STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Government Performance and Financial Management
AGENDA DATE: August 25, 2021
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): N/A
DEPARTMENT: Office of Procurement Services
EXECUTIVE: Elizabeth Reich
______________________________________________________________________
SUBJECT
Title
Authorize a two-year service contract for a comprehensive food and urban agriculture plan for the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability - Agritecture, LLC, most advantageous proposer of three - Not to exceed $250,000 - Financing: General Fund (subject to annual appropriations)
Body
BACKGROUND
This action does not encumber funds; the purpose of a service contract is to establish firm pricing for services for a specific term, which are ordered on an as needed basis.
This service contract entails development of a comprehensive food and urban agriculture plan (Plan) for the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability and other City departments that are working together to increase equitable access to healthy local food in the City. The Plan builds on efforts identified in the Resilient Dallas Plan (2018) that cite addressing food deserts and healthy food access as critical to achieving optimal public health in Dallas. The Plan is also an identified action in the Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan (CECAP, 2020), and is intended as the first step towards meeting the related CECAP goals for food and urban agriculture.
Work by the U.S. Global Change Research Program on the National Climate Assessment (2018) that was used as a basis of the CECAP, indicates that up to 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions globally are associated with food production, and that locally in Texas, there is strong potential for increases in food supply chain vulnerability posed by a changing climate. Food insecurity was also correlated with increases in violent crime in research by Clemson University (2016) and others.
The Plan, to be developed over the next 18 months, is focused on addressing these primary issues, and will be guided by input from a local food advisory stakeholders group including grocers, restaurants, food supply chain brokers, local farms, and agriculture ventures, and food-based non-profits in addition to robust community outreach and engagement. The Plan will set forth an equitable path towards meeting project goals of:
• Building organizational capacity around urban agriculture
• Improving food access in vulnerable neighborhoods
• Reducing food-miles from farm-to-table by increasing local food production
• Preparing our food-systems to be more resilient to extreme weather events
• Reducing food waste through donations, recovery and diversion, and composting
A seven-member committee from the following departments reviewed and evaluated the qualifications:
• Office of Community Care (1)
• Office of Data Analytics and Business Intelligence (1)
• Office of Economic Development (1)
• Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability (2)
• Dallas Public Library (1)
• Office of Procurement Services (1)*
*The Office of Procurement Services only evaluated the cost and local preference, if applicable.
The committee selected the successful respondent on the basis of demonstrated competence and qualifications under the following criteria:
• Approach and staffing plan 25 points
• Experience 25 points
• Cost 25 points
• Outreach and engagement 20 points
• Local Preference 5 points
As part of the solicitation process and in an effort to increase competition, the Office of Procurement Services used its procurement system to send out email notifications to vendors registered under relevant commodity codes. To further increase competition, the Office of Procurement Services used historical solicitation information, the Internet, and vendor contact information obtained from user departments to contact additional vendors.
On November 10, 2015, the City Council authorized a living wage policy that requires contractors to pay their employees a “living wage” rate as established annually by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Living Wage Calculator for Dallas County by Resolution No. 15-2141. The current calculated living wage during the solicitation process of this contract is $12.38; the selected vendor meets this requirement.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
On August 8, 2018, City Council adopted the Resilient Dallas plan, that identified challenges posed by food deserts and identified efforts to improve local public health, to reduce emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change as part of the strategy to make Dallas neighborhoods and our community thrive by Resolution No. 18-1026.
On May 27, 2020, City Council adopted the Comprehensive Environmental & Climate Action Plan, including initiatives ranging from air quality to zero waste improvements, including buildings, energy, transportation, water resources, green space, food security, urban agriculture emissions, and air quality, in order to reduce emissions, adapt to the future and ensure equitable action towards a clean healthy environment by Resolution No. 20-0688.
The Environmental and Sustainability Committee was briefed regarding this matter on June 7, 2021.
FISCAL INFORMATION
|
Fund |
FY 2021 |
FY 2022 |
Future Years |
|
General Fund |
$250,000.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
M/WBE INFORMATION
In accordance with the City’s Business Inclusion and Development Policy adopted on September 23, 2020, by Resolution No. 20-1430, as amended, the M/WBE participation on this contract is as follows:
|
Contract Amount |
Procurement Category |
M/WBE Goal |
M/WBE % |
M/WBE $ |
|
$250,000.00 |
Other Services |
N/A |
13.00% |
$32,500.00 |
|
• The Business inclusion and Development Policy does not apply to Other Service contracts, however the prime contractor is subcontracting with certified M/WBEs. |
|
• Agritecture, LLC - Non-local; Workforce - 0.00% Local |
PROCUREMENT INFORMATION
Method of Evaluation for Award Type:
|
Request for Competitive |
• Utilized for high technology procurements, insurance procurements, and other goods and services |
|
Sealed Proposal |
• Recommended offeror whose proposal is most advantageous to the City, considering the relative importance of price, and other evaluation factors stated in the specifications |
|
|
• Always involves a team evaluation |
|
|
• Allows for negotiation on contract terms, including price |
The Office of Procurement Services received the following proposals from solicitation number BFZ21-00015263. We opened them on May 28, 2021. This service contract is being awarded in its entirety to the most advantageous proposer.
*Denotes successful proposer
Proposers Address Score
*Agritecture, LLC 300 West 135th St. 84.12
Unit 7J
New York, NY 10030
The Gleaning Network of Texas 920 South Harwood 78.29
dba GROW North Texas #162
Dallas, TX 75201
Water is Alive 710 Ida Vista Ct. 51.00
Duncanville, TX 75116
OWNER
Agritecture, LLC
Henry Gordon-Smith, Managing Director