Under an innovative and model “community level contracting” (CLC) program that aims to create prime contractor opportunities for small, local, and diverse construction contractors, the City of Los Angeles has issued a list of over 30 such contractors who are eligible to receive work packages of up to $150,000 each for vital sidewalk construction and repair services. The initial construction and repair work from the pre-qualified on-call (PQOC) list of firms is expected to start in late November 2024.
The process for these contracting opportunities started in late 2023 when the city’s Department of Public Works (DPW) issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) under its CLC program. On November 1, 2023, Merriwether & Williams Insurance Services (MWIS) hosted an in-person workshop to assist small, local, and diverse contractors in preparing statement of qualifications (SOQ) packages for the RFQ.
The workshop was offered as part of the Los Angeles Regional Contractor Development and Bonding Program (CDABP), which MWIS, a Hub International Company, administers for the City of Los Angeles, L.A. Metro, and the County of Los Angeles. Of the 34 contractors who made the PQOC list, the vast majority, 29, are enrolled in the CDABP.
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In the workshop, MWIS staff provided technical assistance to help contractors submit the required RFQ documentation, explained the submission timeline and deadlines, and answered questions from attendees. Attendees were informed that the RFQ requirements included a bond of at least $150,000, insurance, an applicable contractor’s license (e.g., general engineering, general construction, concrete), registration with the Regional Alliance Marketplace for Procurement (RAMP) and the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), and a cover letter describing their qualifications for the work.
Created by the DPW, the CLC program provides at least three “wins” for contractors, taxpayers, and communities.
First, by breaking down the work into small construction work packages, small, local, and diverse contractors are provided the opportunity to win, manage, and perform work as prime contractors, instead of having to accept typical roles as subcontractors to large construction firms. The benefits of serving as prime contractors include gaining experience leading projects, earning higher profit margins, and building business capacities and a resume that better positions them to win more and bigger contracts in the future.
Second, by enabling more companies to bid on public works projects, the city creates an expanded and larger pool of firms competing, which can generate more creativity and innovation and lead to lower contract costs, thereby saving taxpayers money.
Third, the CLC program also creates more equitable job opportunities in local communities and fosters more robust local economies — the multiplicative impact of contracting dollars staying local.
One participating contractor is Dr. Angela T. Williams, owner of J.L. Moody Construction and Development, Inc., a general construction business based in Carson and a certified small business enterprise (SBE) and minority business enterprise (MBE).
Williams earned a spot on the PQOC list of firms. The city’s lottery system also randomly ranked her near the top of the drawing pull order. She attended a training academy held by the city’s DPW and another training workshop held by MWIS in the summer that aimed to prepare first-time CLC contractors for the work she and others will later receive.
“The CDABP has been very helpful to me,” said Williams, who joined the program in 2018.
“The team there did an assessment of my company, created a work plan, and helped me obtain a $250,000 bond line. I also learned a lot through their training academies on bidding and estimating and contract award and management.
“In short, the CDABP helped build my business capacities. Assisting me in winning a prime contractor role on this sidewalk repair project is an additional thing I am grateful for. I can’t wait to start work on this.”
For more information on the CDABP and upcoming contracting opportunities with the City of Los Angeles, L.A. Metro, and the County of Los Angeles, visit www.LAConDev.com.
