Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
APRIL 19, 2023
Subject
SUBJECT: COMMUTER OPTIONS & REGULATORY COMPLIANCE SUPPORT
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer to execute a five-year firm, fixed price Contract No. PS95419000 to Innovative TDM Solutions (ITS) for Rideshare Services and Regulatory Compliance Support in the amount of $6,145,965.36, subject to resolution of protest(s), if any.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro has a proven and well-established Commuter Options and Regulatory Compliance Support Program (Program) since April 2005 and a robust customer- and ride-matching database to support a carpool- and vanpool-formation function in the region. Under this program, Metro assists 878 worksite/employer Employee Transportation Coordinators (ETCs) participating on a variety of levels within Los Angeles County. Metro partners with Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC), Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), and San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) to create an inter-county database of 407,977 commuter registrants, which provides a cross-regional ride-matching function for congestion reduction purposes. Metro also works closely with the South Coast AQMD and Los Angeles County ETCs in complying with air quality regulation Rule 2202 as well as working with employers mandated by local city congestion management ordinances.
Metro’s current Contract No. PS42183000, Metro Rideshare/Shared Mobility Program Support expires on May 31, 2023. To keep these services intact to support employer ETCs, the South Coast AQMD, Transportation Management Associations/Organizations (TMA/Os), and commuters who have come to depend on these services, staff recommends extending the Program by awarding the contract to the above-mentioned contractor.
Background
BACKGROUND
The Metro Commuter Options and Regulatory Compliance Support team is a one-stop multifaceted Transportation Demand Management (TDM) resource for Los Angeles County employers/ETCs, TMA/Os and individual commuters interested in reducing vehicle-miles traveled (VMT), easing their commute time and improving air quality by decreasing single-occupancy vehicles (SOV).
Services are wide-ranging and include assisting employers in developing a telecommuting plan, carpooling ride-matches, and vanpool formation and seat filling. Promotions include Commuter Tax Benefits, flex/tiered work schedules, employer-based transit subsidies, Metro’s vanpool subsidy program, and incentive/rewards programs, such as Metro Rideshare Rewards and Go Metro to Work Free for new hires.
The Program has a quantifiable reputation for providing high quality personalized assistance to employers that are mandated to comply with the South Coast AQMD’s Rule 2202, and specifically the chosen option of implementing an on-site Employee Commute Reduction Program (ECRP). Under the ECRP, employers need to submit an annual Trip Reduction Plan (TRP) and a yearly Average Vehicle Ridership (AVR) survey. Along with assisting with the ECRP requirements, the services include the production and distribution of customized RideGuides (carpool and vanpool matches and transit information), conducting semi-annual congestion management certification workshops and assisting with outreach events/activities throughout the year.
The program is a branch of the five County Transportation Commissions (CTC) partnerships, which includes OCTA, RCTC, SBCTA and VCTC. The collective CTCs share a regional database that is used by ETCs and commuters throughout the five counties. This collaborative effort also allows for systematic multi-regional information to be distributed through the “On The Go” newsletter(s), and fosters seamless regional publicity, assists with outreach activities, and works in concert with TMA/Os and the SCAQMD. This TDM program is part of Metro’s Long Range Transportation Plan to assist the region in reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Managing congestion-reduction strategies and air quality compliance regulations is complex and requires a specific TDM professional knowledge base as well as industry-related working relationships. Metro utilizes a trained and specialized consultant service to provide a broad range of services to customers. This contract will enable Metro to continue to deliver South Coast AQMD Rule 2202 regulatory compliance support and mobility options to ETCs in Los Angeles County, employers mandated under local city congestion reduction ordinances and individual commuters seeking commute reduction options. The active customer base reaches across the entire Los Angeles County demographic and up to the regional borders. Staff works closely with neighboring CTCs to ensure seamless cross regional customer support.
The recommended contractor, ITS, a Medium Sized 1 business, has a proven and effective work performance in managing the nine defined tasks and deliverables needed for this program. Since 2001, ITS has successfully been an integral part of the multi-regional TDM arena in the development and management of the associated ridesharing/ridematching and AVR software database. They provide detailed monthly, quarterly, mid-year and year-end reports outlining their Metro-related accomplishments and have met or exceeded program expectations. ITS has a documented history of managing up to or under budget and has an established work history with Metro for close to 18 years. They are the incumbent contractor and under a current contract, which was awarded in October 2017. This contractor has a customer-centric ideology and has a long running documented rating/score of 4.8 out of 5 stars in relation to customer satisfaction.
In the past, the Program and its services were labeled as “Rideshare”. However, since many app-based ride-hailing services have now repurposed the term “Rideshare” for the mobility option that their services provide, this has caused confusion with the ride-matching function, such as the carpooling and vanpool formation function. Therefore, staff has changed the label to “Commuter Options and Regulatory Compliance Support” for the services provided by the program, and under this contract.
