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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 1229 Section 3.32.125 - Local Business Preferencce Program Purchasing Policies and Proceduresvm ?'��n(' b -g- Ms, FDAP9! YCOZ/L` - L0[ CITY OF PALM DE ERT OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER STAFF REPORT REQUEST: Approval of Ordinance No.1229 Adding Section 3.32.125 (Local Business Preference Program) to Chapter 3.32 (Purchasing Policies and Procedures) of the Code of the City of Palm Desert, California SUBMITTED BY: John M. Wohlmuth, City Manager DATE: November 10, 2011 CONTENTS: Ordinance No. 1229 Recommendation By Minute Motion: Waive further reading and pass the attached Local Business Preference Ordinance to the second reading. Executive Summary Approval of the staff recommendation will approve the first reading of a Local Business Preference Ordinance to the second reading. The Local Business Preference Ordinance permits the purchasing officer to allow up to a 5% credit of the total bid price to a local business (within the Coachella Valley having a business license with a local address) for purchasing supplies, materials, and equipment under $25,000. Background Most cities in the Coachella Valley have some type of a local purchase preference policy or ordinance. The policies or ordinances differ from city to city in regards to the extent of their preference and what type of procurement the city is considering. The attached Palm Desert Ordinance applies to the purchasing or procurement of supplies, materials, and equipment from $0 to $25,000. The ordinance also applies to services first solicited on or after January 1, 2012. However, since the procurement of services utilizes qualifications, experience, and quality of proposal as the primary Staff Report Approval of Ordinance No. 122-9,___ Adding Section 3.32.125 to Chapter 3.32 November 10, 2011 determining factor rather than price, local businesses have been given credit when ranking the most suitable consultant. A local business is defined as a vendor or contractor with a valid physical business address within the Coachella Valley and having a valid business license by a jurisdiction located in the Coachella Valley. The Coachella Valley is the nine city limits of the cities and the CVAG boundaries for the Riverside County unincorporated areas. P.O. Boxes shall not be used for establishing such a physical address. The Local Business Preference Ordinance does not apply to the following purchases or contracts: Goods or services provided under a cooperative purchasing agreement, such as the State of California Department of General Services cooperative purchasing contract. 2. Purchasing or contracts which are partially or fully funded by another governmental entity and the laws, regulations, or policies governing such funding prohibit application of the preference such as state and federal funds. 3. Purchasing made or contracts let under emergency or non-competitive situations. 4. Purchases with an estimated cost of $25,000 or more. 5. Application of the Local Business Preference to a particular purchase, contract, or category of contract for which the City Council is the awarding authority may be waived at the City Council's discretion. 6. Public Works Act projects. 7. Bids that are non -responsive. Fiscal Analysis The application of this ordinance may slightly add to the cost of purchasing or procuring supplies, materials, or equipment (not to exceed 5% of the total bid). However, one could argue that the City would recover the additional cost by increased jobs, taxes, and secondary economic impacts. 2 Staff Report Approval of Ordinance No.1229 Adding Section 3.32.125 to Chapter 3.32 November 10, 2011 The application of this ordinance should have sustainability benefits identified in the sustainability plan, such as reduced pollution due to an incremental reduction of shipping. Submitted By: City manager 3 ORDINANCE NO. 1229 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, ADDING SECTION 3.32.125 (LOCAL BUSINESS PREFERENCE PROGRAM) TO CHAPTER 3.32 (PURCHASING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES) OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, ORDAINS: SECTION 1. FINDINGS (a) The City annually spends significant amounts on purchasing supplies, materials, and equipment, and contractual and professional services. The dollars used in making these purchases are derived in large measure from taxes and fees derived from Local Businesses and the City Council has determined that funds generated in the community should, to the extent possible, be placed back in the local economy. Therefore, the City Council has determined that it is in the best interest of the City to give a preference to Local Businesses in making such purchases whenever the application of such a preference is reasonable in light of the dollar -value received in relation to such expenditure. (b) The City Council further finds that the Coachella Valley is in a state of economic depression and many local businesses have been forced to close their doors due to severe financial losses. Many of these local business establishments have been doing business in the Coachella Valley for many years. The City Council finds that the City should promote and stimulate local businesses by requiring that purchases of supplies, materials, and equipment and contractual services be acquired from Local Businesses. (c) The City Council further finds that this action is necessary to grow the local economy and preserve the local businesses that have diligently served the Coachella Valley for many years. (d) Strategies that encourage people to buy locally are an important component of economic sustainability. Retaining local dollars within a community reduces economic export and increases the financial productivity of taxpayer dollars and increases the consumption of local goods and services while fostering a sustainable community. In working towards a sustainable economy, the City Council recognizes that sustainable procurement policies are an important step on the path to a sustainable community. By leveraging the purchasing power of the City to buy local products and services instead of products and services from outside the Coachella Valley it strengthens the local economic activity and employment as well as sets an example that helps foster and maintain a vital economic community for future generations. 