Department of Animal Care & Control
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR
24/7/365 Emergency Veterinary Care
RFQ#ACC 2015-01
CONTACT: Joan Lubamersky,
Background
San Francisco is the fourth largest city in California and serves as a center for business, commerce and culture for the West Coast. The City and County of San Francisco (“the City”) established by Charter in 1850, is a legal subdivision of the State of California with the governmental powers of both a city and a county under California law. The City’s powers are exercised through a Board of Supervisors serving as the legislative authority, and a Mayor and other independent elected officials serving as the executive authority.
The San Francisco Department of Animal Care and Control is committed to the delivery of effective, courteous, and responsive animal care and control services to the residents of San Francisco. The Department is responsible for San Francisco's stray, injured, abandoned, neglected, and mistreated animals, as well as for the enforcement of all state and local Animal Control and Welfare laws. The City seeks responses from veterinary firms demonstrating the ability to provide emergency as-needed veterinary care to animals. / Intent of this Request for Qualification (RFQ)
It is the intent of the Department of Animal Care & Control is to create a pre-qualified list of firms which Department will use on an as-needed basis
Anticipated Contract Period
The contract period for this RFQ is six months, January 1 to June 30, 2016. Another RFQ will be issued in several months from now that will include services needed for July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017 with the potential for one year extensions up to five (5) years, at the discretion of the City.
Subcontracting Requirement
The Local Business Enterprise (LBE) sub-consulting goal for this Request For Qualifications (RFQ) and resulting contract(s) has been waived. The City recommends that vendors selected pursuant to this RFQ seek LBE status at a later date.
Compensation: Funds available for as-needed services for the first six months of 2016 is approximately $30,000. This is the City’s estimate of care needed. There is no guarantee that these funds will be expended.
Schedule*
RFQ Issued
Deadline for RFQ Questions
Pre-Proposal Conference
Deadline for RFQ Answers
Deadline for RFQ Responses
Notice of intent to establish pre-qualified list
*Dates are subject to change. / 10.8.15
10.22.15 (5pm PT)
10.27.15 (3 pm PT)
11.4.15 (5pm PT)
11.16.15 (5 pm PT)
11.18.15 (5pm PT) / RFQ Questions and Communications
To ensure fair and equal access to information about this RFQ, e-mail your questions to .
Questions must be in writing and received by the Deadline for RFQ Questions. No questions will be accepted after this time with the exception of City vendor requirement questions.
A summary of the questions and answers pertaining to this solicitation will be posted on the following websites:
http://www.sfgov2.org/index.aspx?page=942
http://mission.sfgov.org/OCABidPublication
Pre-proposal Conference
To allow the City to discuss the RFQ with and answer any questions submitted by Respondents and to provide for and equitable dissemination of information, a Pre-Proposal Conference will be held at the following time and location:à / Date: October 27, 2015 Time: 3 – 4 PM PT
Location: Animal Care & Control
1200 – 15th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Information requested and responses will be posted at the websites above in the event a respondent is unable to attend.
1. Introduction
1.1 General terms used in this RFQ.
The “Respondent” refers to any entity submitting a response to this Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) to be considered for inclusion on a pre-qualified vendor list. The “Contractor” refers to the Respondent(s) awarded contracts for services under this RFQ.
1.2 Background of City and County of San Francisco
San Francisco is the fourth largest city in California and serves as a center for business, commerce and culture for the West Coast. The City and County of San Francisco (“CCSF”) was established by Charter in 1850. It is a legal subdivision of the State of California with the governmental powers of both a city and a county under California law. The City’s powers are exercised through a Board of Supervisors serving as the legislative authority, and a Mayor and other independent elected officials serving as the executive authority. The services provided by the City include public protection, public transportation, construction and maintenance of all public facilities, water, parks, public health systems, social services, planning, tax collection, and many others.
Roles and Responsibilities of the Department of Animal Care & Control
The San Francisco Department of Animal Care and Control is committed to the delivery of effective, courteous, and responsive animal care and control services to the residents of San Francisco.
