ORDINANCE approving and authorizing various vendor agreements between the City of Houston and 1) BAYTOWN MEALS ON WHEELS, 2) CITY OF JACINTO CITY, TEXAS, 3) CITY OF LA PORTE, 4) CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON, TEXAS, 5) EVELYN RUBENSTEIN JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, 6) INTERFAITH MINISTRIES FOR GREATER HOUSTON, 7) NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, INC, 8) NORTHWEST ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES, 9) THE SALVATION ARMY and 10) YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF HOUSTON, respectively, for nutrition and transportation services to senior adults provided through the Harris County Area Agency on Aging of the Houston Health Department; providing maximum contract amounts - $43,749,634.55 - Grant Funds

Request for Proposal for S55-T25415 - Approve an ordinance authorizing contracts between the City of Houston and 1) Baytown Meals on Wheels, 2) City of Jacinto City, Texas, 3) City of La Porte, 4) City of South Houston, Texas, 5) Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston, Texas, 6) Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, 7) Neighborhood Centers, Inc., 8) Northwest Assistance Ministries, 9) The Salvation Army, and 10) Young Women's Christian Association of Houston, respectively; providing a maximum contract amount not to exceed $43,749,634.55 for nutrition and transportation services to senior adults provided through the Harris County Area Agency on Aging for the Houston Health Department. 

Specific Explanation:

The Director of the Houston Health Department and the Chief Procurement Officer recommend that City Council approve an ordinance awarding one-year contracts with four one-year options to ten (10) contractors for a maximum amount not to exceed $43,749,634.55 for nutrition and transportation services to senior adults provided through the Harris County Area Agency on Aging for the Houston Health Department. 

The scope of work requires various contractors to provide all required supervision, labor, materials, tools, equipment, insurance, transportation, and expenses necessary to provide hot or other appropriate congregate or home-delivered meals and transportation services to eligible participants (60 years of age or older).  Contractors are to meet homebound eligibility criteria in accordance with 40 TAC 85.302, and shall meet the required assurances, licenses, certifications, and rate setting documents, as applicable.  In addition, Contractors shall conduct assessments for home delivered meals to participants, make home visits, document the intake information and units of service provided to a participant, develop policies regarding grievance and contribution procedures, conduct nutrition risk surveys, develop an annual written plan for nutrition education to all homebound participants, provide a nutrition outreach program, and conduct site management training.

Harris County Area Agency on Aging (HCAAA) administers this program designed to promote the development of  a  comprehensive  and  coordinated  service  delivery  system  to  meet  the· needs  of  older individuals.  HCAAA also provides a mechanism for the creation of an individualized network of community resources accessible to a program in compliance with guiding policies of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (OAA), Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS), and the Area Agency on Aging access and assistance guidelines.

This Request for Proposal (RFP) was advertised in accordance with the requirements of the State of Texas bid laws.  Fifty-two prospective proposers downloaded the solicitation document from SPD’s e-bidding website, and as a result, proposals were received from Baytown Meals on Wheels, City of Jacinto City, City of La Porte, City of South Houston, Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center, Interfaith Ministries, Neighborhood Centers, Inc., Northwest Assistance Ministries, The Salvation Army, and Young Women’s Christian Association.  The evaluation committee was comprised of six evaluators from the Area Planning Advisory Council (APAC), community organizations, and Houston Health Department.  The proposals were evaluated based upon the following criteria:

• Responsiveness to Proposal
• Technical Competence

-   Quality of Proposed Implementation Plan

-   Financial Stability to Undertake Project

-   Experience and Qualifications

-   Local Availability and Familiarity with Local Conditions

• Price (Reasonableness of Budget Proposal)

Baytown Meals on Wheels, City of Jacinto City, City of La Porte, City of South Houston, Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center, Interfaith Ministries, Neighborhood Centers, Inc., Northwest Assistance Ministries, The Salvation Army, and Young Women’s Christian Association were deemed as having met all requirements.

Pay or Play Program:

The proposed contract requires compliance with the City’s ‘Pay or Play’ ordinance regarding health benefits for employees of City contractors.  In this case, The Salvation Army, Baytown Meals on Wheels, City of Jacinto City,  City of South Houston, Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center, Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston, Neighborhood Centers, Inc., Northwest Assistance Ministries, and Young Women’s Christian Association will all provide health benefits to eligible employees in compliance with City policy, and that City of La Porte has elected to pay into the Contractor Responsibility Fund in compliance with City policy.

Hire Houston First:

The proposed contract requires compliance with the City’s ‘Hire Houston First’ ordinance that promotes economic opportunity for Houston businesses, while supporting job creation.  In this case, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston and Young Women’s Christian Association are designated HHF companies, but they were the successful awardee without application of the HHF preference, and that Baytown Meals on Wheels, Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center, Neighborhood Centers, Inc., Northwest Assistance Ministries, and The Salvation Army all did not meet the requirements of Hire Houston First, and no local firms who were within three percent of the proposed contract fee.  City of Jacinto City, City of La Porte, and City of South Houston are all municipalities within Harris County.

Fiscal Note:

Funding for this item is included in the FY17 Adopted Budget.  Therefore, no Fiscal Note is required as stated in the Financial Policy Ord. 2014-1078.

___________________________________              ____________________________________

John J. Gillespie, Chief Procurement Officer           Department Approval Authority Signature

Finance/Strategic Procurement Division

                                             Estimated Spending Authority:

$43,749,634.55 – Federal State Local, Pass Through Fund (5030)