Products and services that the contractor will be responsible for include but are not limited to: software and database maintenance; TRP and AVR transportation survey and reporting; RideGuide processing and distribution; respond to in/outbound calls, emails and online inquires; incentive program eligibility and fulfillment; personalized support to commuters; one-on-one training and support to employer ETCs and TMA/Os; organize and assist at county Rideshare events; and support overall program growth initiatives, as well as conduct monthly ETC briefings and database training.
In addition, the contractor will oversee the Los Angeles County’s portion of the regional proprietary database software, which ensures a standardized operating system with OCTA, SBCTA, RCTC and VCTC, thus providing a seamless experience for users across all counties.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The program/services will not have any safety impacts.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The total estimated project cost is $6,145,965.36, including five years of annual operating costs. First year expenses are budgeted through the FY23 in cost center 4320, Project 405547, Professional Services. The cost center manager and executive officer in charge of Regional TDM will be responsible for budgeting in future years.
Impact to Budget
The source of funds for this action is Proposition C 25% Streets and Highway, which is not eligible to fund bus and rail operating and capital expenditures. The program is using Prop C 25% funds to exclusively support Los Angeles County ETCs, employer/businesses, TMA/TMOs and commuters. OCTA, SBCTA, RCTC and VCTC employ their own separate contractors to perform similar regulatory support and ridesharing services for the demographic within their respective regions, and within their own budget/s.
Equity Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
This program works directly with the South Coast AQMD, TMA/TMOs and cities mandated by air quality and congestion management regulations in offering regulatory compliance and commuter support/assistance. The services are free of charge on all levels, which makes it accessible to all interested parties (employers/businesses, cities, and commuters) on an equitable basis.
Staff is conducting Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis to design heat and/or density maps that will indicate which employers and their corresponding employees are located in Equity Focused Communities (EFCs). The objective of this analysis is to identify any patterns or access barriers that employers or commuters in EFCs might be experiencing. This analysis is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2023.
Under this program’s initiatives, employers/businesses are encouraged to market Metro’s commuter options programs and resources to their employees. Through this program, staff refer customers to state and federal incentives, local small business resources, and internal Metro programs, such as the Bike and Vanpool subsidy programs. Since customers are employers/businesses and TMA/TMOs that have primary and direct working relationships with their workforce and/or clients, they are entrusted to reach out in ways that best meet their demographic needs. Workshops and training-related activities conducted within this program are offered both in person and virtually, which offers improved access for attendees with disabilities and ETCs with limited labor resources and/or travel budgets. The ETC and Commuter newsletter/s are produced in English and Spanish.
This was an open solicitation under the Medium Size Business Enterprise Program (MSZ-1) and included a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) goal of 22% and a Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) of 3% for the Rideshare Services and Regulatory Compliance Support contract.
The recommended contractor has met the required goals.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The recommendation supports the following Strategic Plan goals:
1. Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling.
2. Deliver outstanding trip experiences for all users of the transportation system; and
3. Enhance communities and lives through mobility and access to opportunity.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board can choose not to approve the award of this Rideshare Services and Regulatory Compliance Support contract. However, this is not recommended as Metro would no longer be able to provide critical South Coast AQMD Rule 2202 program support for our LA County employers’ ETCs and/or assistance to commuters. One such client is the County of Los Angeles with whom staff work with to process annual surveys for over 150 of their worksites. It will also discontinue the Ride-matching carpooling and vanpool formation function.
The contractor staff members are bilingual and are South Coast AQMD certified Employee Transportation Coordinators (ETCs) with over 18 years of Regulatory Compliance Support and Ridesharing Services experience. If Metro takes the alternative of bringing the service in-house, increase staff capacity with South Coast AQMD ETC certifications and bilingual capabilities will be needed.
Awarding this program to an outside source (contractor) also allows Metro the opportunity to support a local Medium-Sized business 1 as well as a local SBE and DVBE.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon approval by the Board, staff will execute Contract No.PS95419000 with Innovative TDM Solutions (ITS) for the Rideshare Services and Regulatory Compliance Support which will reside under Regional TDM Program and Policy (CC4320),
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Procurement Summary
Attachment B - DEOD Summary
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Martin Buford, Senior Manager, (213) 922-2601
Frank Ching, Deputy Executive Officer, Countywide Planning (213) 922-3033
Ray Sosa, Deputy Chief Planning Officer, (213) 422-7359
Debra Avila, Chief Vendor/Contract Management Officer, (213) 418-3051
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: James de la Loza , Chief Planning Officer, (213) 922-2920
