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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/07/1994, 5 - BUS TRANSPORTATION APPEAL 6--7--T-+ Memorandum S From The Parks And Recreation Department May 12, 1994 To: John Dunn, CAO From: Paul LeSage, Parks & Recreation Director Subject: Bus Transportation Appeal While working in Santa Maria I had a similar experience with Mr. & Mrs. Dockerty, the owners of American Star Tours. The Santa Maria Senior Citizens Club was requested to secure bids from local travel agents for their travel club. The Dockerty's were upset because they were not contacted for bids. As a non-Santa Maria business, they were not considered local. (Sound familiar?) When contacted, I recommended they appeal the decision of the Senior Club to the Parks & Recreation Commission, which they did. The commission declined to take any action. As far as I know at this point they never were included. cc: Diane Gladwell 6- - #S ���illl II Illilllll�l II� pll II►i II � i�►►IIIIIiII li city of san vuis oBispo � 990 Palm Street/Post Office Box 8100 • San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-8100 May 4, 1994 Mr. Robert A. Dockerty American Star Tours 897 Oak Park Blvd. #204 Pismo Beach, CA 93449 Re: Transportation Bids This is to advise you that I have reviewed the decision of the Parks and Recreation Department to select Silverado Bus Company to provide bus transportation for four upcoming department trips. I find this decision to be consistent with City purchasing practices. As the cost of the four trips is under $5,000.00, prices can be secured through informal quotations. The quotes are: American Star: Silverado: Waterslide (June 29) $562.32 $564.00 Giants Game (July 10) $891.00 $890.00 Great America (July 15) $770.00 $772.00 Disneyland (August 26) $920.00 $923.00* (*rebid $891.00) Due to the closeness of the bids and the almost identical quality of the service, Paul LeSage, Parks and Recreation Director, determined that the City would be best-served by selecting the local company. Mr. LeSage indicated that he had given both companies the opportunity to rebid before making his decision, and that you declined. I have attached information from the City of San Luis Obispo Financial Management Manual that Mr. LeSage used to guide his actions. The decision to accept the local bid and to request a rebid are both noted. This decision may be appealed to the City Council if you wish. Such an appeal must be made in writing and delivered to the City Clerk's Office within ten working days of receipt of this letter. If you have any further questions, please contact me. Si eret�� ohn unn C► ministrative Officer C. City Clerk equipment or services required, within the time specified, without delay or interference. - The ability of the bidder to provide future maintenance, repair parts and replacement of purchased equipment or supplies. - Compliance by the bidder with federal acts, executive orders and State of California statutes governing nondiscrimination in employment. - The results of any evaluation relating performance to price, such as product testing, life-cycle costing, and analysis of service, maintenance and technical data. /Preference may be given to suppliers who maintain places of business within the city, or .vicinity, DzLly when all other factors, such as quality, price and service are equal. Although the support of local businesses is valued and desired, the practice of giving preference is argued to be in direct conflict with the principles of competition, thereby precluding the purchaser from I obtaining the best competitive price. Therefore, it can only be considered a valid practice when it is used to break tie bids. `J .205- 2 Tie bids may also be broken by readvertising for bids. If the best interest of the city will not permit the delay of readvertising, the tie may be broken through subsequent negotiation with the tie bidders and selection of the lowest resultant bid. If negotiation is utilized, minutes must be kept of each negotiation session and submitted to -the City Clerk to become part of the bid file. ResZons i bi 1 i ty and Regpgns i veness of Bidders Evaluation of the above criteria assist the purchasing authority in determining the bidders' ability to supply' the needed commodity on time and in conformance with the specifications, terms, and conditions included in the particular Invitation To Bid or Request For Proposal. Whenever award is made to other than the lowest bidder, the facts and bases for the award should be . well documented and remain available for public scrutiny. Well-documented records protect purchasing officials from criticism of decisions which, lacking good documentation, might later appear to have been based on `. favoritism. Detailed procedures for the documentation of bidder selection can be located in Part 4, under the section applicable to the nature (commodity/price) of the purchase. i AMERICANS TAR TOURS 897 OAK PARK BLVD.