TRANSPORTATION BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL...

TRANSPORTATION BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTESREVISED FEBRUARY 6, 2014

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I. Call To Order

TBAC Meeting was called to order by Chair Lucia Tam at 9:49 AM in the Metro Board Room located on the 3rd floor of Metro Headquarters at One Gateway Plaza in Los Angeles, California.

II. Roll Call: QUORUM IS ESTABLISHED

TBAC Officers Present (X) Lucia Tam, Chairperson- Chinese American Construction Professionals X Ezekiel Patten, Vice-Chairperson- Black Business Association X Ken Wong, Secretary, Asian American Architects & Engineers Rubina Chaudhary, Financial Officer, WBENC West X Deborah Dyson, Parliamentarian, WCOE USA TBAC Representatives/Alternates Attendance (see sign in sheet) American Indian Chamber of Commerce

Tracy Stanhoff, President & Alternate Robert Weir, Representative Gretchen Cox, Alternate

Asian American Architects & Engineers Association (AAa/e) Diana Ho Young Nam, Alternate James Okazaki, Alternate X

Asian Business Association (ABA) Dennis Huang, Executive Director & Alternate Lynn Chen, Representative X Sam Qui, Alternate

Black Business Association (BBA) Earl Cooper, President & Alternate Lou Collier, Alternate

Chinese American Construction Professionals (CACP) Andy Jiang, President Henry Woo, Representative Michael Chiu, Alternate

Filipino-American Society of Architects & Engineers (FASAE) Joseph Rigonan, Jr., President Ethel Walker, Representative X Perfecto Arca, Alternate Berwan R. Salazar, Alternate

Hispanic Engineers Business Corp. (HEBC) Rodrigo Garcia, President & Representative X Richard Hernandez, Alternate Armando Ramos, Alternate

Los Angeles Latino Chamber of Commerce (LALCC) Javier Pacheco, Representative Frank Villalobos, Alternate X Javier Del Valle, Alternate

Los Angeles Chapter of National Association of Minority Architects (LANOMA) Drake Dillard, President & Representative

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Gregory Williams, Alternate Camille Jackson, Alternate

National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) Leonard Lumas, President Leon Brooks, Representative Bianca Vobecky, Alternate Keith Dixon, Alternate

National Association of Women Business Owners of Los Angeles (NAWBO-LA) Jane Pak, President & Alternate Jennifer Freund, Representative Mary McCormick, Alternate Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (RHCC)

Sandy Cajas, President & Representative Raymond Duckworth, Alternate Edgar Paz, Alternate

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE-LA) Robert C. Guzman, President Daniel Pradel, Representative Elias Cortez, Alternate Sylvia Avendano, Alternate

South Asian Business Alliance Network (SABAN) Mohammed Islam Rubina Chaudhary Gary O. Shelton Anapuma Shetty X

The Elite Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVOB) Sandra Schneeberger, President & Representative X

William Osgood, Alternate Rene Cota, Alternate Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBEC-West) Pamela Williamson, President Lily Otieno, Alternate Summer Sepulveda, Alternate Women Construction Owners & Executives (WCOE-USA)

Penny Pompei, President Marian Selvaggio, Alternate Ruth Bley, Alternate

Metro Staff Attendance (see sign in sheet) Miguel Cabral, Director, Economic Dev. Initiative & Workforce Compliance X Richard Chastang, County Counsel Michelle Caldwell, Chief, administrative Services X Keith Compton, Manager, DEOD X Don Dwyer, Deputy Executive Officer, Professional Services Contract Mgmt. Julie Ellis, Deputy Executive Officer, Client/Vendor Services Peter Fornos, DEOD X Richard Katz, Director JC Lacey, Community Relations Art Leahy, CEO


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Cris Liban, Environmental Compliance

