Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Stephen Farmer
Department: Finance and Administrative Services Division: Purchasing
Information
Requested Action
title
MOTION TO APPROVE final ranking of the qualified firms for Request for Letters of Interest (RLI) No. TEC2125494R2, Public Computer Reservation, Print Management, and Scanning Solution for the Libraries Division. The ranked firms are: 1 - Today’s Business Solutions, Inc.; 2 - Comprise Technologies, Inc.; 3 - Invengo American, Corp. d/b/a FE Technologies; and 4 - EnvisionWare, Inc.
body
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 LIBRARIES DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
The Office of Economic and Small Business Development (OESBD) determined that no County Business Enterprise (CBE) participation goal should apply to this solicitation based on its review of the products and services requested and availability of CBE firms to perform the services.
Broward County Code of Ordinances Section 1-81.3(a), CBE goals and reserves, provides for the setting of a CBE goal of at least 25% unless the Board or the County Administrator (under limited circumstances) approves a different goal or no goal based upon a written determination by the Director of the Office of Economic and Small Business Development (OESBD). The Board’s approval of this item will result in no CBE goal being set for the applicable agreement consistent with the written determination provided by the Director of OESBD (Exhibit 2).
The purpose of this solicitation is to engage a qualified firm to provide a fully functional and integrated Public Computer Access with Reservation Control, Print Management and Scanning Solution for the Broward County Libraries Division, which includes computerized access/reservation system, patron print management system, cloud printing solution, scanning kiosk system, and all applicable cost recovery hardware. All solutions have a centralized, web-based management and the ability to integrate with the SirsiDynix Symphony Integrated Library System (ILS) Solution, which County is currently using for its ILS.
The RLI was advertised on July 5, 2024, and, at the time of the submittal deadline on August 2, 2024, four vendors submitted responses: Comprise Technologies, Inc. (Comprise); EnvisionWare, Inc. (EnvisionWare); Invengo American, Corp. d/b/a FE Technologies (Invengo); and Today’s Business Solutions, Inc. (TBS).
On October 18, 2024, an Initial Evaluation Committee meeting was held. The Evaluation Committee (EC) determined all four vendors as responsive and responsible to the solicitation requirements.
In accordance with Broward County Procurement Code Section 21.42(c), Procedures for RFPs, RLIs, and RFQs, the EC may (1) shortlist vendors and then score or rank only the shortlisted vendors; or (2) score and/or rank all responses. During the Initial EC meeting, the EC elected to not shortlist, as the recommendation from the Purchasing Director was to shortlist no less than five vendors and only four vendors remained for final evaluation.
On October 28 and October 30, 2024, demonstration meetings were held. All four firms demonstrated their proposed solution to the County.
On November 15, 2024, a Final EC meeting was held. After presentations, evaluation, and ranking, the EC named Today’s Business as the first-ranked firm; Comprise as the second-ranked firm; Invengo as the third-ranked firm; and EnvisionWare as the fourth-ranked firm (Exhibit 1).
The EC’s proposed recommendation of ranking was posted on the Purchasing Division website from November 22 - 26, 2024, which provided an opportunity for any proposer or interested party to present any new or additional information regarding the responsibility of the proposers.
On November 25, 2024, the Director of Purchasing received a timely written objection from EnvisionWare objecting to the ranking. The objection letter contained two assertions: 1) The successful bidder, TBS, failed to disclose material litigation as required by the Standard Instructions and is therefore non-compliant with the Standard Instructions and accordingly is not entitled to be awarded the Project; and 2) TBS, failed to disclose all material cases filed, pending, or resolved during the last three years prior to the solicitation response due date (Exhibit 3).
On December 19, 2024, the Director of Purchasing issued a response to EnvisionWare’s objection assertions stating that, after review of the procurement records and proceedings of the EC, and in consultation with the Office of the County Attorney, the issues raised in the objection were not of sufficient merit to recall or otherwise alter the recommendation of the EC. The evaluation of firms was conducted appropriately and within established requirements, guidelines, practices, and procedures set forth in the Broward County Procurement Code, County Ordinances, and existing written guidelines of the Purchasing Division. As such, the objection was denied (Exhibit 4).
The EC’s final recommendation of ranking was posted on the Purchasing Division website from December 23 - 30, 2024, which provided an opportunity for any aggrieved proposer to file a formal protest. No formal protest was received.
Additional supporting documentation provided to the EC for this procurement can be found on the Purchasing Division website at: <http://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.