#204,PISMO BEACH,CALIFORNIA 93449 (805)481-4646(800)5014646 FAX(805)481-5050 April 27, 1994 Paul LeSage, Recreation Director City of San Luis Obispo Mr. LeSage: We do have buses available (as of this date) for your Recreation Departments four trips: Water Slide Fresno, June 29; Gaints game, July 10; Great America, July 15; and Disneyland, August 26. When we submitted our charter bus bids for your upcoming transportation needs for your recreation department, you advised us that we were the low bidder. However, you stated that if we remained at our present bid price, you would award the bid to another bus company, even though that bus company's bid was higher. You stated," that it is the City of San Luis Obispo's policy, to award the contract to a company based in the City limits of San Luis Obispo, even if that bid is higher." _ i D, .` N =a. :1'0. We feel that the cities' policy of not accepting the low bid is very unfair. We therefore, �r will not resubmit our bid at a lower price, please use our current bid in determined your award. If you decision is to take the higher bid submitted by the San Luis Obpiso based company on the original bidding round, then we have no other recourse but to appeal your decision to the City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo. Please remember that there are only two charter bus companies in the County of San Luis Obispo. When you eliminate one company from bidding on your transportation contracts, you are at the total mercy of the other company. Take the time to compare your charter bus charges for the last three years, with the bids you have received for these upcoming trips. You will find the rates are much lower than the preceding three years, when only your San Luis Obispo based company was use by your department. Robert A. Dockerty IL RECE'`/ED Fa Council has MAY 11 1994 received this document clry COUNCIL sm >�l�1�ow�LSEo„sA Q �0 1—�' AmERicANSTAR TOURS -45 897 OAK PARK BLVD.#204,PISMO BEACH,CALIFORNIA 93449 (805)481-4646(800)501-4646 FAX(805)481-5050 April 27, 1994 The Honorable, Dave Romero Council Member San Luis Obispo City Hall Dear Mr. Romero: Our San Luis Obispo County based company, which is definitely "in the vicinity" of San Luis Obispo City proper, feels the decision of the Parks and Recreation Department to reject our bid to provide bus transportation for four upcoming departmental trips is highly unjust. In reviewing the basis for this decision by Paul Le Sage,we are unclear as to the validity of this decision. AmericanStar was definitely the lower bidder. We have also provided quality service to this department in the past, at an appreciable savings over other alternatives at the time. It is our understanding that a re-bid process was offered our competitor even though we were lower in the original bidding. It is apparent to us that this decision to eliminate us from servicing this contract was based on bias, not fair business practice. Perhaps the underlying motivation of the decision makers in the process should be evaluated. AmericanStar is responsible for the injection of thousands of dollars into the general fund of San Luis Obispo City. This summer alone we are under contract to provide bus transportation for an excess of 4,500 foreign visitors(over 90 bus loads). We also provide daily (365 days a year) group and individual tours of inbound airline and Amtrak passengers to the City of San Luis Obispo, San Simeon and other Central Coast locations. AmericanStar is the local tour operator and representative for Amtrak's Great America Vacations which markets worldwide. In this regard we purchase over$5,000 in oil, gasoline and diesel fuel each month(over$60,000 per year)within the City of San Luis Obispo. We are in negotiations with a number of your local hotels and restaurants for their services for over 7,500 inbound passengers visiting our area this and next year. In summation, we feel we should be treated as a "local company" which in fact we are! Page 2 Hopefully the City of San Luis Obispo will recognize our value to their community and not follow this unjust policy of bias toward us. Hopefully San Luis Obispo will not exclude us from doing business with the City. As a member of the Greater San Luis Obispo City Council, and a supporter of the citie's activities, acting on this rejection by the city, we will feel compelled to essentially "follow suit". We wish the city no harm, however it will no longer be in our best interest to contract with the motels, restaurants and tourist attractions located within a city that refuses to recognize us as an important member of the local bushiness community. In conjunction with this action, our motorcoaches would bypass the City of San Luis Obispo entirely (fuel stops, bus repairs, tire purchases, hotels/motel stops for rooms, food etc., all fast food and restaurant stops, shopping mall stops, downtown souvenir stops, phone services, taxis, limousine, printing services, media