Dr. Irma Licea, DEOD X Miriam Long, Community Relations X Lonnie Mitchell, Executive Director, Strategic Workforce Planning Roger Moliere, Chief, Real Property Management & Development Ted Montoya, Executive Officer, Procurement & Material Management X K. N. Murthy, Executive Director, Transit Projects Delivery Bob New, Deputy Executive Officer, Procurement Linda Perryman, DEOD X Frank Quon, Executive Officer, Metro Highway Program X Victor Ramirez, Deputy Executive Officer, Construction Contract Management X Lan Saadatnejadi, Highway Programs Tashai Smith, Director of Small Business Programs X Sonya Turner, DEOD X Marisela Villar, DEOD X Bruce Warrensford, Director, Contract Administrator (Transit Operations Support) Martha Welborne, Executive Director, Countywide Planning Wendy White, DEOD X Linda Wright, Executive Officer, DEOD X David Yale, Executive officer, Countywide Planning and Development General Public Attendance (see sign in sheet) Ali Altaha, C2PM X Rowena Altaha, C2PM X Theresa Armistead, Regency X Vina Azar, PMCS Group X Amolk "Molky" Bratz, Asset Laboratories X Jesse Bryant Jr., Financial Management Consulting X Desmond Chung, Geobrugg X Linda Clark, Langford & Carmichael X Sean Cook, Cal Clean Earth X Robert Delgado,Arcadis X Someen Deo, Arup X Dan Freeman, Athalye X Pati Freund, Darnell Tech Service Inc. X Rudy Garza, Amersoft X Sherman Gay, Public Connections X Pat Gibbs, Ek & Ek X Dianne Gilmore, Arup X Herman Gordon, GFT&S X Gary A. Hamm, TSG X Zelda Harrison, Zeldesign X Rick Hijazi, PMCS Group X Steven Hooper, Owen Group X Athena Jackson, Athena Jackson X Fabiola Jaque, California Testing and Inspection X Eugene Kao, KOA Corp. X Steve Kats, V & A Inc. X Levi Kimmel, Elite X


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Wanda Martinez, Dean Ryan Consulting X Fred Minagar, Minagar & Associates Inc. X Carlos E. Morgner, Morgner X Mark Peabody, Kleinfelder X Melanie Rae, Guided Business Plan X Nancy Razo, Sapphos Environmental X Brett Rekola, KKCS X Berwyn Salazar, TSC X Rajesh (Roger) Soneja, Simplex CM X Eneida Talleda, T&T Public Relations X Phyllis Tucker, T&T Public Relations X Keith Turner, Turner Stone LLC X Edgar Zelaya, KKCS X

III. Metro Contracting Opportunities: Frank Quon (Highways): Mr. Quon presented lists of upcoming highway-related Professional Service contracts and Construction contracts. Mr. Quon reminded the audience that for the majority of projects listed, the lead agency is either Caltrans or a local municipality, and that these lists cover only contracts for which the lead agency has requested Metro assistance. In March and September of each year, Metro works with local agencies to identify upcoming projects requiring Metro assistance, therefore a new listing of projects can be expected shortly. Ali Altaha questioned whether Measure R funds could be used by agencies without DBE programs. Mr. Quon stated that Metro was encouraging local agencies to follow Metro DBE/SBE goals. Michelle Caldwell explained that Measure R was a locally funded program and did not have DBE goals associated with it, and that money earmarked for local projects was sent directly from the State to the lead agencies without passing through Metro. However Metro provides funding outside of Measure R for local projects, and for the next Call for Projects Workshop Metro will work on requiring that recipients of such funding set SBE goals. Tashai Smith noted that Metro has distributed questionnaires to the local agencies regarding their SBE/DBE programs, has received responses and distributed them to TBAC, and is awaiting TBAC's comments.

IV. Approval of Past Meeting Minutes December 2013 Meeting Minutes. Rod Garcia requested that an action item be added based on Al Solis' recommendation to create a Microbusiness category. Lucia Tam stated that she would look into adding it to the Action list 1st Ezekiel Patten 2nd Rubina Chaudhary MINUTES ACCEPTED January 2014 Meeting Minutes: Roger Soneja inquired about incorporation of SABAN and its representatives into the list of TBAC member organizations. Lucia Tam stated that the next meeting minutes would incorporate them.

