HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-09-13 - AGENDA REPORTS - BUS STOP SHELTERS BENCHESr
NEW BUSINESS
DATE:
SUBJECT:
DEPARTMENT.
BACKGROUND
AGENDA REPORT
September 13, 1994
City Manager Approv /
Item to be presented
Jeff Kolin. Deputy CiLyAanager
BUS STOP SHELTERS AND BENCHES
Public Works
The City Council at its meeting of May 17,1994 directed staff to issue a Request For Proposals
(RFP), for advertising and non -advertising bus benches and shelters. Additionally, the Council
requested that the RFP contain a "revenue neutral" provision. That is, proposers were asked to
provide proposals which would channel potential advertising revenue that would be realized by the
City back to transit amenities in the form of non -advertising bus benches and shelters. Moreover, the
non -advertising shelters and benches would be placed in residential areas of the City, leaving the
advertising shelters and benches in the heavily traveled transportation corridors of the City.
The City's history of advertising benches and shelters goes back to 1989, highlighted by the execution
of an agreement in October 1991 with Bus Stop Shelters, Inc., for the construction of bus shelters and
ebbing in January of 1992 when Bus Stop Shelters filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11,
prior to the construction of any shelters. Since 1992, Bus Stop Shelters has come out of Chapter 11
and has maintained its shelter contracts to the satisfaction of others Cities and the County of Los
Angeles.
On August 25, 1994 the City received three (3) responses to our RFP. These responses were from
Bus Stop Shelters, Inc., United Coast Advertising, and County Bench Advertising Company. After
reviewing each of the proposals, in order to maximize the number of advertising vs. non -advertising
shelters and benches, it is staffs recommendation that the City award and execute agreements with
Bus Stop Shelters, Inc., and Coast United Advertising for the construction and placement of bus
shelters and benches respectively.
The following represents a summary of the proposals that staff are recommending.
BUS STOP SMELTERS
Bus Stop Shelters, Inc. has submitted to the City a proposal which provides for the construction of:
thirty (30) advertising shelters; ten (10) non -advertising shelters and; ten (10) shelters designated
specifically for Public Service Announcements (PSA) within the Santa Clarita Transit Service Area.
Additionally, Bus Stop Shelters, Inc. will provide weekly maintenance for the existing six (6) shelters
owned by the City. These additional shelters will be designated as non -advertising, and bring the
total number of non -advertising shelters within the City to twenty-six (26).
v.LI•
Bus Stop Benches and Shelters
September 13, 1994
Page 2
In order to provide Council with a point of reference, staff will use the October 1991 executed shelter
agreement as a baseline for comparison to the current "revenue neutral" proposal for the placement of
advertising and non -advertising shelters. As depicted in attachment "A", the 1991 agreement
provided the City with forty-seven (47) advertising shelters, four (4) non -advertising shelters, and the
potential to yield a minimum $ 200,000 in advertising revenue over a five year period. In
comparison, under the terms of the current proposal, the potential revenue that the City gives up
translates into: seventeen (17) fewer advertising shelters; sixteen (16) additional non-advertising/PSA
shelters and; no revenue to the City over a five year period.
Further, the current proposal presented by Bus Stop Shelter, Inc. requires the contractor to provide
weekly maintenance (clean-up, trash and graffiti removal, repairs as needed) for each shelter, and
emergency next day service as requested by the Director of Public Works. Lastly, Bus Stop Shelter,
Inc. agrees not to post any advertisements which promote alcohol, tobacco, are of a political nature or
are sexually explicit. Any additional advertising which is deemed to be "questionable", will be, at the
request of the City, removed by the contractor within twenty-four hours.
BUS STOP BENCHES
Bus stop benches offer an alternative to the placement of shelters. As a complement to the 56 shelter
program, bus benches would be potentially placed at approximately 225 stops within the City portion
of the transit system. Due to the increased ridership; it may be necessary to place multiple benches at
one location.
There are currently two bus bench placement/advertising firms servicing the Santa Clarita Valley on
an informal basis. Benches are placed at various locations throughout the City; through the permit
basis. The firms "canvass the area, determine where in fact new stops have been added, and place a
bench. At this time, the City does not realize substantial revenue other than permit fees from this
activity.
As a result of the RFP process, both firms expressed an interest to work with the City on a formal
basis for the placement of advertising and non -advertising bus benches. The City is in receipt of
proposals from both firms; however at this time it is the finding of the City Clerk and the Public
Works staff that the proposal received from County Bench Advertising Company is incomplete and
consequently should be disqualified for the reasons described in attachment "B" (letter to County
Bench Advertising Company),
Presently, City staff estimates there to be approximately 250 bus benches that have been placed within
the City portion of the transit system. As provided within their "revenue neutral" proposal for the
placement of advertising and non -advertising bus benches, Coast United Advertising will provide to
the City transit amenities in the form of 166 advertising and 83 non -advertising benches.
As referenced above, under the current informal system the placement of bus benches provides the
City with no revenue other than permit fees paid, no non -advertising benches, very few PSA's, and
no trash receptacles. In addition to 84 fewer advertising benches, the Coast United Advertising
proposal provides the City 83 non -advertising bus benches, of which a portion or all could be used
for the promotion of City events and/or PSA's. Further, of the 166 benches designated as
advertising, ten percent (10%) of these benches will be dedicated for the placement of PSA's three
months out of each year that this contract is in place.