advertising, medical lab services, medical driver exams,banking services, office machine repairs), the list goes on. At our option, the city of Santa Maria and communities outside San Luis Obispo are available to meet our needs. This course of action is not our first choice,we want to continue to support our local community as we have done the entire time we have been in business. One bus load of passengers staying one night in San Luis Obispo will spend(within the City limits of San Luis Obispo) on an average of$80.00 per person per day. When you multiply this by an average of 46 passengers per bus, a loss of over $3,600 a day per bus per day is represented to merchants of the City of San Luis Obispo. Not to mention the sales tax revenue lost to your city of approximately $6.00 per day per person. When you multiply this times 46 passengers, you may be losing approximately $276.00 per day per bus in sales tax alone. If when you multiply this by the possibility of over 163 bus loads, you may tally a total of approximately $44, 988.00 in lost sales tax revenue to the City of San Luis Obispo. AmericanStar, the only local bus company that is a major provider of INBOUND tourists to the City and County of San Luis Obispo, will also feel compelled to solicit our fellow members of various bus associations and national tour and travel associations in our boycott of the services of your city. We will also canvass local businesses for their support and evaluation of the many businesses that directly or indirectly add to the city's tax base. We feel that the City of San Luis Obispo's policy, of not awarding AmericanStar(the low bidder and a Pismo Beach based company "within your vicinity") a contract to provide transportation service to your recreation department, is in direct conflict with the principles of fair competition. Awarding that contract to a business(the higher bidder) just because they are located within the City of San Luis Obispo (and largely an OUTBOUND company), is unjust and unfair. AmericanStar will request a hearing before the San Luis Obispo City Council and invite any and all local business owners (inside and outside the city limits of San Luis Obispo) to join us at that hearing. If other local SLO County small businesses are being treated as you have treated AmericanStar, then we are sure that they will be interested in supporting a fair business practice thereby reversing the current trend to eliminate your fellow county members from doing business in SLO City. We also will invite the television,radio and news media to attend such a meeting. San Luis Obispo County is a small economically interwoven area; we depend on tourism in order to survive. Our communities and businesses need to work together, not against each other; and when the largest city in the county favors unfair business practice, everyone suffers. If a monopoly exists, which can happen if you remove competitive bidding from your contracts, economical pricing may become a memory. Sincerely, n4 Trudy Ilockerty IAI DODGERS VS COLORADO ROCKIES DISNEYLAND, THE MAGIC KINGDOM Sunday,June 19th Friday, August 161h Join the San Luis Obispo Parks & Recreation Department at Come join the San Luis Obispo Parks& Recreation Dept. on a Dodger Stadium to see the Dodgers hit, pitch and run against, magical day with Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck and Crew. Be the Colorado Rockies. sure not to miss the newest attraction,Mickey's Toon Town. The cost includes round trip bus transportation,continental breakfast, Leave from Sinsheimer Park,900 Southwood Dr. and fun extras! Depart at 7:00am,return 9:00pm,game time 1:05pm Times to be announced Fee: $50($53/non-resident) Fee: $58.00($62/non-residents) Coordinator. Richard Ogden/781-7305 Coordinator: Rich Ogden/781-7305 SF. GIANTS VS. PHILLIES Sunday,July 10 PARAMOUNT'S GREAT AMERICA Come with the San Luis Obispo Parks& Recreation Department Friday, July 15th to the "Stick" to see Barry Bonds and the Giants battle it out with the National League champs - Philadelphia Phillies. Come experience the thrill of the V... V...VORTEX!! This ride along with all the other exciting rides at Great America is reason Leave from Sinsheimer Park,900 Southwood Dr. enough not to miss out, so sign up now. Depart at 7:30am, return at 9:00pm Depart at 6:00 am,return at 11:00pm Fee: $50($53/non-resident) Fee: 7 years&over $53.00($57/non-residents) Coordinator: Rich Ogden/781-7305 3-6 years old $47.00 ($50/non-residents) Advance Registration at SLO Ree Dept. at 860 Pacific St. Coordinator: Richard Ogden/781-7305 RAMS VS. 49ERS AVILA BEACH TRIPS FOR TEENS Sunday, September 18th - There is nothing like spending a hot summer day at the beach. The Rams have a new quarterback, will this make them a The SLO Parks&Recreation Department is offering supervised contender? Chris Miller is the new man in Anaheim,come see day trips to Avila Beach this summer. if this addition along with draft picks and trades will