The Department is responsible for San Francisco's stray, injured, abandoned, neglected, and mistreated animals, as well as for the enforcement of all state and local Animal Control and Welfare laws.
The Field Services Division of the Department patrol throughout the City on a daily basis, responding to emergencies, enforcing animal control and anti-cruelty ordinances, impounding dogs at large and rescuing animal in distress, enforcing all animal control laws and investigating reports of animal abuse, providing 24 hour service for picking up seriously sick or injured strays and bringing them to veterinarians for emergency treatment and picking up dead animals.
The Shelter Services Division provides nourishment and medical care for wild, exotic, stray, surrendered and all other animals, performs basic health screening including preventative disease control for all animals, vaccinates animals against diseases, .adopts out strays, unwanted or abandoned animals, humanely euthanizes the animals that were not placed for adoption, sells dog licenses and voluntary cat registrations, coordinates a volunteer program, and maintains accurate records of on all animal control activities.
The Department works closely with the Commission on Animal Control and Welfare, the San Francisco Police Department, California Parks and Recreation, San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department and the San Francisco Tax Collector concerning dog licensing.
The Code of Ethics for the Department is addresses honest, respect, responsibility, fairness and equity, caring, compassion and reverence for life, and good citizenship. To see the full text, please visit http://www.sfgov2.org/index.aspx?page=1343 The City seeks proposers who are aligned with these values and priorities.
1.3 Statement of Need and Intent
What Does the City Seek? The City and County of San Francisco seeks responses from qualified firms demonstrating the ability to provide high quality, cost effective emergency veterinary care on a 24/7/365 basis for animals found stray and injured, in need of emergency veterinary care.
What is the City’s Intent with this RFQ? Based on responses to this RFQ, it is the intent of the City to create a pre-qualified list of firms from which the City may select prospective Contractors on an as-needed basis for services indicated below in Section 2, Scope of Work. The City may use the pre-qualified list, at its sole and absolute discretion, for selection of firms and negotiations of contracts for two years following establishment of the pre-qualification notification date. Contracts issued to pre-qualified firms will have terms of varying lengths depending on the City's needs, but in no case longer than 9 years. The City reserves the right to procure services similar or identical to the services specified in this RFQ by any other means. No pre-qualified Respondent is guaranteed a contract.
2. Scope of Work
This scope of work is a general guide to the work the City expects to be performed, and is not a complete listing of all services that may be required or desired. The City is soliciting qualifications to create a pre-qualified list of veterinary hospitals that may be selected for the services described below.
Contractor(s) will work closely with Animal Care & Control (ACC) staff to provide veterinary medical treatment to animals that are picked up in the field by ACC and need immediate veterinary medical care. The care would include stabilizing the animal until ACC staff has an opportunity to determine ownership of a domestic animal or the ability to care for the animal(s) at the ACC animal shelter. Additionally, during regular business hours, ACC medical staff may refer animals that need monitoring overnight at a vendor hospital.
Heroic efforts to save an animal should be limited to animals that came in with identification, an ongoing cruelty investigation or approval from a person who would be responsible for the cost of such efforts. It will be the Contractor’s responsibility to verify such information before engaging in heroic efforts. If heroic efforts are contemplated, Contractor must seek prior approval from ACC if the cost is over $500 per animal.
When necessary, Contractor(s) must be willing to euthanize animals when it is considered most humane to do so by the Contractors’ employed veterinarian licensed and protected under California law.
ACC will provide transportation to and from Contractors’ sites. Contractors will prepare stabilized animals for pick up on a daily basis for transfer back to the City shelter by ACC Officers at a reasonable time to be determined by the City. Any animal the health of which would be compromised by transference would need to stay at the Contractors’ hospitals through the stray holding period (up to 5 days, unless deemed most humane to euthanize) or until final disposition of the animal can be determined.
While emergencies cannot be predicted, the number of cases to be referred to an off-hour emergency veterinarian will most likely range from 2 to 5 per night. ACC encourages consideration of palliative care, as appropriate. It is required that a licensed veterinarian be available, on site, at the vendor’s hospital at all times.