1st: Rubina Chaudhary

2nd: Ezekiel Patten MINUTES ACCEPTED


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V. Chair’s Report – Lucia Tam

Lucia Tam thanked Ethel Walker for refreshments, and encouraged audience members to take them before the start of the meeting. Ms. Tam noted that the meeting was being recorded and encouraged the audience to use the floor microphones to ensure that their comments would be noted properly in the Minutes. She also gave the audience emergency exiting instructions. Ms. Tam announced that at the last Metro Board Meeting the most recent Highway Bench solicitation was cancelled, and at TBAC's request, the current Bench contracts were extended. In addition, the Board approved the Small Business set-aside program, with an increase in the ceiling for Professional Services, Commodities and Materials to $3 million from the original $1 million. The ceiling for Construction Contracts was approved at $5 million. She thanked the Metro staff and Board for supporting the Small Business Community. Ms. Tam stated that she has received complaints regarding the potential misuse of NAICS codes in DBE contracting, and said she would report on that issue at a later date.

VI. Metro Contracting Opportunities:

Victor Ramirez (Procurement): Mr. Ramirez presented the Future Contracting Opportunities report, highlighting several projects under $20 million including the Metro Orange Line Recycled Water Pipe Installation and Westside Subway Advanced Utility Relocation (La Cienega Station). Rod Garcia noted that for this project the DBE goal had been reduced to 10% from 20%. Per Tashai Smith, the goal was reduced from 20% to 15% in September 2013 due to changes in the Scope of Work. Mr. Altaha objected to the magnitude of the reduction since the changes described did not appear to warrant such a large change in the goal. Mr. Ramirez also discussed the Design-Build contract for the Division 20 Maintenance Facility (item 4), MGLEE in-road warning lights (item 5), Blue Line Pedestrian and Swing gates (item 6); three A&E environmental projects valued at over $5 million, with 25% DBE goals (items 10-12); and Blue Line Resignaling (Item 25). Concerns were raised by several people regarding the short duration of the RFP's (typically four weeks), which can make it difficult for small firms to get attached to teams. Ali Altaha suggested that the typical procurement duration be extended to six weeks. Ezekiel Patten questioned the concept of setting individual goals for each project, and advocated setting a high blanket goal. Tashai Smith stated that narrow goals tailored to the individual project are required by current Federal regulations for transportation projects (49 CFR Part 26). Ali Altaha suggested that Metro adopt an automatic notification system similar to LA BAVN. Mr. Ramirez said that the Metro Vendor Registration system performs a similar function.

Tashai Smith (DEOD). Ms. Smith reviewed the current DEOD Contract Look Ahead and Current Solicitations lists, which included some items already noted by Mr. Ramirez. In particular she noted several I-605 Hot Spots projects, the Van Nuys Station North Platform and the Raymor-Bernson double-tracking project. A question was raised from the floor regarding the appropriateness of the NAICS codes shown for the El Monte Bike Hub Management Services solicitation; it was explained that the NAICS codes used (541613 and 541820) were for subcontracting opportunities only and were not reflective of the full scope of work.


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A question was raised from the floor regarding the P3 consultation contract currently held by HDR, which had grown from $400,000 to $28 million. The questioner asked if Metro would solicit a supplemental contract. Mr. Ramirez promised that Don Dwyer would report at next month's meeting. Rubina Chaudhary asked that Metro provide information about on-call contracts which are close to being rebid. Mr. Ramirez said that if there were questions regarding the renewal date of any contract, he could be contacted. Ali Altaha questioned why the HDR contract had grown by the magnitude discussed. Mr. Ramirez stated that he was not familiar with the HDR contract, but it was unusual to see a contract grow by that amount. A questioner from the floor expressed frustration regarding the difficulty of getting work even for those firms holding bench contracts, and stated that firms submitting on task orders are not informed about who won. Mr. Ramirez said that this was against Metro practice and invited the questioner to give him examples for further investigation. A questioner from the floor questioned the low goal for the Bike Hub Management contract. Tashai stated that the goal was set based on the proportion of the contract that was anticipated for the opportunities listed. Linda Clark commented that because the RFP had not yet been issued, now would be an opportune time to contact the Contract Administrator and push for higher goals.

