Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Mark D. Bogen
Department: County Commission
Information
Requested Action
title
A. MOTION TO DISCUSS status of Bid No. GEN2119730B1 for Call Center Services for Paratransit Services.
(Commissioner Bogen and members of the public pulled this item.)
(Consent Item Number 11 and Supplemental Item Number 60 were heard concurrently.)
ACTION: (T-12:18 PM) The Board discussed the status of Bid No. GEN2119730BI. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
B. MOTION TO WAIVE Broward County Procurement Code to the extent necessary and award the contract for Call Center Services for Paratransit Services to B & L Service, Inc. d/b/a Yellow Cab. (Commissioner Bogen)
(Commissioner Bogen and members of the public pulled this item.)
(Consent Item Number 11 and Supplemental Item Number 60 were heard concurrently.)
ACTION: (T-12:18 PM) Approved as amended waiving the Procurement Code, as well as first negotiating a contract with B & L Service Inc. If negotiations are unsuccessful with B & L Service Inc., move forward with the second ranked vendor as stated by Vice-Mayor Geller. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
VOTE: 6-3. Commissioners Furr, Sharief, and Udine voted no.
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Why Action is Necessary
Motion A: Required for the Board to discuss the status of the solicitation.
Motion B: Required to waive certain provisions of the Broward County Procurement Code and award the referenced contract to the stated vendor
What Action Accomplishes
Motion A: Permits Board discussion of the referenced solicitation.
Motion B: Waives the Broward County Procurement Code and awards the referenced contract to the stated vendor.
Is this Action Goal Related
No
Previous Action Taken
Summary Explanation/Background
The competitive solicitation for Call Center Services for Paratransit Transportation Services, No. GEN2119730B1, opened on October 18, 2019, and closed on November 6, 2019. Three vendors submitted bids in response to the solicitation. On March 3, 2020, the Purchasing Division issued a recommendation to reject all bids for failure to meet the specifications. In reaching that conclusion, the Purchasing Division relied upon the determination by the using agency that the vendors’ proposals were not consistent with the specifications, including that the staffing levels proposed were insufficient to meet the specifications.
B&L Service, Inc. (B&L) has been operating a ground transportation dispatch Call Center in Broward County, Florida for the past six decades. Currently dispatching over 600 vehicles in three major markets, roughly 30% of the trips dispatched are paratransit trips for either governmental entities or brokers with governmental contracts.
B&L's call center staff handles over 24,000 calls per week. The average hold time is less than ten seconds. B&L currently dispatches vehicles 24 hours a day, seven days a week. B&L's staffing level for its current call center is 35 full and part-time employees, total. These include managers, dispatchers and call takers. B&L's proposed staffing levels are based upon decades of experience answering requests for calls and dispatching vehicles in Broward County.
The existing contract for call center services for paratransit transportation services is with Inktel Government BPO Services LLC, and was originally approved on October 28, 2014, for a total of five years (with all options exercised). On December 30, 2019, the Inktel contract was extended for 90 days through March 30, 2020, to allow time for completing a new competitive solicitation. On March 10, 2020 (Item 11), the Board is scheduled to consider approving a further extension on an unlimited month to month basis (with a right to terminate for convenience on 30 days notice upon completion of the pending solicitation).
Motion A allows Board discussion of the timing and any issues relating to the award of the competitive solicitation.
Motion B, if approved, would waive the Broward County Procurement Code to the extent necessary to permit an award of the competitive solicitation to B & L Service, Inc.
Source of Additional Information
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
None.