The following are work tasks assumed necessary to provide medical attention for sick and injured animals when the ACC veterinarian is not available or it is beyond the scope of ACC abilities to care for them. Proposing teams may suggest a modified scope as part of their proposal.
1. Provide prompt and appropriate veterinary service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year.
2. Provide board and care to animals that cannot be moved to the ACC Shelter without compromising their health.
3. Prepare animals for safe transport to the ACC Shelter.
4. Euthanize animals whose prognosis is very poor and when it is most humane to euthanize a sick or injured animal.
5. Clearly articulate in writing the condition and treatment of an animal when required and testify in court as to the condition and treatment of an animal, when required.
Required Contractor tasks and deliverables: Contractor will provide documentation to ACC on each animal it treats under this contract, including the following.
Date of receipt and release of animal
Number and type of animals received
Description of medical condition and treatment for each animal
Fee for each animal
Other information Contractor deems useful to ACC regarding the health of the animal or as reasonably requested by ACC.
3. Response Requirements
3.1 Time and Place for Submission of Responses
Responses and all related materials must be received by 5:00pm PT Monday, November 16, 2015. Responses may be delivered to the Reception Desk at City Hall, Room 362 or mailed to:
Joan Lubamersky
Contract Coordinator
Office of the City Administrator
City and County of San Francisco
City Hall, Room 362
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
Postmarks will not be considered in judging the timeliness of submissions. Responses submitted by e-mail or fax will not be accepted. Late submissions will not be considered, including those submitted late due to mail or delivery service failure. Note that Respondents hand-delivering responses to City Hall may be required to open and make packages accessible for examination by security staff.
3.2 Response Package
The following items must be included in your response and packaged in a box or envelope clearly marked RFQ#ACC 2015-01 Emergency Veterinary Care.
Complete, but concise responses, are recommended for ease of review by the Evaluation Team. Responses should provide a straightforward, concise description of the Respondent’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the RFQ. Marketing and sales type information should be excluded. All parts, pages, figures, and tables should be numbered and clearly labeled.
A. One (1) flash disk or CD-ROM containing entire contents of response, including all RFQ Attachments. All files should be submitted in unprotected PDF or Word format. Electronic files should include signatures, where applicable. RFQ attachments include:
RFQ Attachment I Acknowledgement of RFQ Terms and Conditions
RFQ Attachment II Contract Monitoring Division Local Business Enterprise Forms
RFQ Attachment III City’s Administrative Requirements
RFQ Attachment IV City’s Agreement Terms and Conditions
RFQ Attachment V Response Template
B. Six (6) complete printed copies of RFQ Attachment V and One (1) electronic copy provided by CD-ROM or USB Flash Drive. The pages may be bound by a method of the Respondent’s choosing. Respondents are advised to review RFQ Attachments I through IV before completing RFQ Attachment V to ensure they can meet the City’s requirements.
4. Evaluation Criteria
This section describes the guidelines used for analyzing and evaluating the responses and for Respondent pre-qualification. It is the City’s intent to pre-qualify Respondent(s) that provide the best overall qualifications to the City inclusive of fee considerations. Consultant firms selected for pre-qualification are not guaranteed a contract. This RFQ does not in any way limit the City’s right to solicit contracts for similar or identical services if, in the City’s sole and absolute discretion, it determines the pre-qualified list is inadequate to satisfy its needs.
4.1 Evaluation Team
City representatives will serve as the Evaluation Team responsible for evaluating Respondents. Specifically, the team will be responsible for the evaluation and rating of the responses for pre-qualification, for conducting reference checks, and for interviews, if desired by the City.
4.2 Minimum Qualifications for all Service Areas
Instructions: See Attachment V. Proposers will be asked to insert a “Y” or “N” in every cell adjacent to each Minimum Requirement. In order to be considered for inclusion in the list of qualified firms, a Respondent must respond with a “Y” to all of the Minimum Requirements.