assertions were denied (Exhibit 3).
The EC’s final recommendation of ranking was posted on the Purchasing Division website from September 23 - 30, 2024, which provided an opportunity for any aggrieved proposer to file a formal protest. On September 30, 2024, GLF filed a protest to the final recommendation of Ranking (Exhibit 4).
On October 18, 2024, the County Attorney issued an updated Litigation Review Memorandum to address one of the protest assertions raised by the protesting vendor (Exhibit 5).
On November 1, 2024, the Director of Purchasing issued a response to GLF’s protest. GLF’s protest assertions Nos. 1, 2 and 4 were denied. Protest assertion No. 3 was upheld to the extent ST should have disclosed one of the material cases identified by GLF (Exhibit 6).
On November 6, 2024, the EC was reconvened to update the EC members and for the EC to consider the new litigation history responsibility issue. Following their review of the issue, the EC members maintained their previous determinations of responsiveness and responsibility of the firms.
The Board, by majority vote, may (1) accept the ranking as final; (2) reject all responses to the solicitation; or (3) direct the EC to reconvene to consider any new or additional information the Board directs the EC to consider. In addition, the Board may request presentations by the ranked vendors and may, by supermajority vote, re-rank those vendors in a final ranking.
Additional supporting documentation, provided to the EC regarding this procurement can be found on the Purchasing Division website at <https://www.broward.org/Purchasing/Pages/Repository.aspx>.
Source of Additional Information
Robert E. Gleason, Director, Purchasing Division, (954) 357-6070
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
There is no fiscal impact.