bring back some excitement to the Rams. Come see if Rams can stop the Ages: 12-15 49ers main man,Steve Young,along with Jerry Rice and the rest of the team. Fee: . $5.00 Coordinator: Richard Ogden/781-7305 Tuesday,July 12 Wednesday,July 27 Wednesday,August 3 Tuesday,August 16 Meet at Sinsheimer Park,900 Southwood Drive Depart at 7:00am,return at 10:00pm 1:00.5:OOpm Fee: TBA Register at the SLO Parks& Recreation Dept. Signup at the SLO Parks and Recreation Dept Coordinator: Peter Eberle/781-7222 25 1W WANTED: VOLUNTEERS! FOURTH OF JULY SUMMER EXTRAVAGANZA The San Luis Obispo Parks and Recreation Department is recruiting volunteers to help in a variety of areas. A volunteer July 4th might help at a special event, coach a youth sport or work with teens. The program areas mentioned are just a few opportunities An old fashioned holiday filled with music, games, food, arts that one could volunteer in.No special skills are required to be a and crafts and plenty of fun and entertainment for all ages. So, volunteer and people of all ages are encouraged to participate. mark your calendar and be sure not to miss this Great Event!! If interested, please fill out the brief application below, indicate Interested In having a Craft,Food,Game or Information Booth? areas of interest and return to: Please call Richard Ogden or Jamie Elkins at 781-7305. San Luis Obispo Parks and Recreation Department 860 Pacific St. Coordinator: Richard Ogden/781-7305 San Luis Obispo Ca. 93401 Attention: Richard Ogden. Fee: Food Booths $30.00 Info./Games $25.00 VOLUNTEER INTEREST FORM Craft Booths $35.00 Mission Plaza Name: Time: Monday 10:00am-4:00pm Address: All ages are welcome City: Free to the Public Zip: Phone:(H) UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS 8[ TRIPS SPECIAL EVENTS Areas of Interest: October 29 14th Annual Great Pumpkin Run Youth Sports Coach_ October 29 Halloween Hoopla in the Plaza Special Events_ December 3 a 4 Christmas in the Plaza Teens TRIPS Seniors Los Angeles Lakers Basketball Ski Trips Other Professional Hockey Game(s) For more information call Richard Ogden at(805)781- 7305. Laughlin Catalina Island 26 vt�— AmericanStar Tours 897 Oak Park Blvd #204 Pismo Beach, Ca 93449 ICC 256667 TCP 8118 6/S Phone: (805)481-4646 Fax:(805)481-5050 June 7, 1994 Council Members City of San Luis Obispo We would like to take this opportunity to introduce AmericanStar charter bus service to you and your city. AmericanStar's complete charter&tour service offers quality travel to any destination of your choice throughout California,Alaska, the continental United States, Canada and Mexico. Yes, our comprehensive insurance coverage even extends into Mexico! Next, we would like to introduce our equipment to you. We operate modern motorcoaches equipped will all new interiors which include: immaculate restrooms, mini galleys, VCR/TV players, window curtains,public address systems,AM/FM radio and Cassette players, cellular telephones, and CB radios. Your group can enjoy movies, travelogs, and games along the way - what a way to shorten from here-to-there! We will also provide an optional continental breakfast to all passengers on the first morning of departure. We offer all these amenities, yet our prices are among the lowest on the central coast. AmericanStar Tours can also help plan your future trip itineraries-we can ease your time commitment to these tedious details by working with the hotels directly,planning your meal stops, obtaining admissions to events and attractions - or if you wish we can simply provide the motorcoach and driver- it's entirely up to you. AmStar Page 2 $ob& �Y 897 Oak Park DockertY Pismo Beach,C: : 1505( (805)4Fax l i 48 ismia Y, Last, but certainly not least, we would like to acquaint you with our staff. Our drivers are friendly, courteous and professional. They are all required to have the extensive training required to transport California school children, and all have charter bus experience. All our drivers are required to qualify under the Federal Drug and Substance Abuse policies. Our motorcoaches and drivers are regulated by the California Highway Patrol. We realize that you may already have a relationship created to handle your bus tour needs. However, please consider us as an additional source in the future. It is not news that we are in a slow growth economy, and that more and more travelers are becoming even more cost conscious; therefore, we have priced our rates among the lowest on the Central Coast, yet our service receives the highest praises by our fellow travelers. Many local businesses, governmental agencies, school districts, tour clubs and travel agents have used us on a regular basis and have found our services and tours to be exceptional. So, don't hesitate to call Sam , Bob or myself for more information, or with your questions about special services required for your group's travel plans. Call AmericanStar at (805)481-4646 (GOGO)today! Sincerely, Trudy Dockerty President