72500.00001 \6981175.4 ORDINANCE NO. 1229 SECTION 2. SECTION 3.32.125 IS ADDED TO CHAPTER 3.32 (PURCHASING POLICES AND PROCEDURES) AS FOLLOWS "3.32.125 Local Business Preference Program (a) Statement of Policy. It is the policy of the City to promote employment and business opportunities for local residents and firms on all contracts and give preference to local residents, workers, businesses, contractors, and consultants to the extent consistent with the law and interests of the public. (b) Local Business. In this Chapter, "Local Business" means a vendor, contractor, or consultant who has a valid physical business address located within one of the nine incorporated cities of the Coachella Valley, or within an unincorporated area of Riverside County in the Coachella Valley within the boundaries of the Coachella Valley Association of Governments, at least six months prior to bid or proposal opening date, from which the vendor, contractor, or consultant operates or performs business on a day-to-day basis, and holds a valid business license by a jurisdiction located in the Coachella Valley. Post office boxes are not verifiable and shall not be used for the purpose of establishing such physical address. (c) Local Preference in Purchasing. In the bidding of, or letting for procurement of, supplies, materials, and equipment, as provided in this Chapter, the purchasing officer may give a preference to Local Businesses in making such purchase or awarding such contract in an amount not to exceed five (5%) percent of the Local Business' total bid price. Total bid price shall include not only the base bid price but also adjustments to that base bid price resulting from alternates requested in the solicitation. In order for a Local Business to be eligible to claim the preference, the business must request the preference in the solicitation response and provide a copy of its current business license from a jurisdiction in the Coachella Valley. (d) Local Preference in Services. In awarding contracts for services, including consultant services, preference to Local Business shall be given whenever practicable pursuant to this Chapter consistent with the Statement of Policy in subsection (a) above. The contractor or consultant will also, to the extent legally possible, solicit applications for employment and proposals for subcontractors and subconsultants for work associated with the proposed contract from local residents and firms as opportunities occur and hire qualified local residents and firms whenever feasible. In order for a Local Business to be eligible to claim the preference, the business must request the preference in the solicitation response and provide a copy of its current business license from a jurisdiction in the Coachella Valley. (e) Exceptions to Local Business Preference Policy. The preference set forth in this Section shall not apply to the following purchases or contracts: (1) Goods or services provided under a cooperative purchasing agreement. (2) Purchases or contracts which are funded in whole or in part by a governmental entity and the laws, regulations, or policies governing such funding prohibit application of that preference. 2 72500.00001\6981175.4 ORDINANCE NO. 1229 situations. (3) Purchases made or contracts let under emergency or noncompetitive (4) Purchases with an estimated cost of $25,000.00 or more. (5) Application of the local business preference to a particular purchase, contract, or category of contracts for which the City Council is the awarding authority may be waived at the City Council's discretion. (6) Public works projects (7) Bids that are non -responsive. (f) Quality and Fitness. The preferences established in this Section shall in no way be construed to inhibit, limit or restrict the right and obligation of the purchasing officer to compare quality and fitness for use of supplies, materials, equipment, and services proposed for purchase and compare the qualifications, character, responsibility, and fitness of all persons, firms, or corporations submitting bids or proposals. In addition, the preferences established in this Section shall in no way be construed to prohibit the right of the City Council or the purchasing officer from giving any other preference permitted by law or this Chapter. (g) Application. The Local Business Preference provided in this Section shall apply to new contracts for supplies, materials, equipment, and services first solicited on or after January 1, 2012. This Section shall be implemented in a manner consistent with otherwise applicable provisions of this Chapter. (h) Verification of Local Business Preference Eligibility. Any vendor or consultant claiming to be a Local Business, shall so certify in the bid, in writing to the purchasing officer. The purchasing officer shall not be required to verify the accuracy of any such certifications, and shall have sole discretion to determine if a vendor or consultant meets the definition of "Local Business." (i) Enforcement. (1) The information furnished by each bidder requesting a Local Business Preference shall be under penalty of perjury. (2) No person or business shall knowingly and with intent to defraud, fraudulently obtain, retain, attempt to obtain or retain, or aid another in fraudulently obtaining or retaining or attempting to obtain or retain certification as a Local Business for the purpose of this Section. (3) No person or business shall willfully and knowingly make a false statement with the intent to defraud, whether by affidavit, report, or other representation, to a City official or employee for the purpose of influencing the certification or denial of certification of any entity as a Local Business. 3 72500.0000 1\698117 5.4 ORDINANCE NO. 1229 (4) A business which has obtained City certification as a Local Business by reason of having furnished incorrect supporting information or by reason of having withheld information, and which knew or should have known the information furnished was incorrect or the information withheld was relevant to its request for certification, and which by reason of such certification has been awarded a contract to which it would not otherwise have been entitled, shall: (i) Pay to the City any difference between the contract amount and what the City's costs would have been if the contract had been properly awarded; (ii) In addition to the amount described in sub -section (i) above, be assessed a penalty in an amount of not more than ten percent (10%) of the amount of the contract involved; and (iii) Be subject to debarment from future award of contracts from the City. (5) The penalties identified in (4) above shall also apply to any business that has previously obtained proper certification and, as a result of a change in its status would no longer be eligible for certification, fails to notify the purchasing officer of this information prior to responding to a Solicitation or accepting a contract award." SECTION 3. COMPLIANCE WITH CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT This ordinance complies with the "City of Palm Desert Procedure for Implementation of California Environmental Quality Act", in that the ordinance is exempt because there is no possibility that the adoption of the ordinance will have any significant negative effect on the environment. SECTION 4. CERTIFICATION AND PUBLICATION The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this ordinance and shall cause the same to be published once in the Desert Sun, a newspaper of general circulation, printed and published within the County of Riverside, and circulated within said City. rd 72500.0000 1\6981175.4 ORDINANCE NO. 1229 PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California, at its regular meeting held this day of , 2011, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTEST: RACHELLE D. KLASSEN, CITY CLERK CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA JEAN M. BENSON, MAYOR 725 00. 0000 1 \6981175.4