Bus Stop Benches and Shelters
September 23, 1994
Page 3
Lastly, this proposal provides that Coast United Advertising will place trash receptacles at
approximately twenty-five percent (25%) of the advertising bench locations and will provide monthly
maintenance (clean-up, trash and graffiti removal, repairs as needed) for each bench and emergency
next day service as requested by the Director of Public Works.
In conclusion, staff strongly believes that the execution of two separate agreements for bus stop
shelters and benches will provide the City maximum number of advertising vs. non -advertising transit
amenities, which includes 26 non -advertising shelters and 83 non -advertising benches,
RECOMMENDATION
That Council receive report and direct staff to disqualify the County Bench Advertising Company
proposal, and direct the City Manager to execute agreements with Bus Stop Shelters, Inc., and Coast
United Advertising for the construction and placement of bus stop shelters and benches respectively..
JK:kmt
Shelagen.da
ATTACHMENTS
Transit Amenities Fact Sheet
Letter to County Bench Advertising Company
TRANSIT AMENITIES FACT SHEET Attachment "A"
Bus Shelters:
Bus Shelters:
Bus Benches:
Bus Benches:
Baseline 1991
Current Proposal
Baseline 1991
Current Proposal
Unregulated
Potential# of
47 Shelters
30 Shelters
250 Benches
166 Benches
Advertising Units
No Shelter space
No shelter space
Companys run
10% of these
designated for
designated for
PSA's when space
benches will be
placement of
placement of
is available
dedicated to run
PSA's
PSA's
PSA's three
months out of
each year
Potential # of
4
26
N/A
83
Non -Advertising
Units
16 shelters (ten
Space can be
constructed and six
utilized for City
existing/City
Art or PSA's
owned) dedicated
as non -advertising;
10 shelters
dedicated as PSA
only
Maintenance by
Twice weekly/
Once weekly/
Once a month/
Once a month/
Agency
Emergency call out
Emergency call out
Emergency call
Emergency call
out
out
Public Service
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Announcements
Advertising
Next day removal
Will not post
N/A
Next day removal
Limitations
policy upon
Tobacco, Alcohol,.
policy upon
request by City
or explict ads
request by City
Total Minimum
$ 200,000
$ 0
$ 0
$ 0
Revenue for Five
Year Term to City
Cost if Maintained
$ 56,100
$ 61,600
$ 52,750
$ 41,000
by City/ Per Year
Cost if Maintained
$ 1,100
$ 1,100
$ 247
$ 247
by City Per Unit.
per Year
Capital
$ 7,000 per
$ 7,000 per
$ 900 per
$ 900 per
Outlay/City
unit/$357,000
unit/$350,000
unit/$369,000
unit/$225,000
Provided Per Unit
Total
Total*
Total
Total
*Six Shelters
already existing
Capital Outlay By
$ 0
$ 0
$ 0
$ 0
City/ Agency
Provide
ATTACHMENT "B"
City of
Santa Clarita
23920 Valencia Blvd.
Suite 300
City of Santa Clarita
California 91355-2196
August 30, 1994
Lawrence Leicht
12329 Firestone Blvd.
Norwalk, CA 90650
Phone
(805)259-2489
Fax
(805)259-8125
Subject: Proposal for Bus Benches
Dear Mr, Leicht:
Thank you for your August 22, 1994 response to the City's Request For Proposal
(RFP) regarding the placement of Bus Benches in the City of Santa Clarita.
After careful review, it is the City's finding that the County Bench Advertising
proposal is incomplete, and that a recommendation will be made to the City Council
asking that the proposal be disqualified for the following reasons:
1) The City's RFP stated that:
"Proposers shall submit proposals which shall include at minimum; revenue
structure, a general design concept, a client list of advertisers, and a sample of
contractor's standard contract. Proposers are encouraged to respond to all
requirements contained in this RFP in order to comparatively evaluate each
proposal."
It is the finding of the Public Works staff that the proposal submitted by the
County Bench Advertising Company is incomplete and therefore can not be
"comparatively" evaluated to other proposal's received..
2) Within the RFP, Attachment "A"; General Specifications for Furnishing and
Maintaining Bus Shelters and Benches in the City of Santa Clarita, Section
"B", proposers were required to "post and maintain" a Certificate of Deposit
to the City in the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000). The County
Bench Advertising Company's proposal received by the City proposed a
performance bond in the amount of $5,000.
3) Per the specification of the City RFP, proposers were asked to provide the
City with a revenue neutral proposal which channeled potential revenue that
would be realized by the City, back to transit amenities in the form of non -
advertising bus benches. Additionally, the RFP requested proposers to
provide for trash receptacles and trash removal at bench sites. Upon review
of the proposal, County Bench Advertising Company did not provide the City
with these types of transit support amenities.
PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
Lawrence Leicht
August 30, 1994
Page 2
Per your conversation with Kevin Tonoian, Public Works Administrative Analyst,
County Bench Advertising has requested that their proposal be forwarded to the City
Council, with the understanding that Public Works staff will recommend that the
proposal be disqualified for the above stated reasons.
If you have any questions regarding the City's decision, or should you choose to
withdraw your proposal, please contact me at (805) 294-2500.
SincKKolin
Deputy City Manager/Public Works
IK:kmt
Countybe.nch
CC: Donna Grindy, City Clerk