VII. Committee Reports

Commodities (Ezekiel Patten) The committee is still working with Metro to add language to make commodities a part of DBE contract goals. The Committee still needs a list of NAICS codes for the commodities sold by TBAC members. The Committee is hopeful that the CIMS commodities tracking system recently introduced by Metro will provide better information regarding spending on commodities.

Legislative - No Report. Lucia Tam noted that the position of Legislative chair is open. Professional Services (Rod Garcia) Committee met with Frank Quon to review lists of upcoming highway projects. Mr. Garcia plans to also meet with the Procurement Department in the near future. Mr. Garcia also noted the Metro Board rejection of the new Highway Bench and the extension of the old bench. Ali Altaha commented that projects that were in the rejected bench contract should all have been transferred to the old bench, but some appear to have been taken out of the bench program completely. Mr. Garcia will discuss this when he meets with procurement. Construction - No Report Membership (Lucia Tam) - Keith Compton stated that the LAUSD SBC membership application has been approved by Metro. Lucia Tam requested a motion to accept, however no motion was made. Concerns were raised from the floor regarding the appropriateness of having LAUSD join the Council since they are an agency. It was decided to invite LAUSD SBC representatives to speak to TBAC and present their motivation for joining. Process (Ezekiel Patten) - Committee again requests meeting with Metro.


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VIII. Open Agenda

Action items: • Internal Closeout Reports - ongoing • COGs -Lucia Tam has received survey results. Comments will be returned to DEOD next

month • Award Tracker to reflect actual utilization - ongoing • Prompt payment - ongoing. Rubina Chaudhary has sent a proposal on this issue to Lucia

Tam for submission of Metro. • Contractors - request by Linda Wright for TBAC organizations to provide names of members

who are construction contractors to determine whether they are certified SBE/DBE with Metro. Rod Garcia commented that Metro limit on Owner's Net Worth will depress the number of construction firms that can qualify, since owner's net worth is a factor in determining a company's bonding capacity. Suggested that Metro hire a consultant to seek contractors and conduct a survey.

• Commodities - Ezekiel Patten repeated request for member organizations to provide information about commodities sold by their members. – ongoing.

• Commodities - DEOD has received FY 2012-2013 data on type and value of commodities purchased by Metro from DBE and all other suppliers and will produce a summary. Jesse Bryant asked if SBE goals were placed on informal spot bids. Tashai Smith notes that, requirements for projects over $40K, including professional service and commodities, and projects $25,000+ for construction, if they go through DEOD for review. Other departments such as commodities and procurement, may have other requirements.

• Highway Bench DBE participation for disciplines other than Outreach: DEOD produces a report based on the current bench, which is being extended due to the cancellation of the new bench, showing that Outreach was 15% of DBE/SBE money, and engineering was 69%. Lucia Tam closed the item.

• Schedule Process Committee meeting with Metro in Q1 • Holding a "Meet the Small Business" event - ongoing.

Miriam Long, who will be taking Sherman Gay's position at DEOD, was introduced to TBAC and invited all to the "Meet the Primes" event on 2/25. She will also be conducting the "How to Do business with Metro" orientation program on the second Tuesday of each month.

IX. Public Comment

Rod Garcia invited all parties interested in taking part in the Professional Services Committee planning session to contact him. Lucia Tam stated that seats were still available for the Chinese American Construction Professionals Annual Lunar New Year Celebration on Friday, February 7, at NBC Restaurant in Monterey Park.

X. Adjournment 1st Ezekiel Patten 2nd Ethel Walker Adjourned 12:13

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