City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council: (1) pursuant to Culver City Municipal Code
Section 3.07.075(E)(3), determine that compliance with the Formal Bid Procedures
would be impractical, waive the Formal Bid Requirements, and deem it to be in the
City's best interest to authorize negotiated contracts; (2) approve a five year
Professional Services Agreement with the County of Los Angeles (Department of
Animal Care and Control) to provide supplemental animal services and sheltering,
animal facility inspection and licensing services for a term ending on June 30, 2019;
and (3) approve a five year Professional Services Agreement with the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (SPCA/LA) for primary sheltering
services for a term ending June 30, 2019.
BACKGROUND
Prior to 2008, the County of Los Angeles, Department of Animal Care and Control,
provided full time service to the City of Culver City for animal control field services
and sheltering. In June 2008, the City Council approved a two year in-house Animal
Services pilot program. A full-time civilian Culver City Animal Services Officer was
hired by the City in the spring of 2008, and the pilot program commenced. At that
Meeting Date: 07/14/14 Item Number: C-4
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: (1) Pursuant to Culver City Municipal Code Section
3.07.075(E)(3), Determine that Compliance with the Formal Bid Procedures Would
be Impractical, Waive the Formal Bid Requirements, and Deem it to be in the City's
Best Interest to Authorize Negotiated Contracts; (2) Approval of a Five Year
Professional Services Agreement with the County of Los Angeles (Department of
Animal Care and Control) for Supplemental Animal Control Services and Animal
Facility Licensing Services in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $75,000; and (3) Approval
of a Five Year Professional Services Agreement with the Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (SPCA/LA) for Animal Sheltering Services in an
Amount Not-to-Exceed $165,000.
Contact Person/Dept.: Lt. Jason
Sims/Police Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-6258
Fiscal Impact: Yes [x] No [] General Fund: Yes [x] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: ________________
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas – City Council (07/09/14)
Department Approval:
Chief Scott Bixby (6/30/14)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by L. Vidra 6/30/14)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (07/08/14)
City Manager Approval: John Nachbar
(07/08/14) City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
time, the County’s service levels were adjusted from full-time to part-time
supplemental services. As part of the contract, the City and the County review the
needed service levels on an annual basis and adjust as necessary.
Due to the success of the pilot program, the City Council approved the City’s Animal
Services Program as an ongoing CCPD work program in 2010. In addition, in 2010
the City contracted with SPCA/LA for primary sheltering services, reducing the need
to use the County’s sheltering services.
The County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control requires that all
contract cities be on the same schedule so that all contracts expire and are up for
renewal at the same time. In order to come into compliance with this County
requirement, the City signed a one year contract with the County of Los Angeles
Department of Animal Care and Control and with the SPCA/LA for Fiscal Year
2013/2014, approved by the City Manager. Entering into a five year contract with
the County beginning in Fiscal Year 2014/2015 aligns the County and SPCA/LA
contracts and will make any future renewal processes more efficient.
DISCUSSION
As discussed by the City Council in January of 2006, the provision of animal field
services and sheltering create significant challenges to a smaller City (like Culver
City). High land costs (especially in Culver City) make providing an in-house City
shelter very costly (both in land, construction, and ongoing staffing). Additionally,
supplemental field services are necessary to provide Animal Services for the City
during off hours when the City’s Animal Services Officer is not on duty, and to
handle animal facility licensing and inspections. The current arrangement, wherein
the City provides 40 hours of daylight Animal Services coverage, with supplemental
off-hours field service and sheltering provided by the County, with primary sheltering
provided by the SCPA/LA, has been working satisfactorily.
With respect to field services, while the majority of field services are provided by the
Culver City Animal Services Officer during daylight hours, from time to time the need
for off-hour services arises. Additionally, every Culver City business that either
boards or grooms animals within its facility is required to abide by a set of specific
laws and regulations to ensure that the facility is safe and sanitary. The County of
Los Angeles requires that these types of facilities obtain a license to operate and
that they undergo an annual inspection. Los Angeles County Department of Animal
Care and Control personnel possess both the requisite training and experience to
handle the aforementioned licensing, inspections, and any subsequent
investigations and enforcement action that may be necessary.
CCPD staff is satisfied with the services provided by the Los Angeles County
Department of Animal Care and Control and the SCPA/LA. Although the County’s City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
response times for field calls are significantly longer than those of Culver City’s
Animal Control Officer, County employees are professional and always attentive to
the City’s needs and concerns.
Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) § 3.07.050 provides in pertinent part:
In the event the same supplier, contractor or consultant has been utilized
for a period of five (5) years, the formal or informal bidding procedures as
set forth in §§ 3.07.075 and 3.07.080 of this Subchapter shall apply.
Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) § 3.07.075.E.3 provides, in pertinent part:
Rejection or waiver of bid requirements - Upon determining that
conformance with the procedures set forth in this Section would be
contrary to the best interests of the City or upon determining that
compliance with the procedures would be impractical, the City Council
may waive any or all of the requirements of this Section and, if it deems it
to be in the City's best interest, authorize a negotiated contract.
For the following reasons, staff recommends the City Council waive the formal
bid procedures as compliance with such procedures would be impractical and
deem it to be in the City’s best interest to authorize a negotiated contract:
1 - The County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control is a
superior provider of field and supplemental sheltering services.
SPCA/LA is a superior provider of sheltering services: Over the past
several years, staff has observed that the services rendered by The
County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control and
SPCA/LA to be excellent. The organizations and their staff members
have proven to be professional, attentive to the City’s needs, and they
perform above industry standards. Staff’s research has shown that
there are no other organizations in our area that offer sheltering or field
services that meet our needs.
2 - There are only minimal changes to the previous scope of work: The
scope of work in the proposed contracts are identical to that of the
Fiscal Year 2013/2014 agreements. Both contracts allow for an annual
readjustment of rates on the first day of July.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The cost of the above described County services for Fiscal Year 2013/2014 was
$14,192 and the projected cost for Fiscal Year 2014/2015 is $14,947 with the
possibility for slight increases throughout the duration of the contract. City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
The cost of the above described SPCA services for Fiscal Year 2013/2014 was
$32,774.18, and the projected cost for Fiscal Year 2014/2015 is the same.
Sufficient funding is included in the City Council Adopted Fiscal Year 2014/2015
Budget (10140400.619800 - Animal Control Services) to cover the costs of these
services for one year. Funding would be included in subsequent budgets to cover
these service costs as necessary.
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1. Pursuant to Culver City Municipal Code Section 3.07.075(E)(3), determine
that compliance with the formal bid procedures would be impractical,
waive the formal bid requirements, and deem it to be in the City's best
interest to authorize negotiated contracts.
2. Approve a five year Professional Services Agreement with the County of Los
Angeles for supplemental animal control field services and sheltering and
animal facility licensing for a term ending on June 30, 2019 for an amount
not-to-exceed $75,000.
3. Approve a five year Professional Services Agreement with SPCA/LA for
animal sheltering services for a term ending on June 30, 2019 for an amount
not-to-exceed $165,000.
4. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and,
5. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.