10-000051BID
Tms Joint Venture vs.
Commission For The Transportation Disadvantaged
Status: Closed
Recommended Order on Thursday, March 25, 2010.
Recommended Order on Thursday, March 25, 2010.
1STATE OF FLORIDA
4DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS
8TMS JOINT VENTURE, )
12)
13Petitioner, )
15)
16vs. ) Case Nos. 10-0030BID
21) 10-0051BID
23COMMISSION FOR THE )
27TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED, )
30)
31Respondent, )
33)
34and )
36)
37MV CONTRACT TRANSPORTATION, )
41INC., )
43)
44Intervenor. )
46)
47RECOMMENDED ORDER
49Pursuant to notice, a final hearing was held in these cases
60on, February 4 and 5, 2010, in Tallahassee, Florida, before
70Susan B. Harrell, a designated Administrative Law Judge of the
80Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH).
85APPEARANCES
86For Petitioner: E. A. Seth Mills, Jr., Esquire
94Kevin M. Mekler, Esquire
98Mills Paskert Divers, P.A.
102100 North Tampa Street, Suite 2010
108Tampa, Florida 33602
111For Respondent: Thomas Barnhart, Esquire
116Office of the Attorney General
121The Capitol, Plaza Level 01
126Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1050
129For Intervenor: Christopher T. McRae, Esquire
135David J. Metcalf, Esquire
139McRae & Metcalf, P. A.
1442612 Centennial Place
147Tallahassee, Florida 32308
150STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES
154The issues in these cases are whether Respondents proposed
163contract award pursuant to a Request for Proposals for Medicaid
173Non-Emergency Medical Transportation in Palm Beach County,
180Florida, and whether Respondents proposed contract award
187pursuant to a Request for Proposals for Medicaid Non-Emergency
196Medical Transportation Services in Duval County, Florida, are
204contrary to Respondents governing statutes, Respondents rules
211or policies, or the request for proposals.
218PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
220Respondent, Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged
226(Commission), issued a Request for Proposals for Medicaid Non-
235Emergency Transportation Services for ten counties in Florida.
243The request for proposals was numbered RFP-DOT-09/10-9005-JP and
251shall be referred hereinafter as the RFP. The Commission,
260through its procurement agent, Department of Transportation
267(Department), posted notices of intent to award contracts for
276Palm Beach and Duval Counties to Intervenor, MV Contract
285Transportation, Inc. Petitioner, TMS Joint Venture, protested
292the intended awards for Palm Beach and Duval Counties.
301The Petition for Formal Administrative Hearing relating
308to the Palm Beach County contract was received by DOAH on
319January 5, 2010, and was assigned DOAH Case No. 10-0030BID. The
330Petition for Formal Administrative Hearing relating to the Duval
339County contract was received by DOAH on January 5, 2010, and was
351assigned DOAH Case No. 10-0051BID. On January 8, 2010, MV
361Contract Transportation, Inc., filed a Petition to Intervene in
370each case. An Order granting the petitions to intervene was
380issued on January 12, 2010.
385The parties submitted a Joint Pre-hearing Stipulation in
393which they stipulated to certain facts contained in Section 5,
403pages 7 and 8 of the Joint Pre-hearing Stipulation. Those facts
414have been incorporated in this Recommended Order to the extent
424relevant.
425At the final hearing, official recognition was taken of the
435case files of the DOAH in DOAH Case No. 10-0030BID and DOAH Case
448No. 10-0051BID.
450At the final hearing, the parties submitted Joint
458Exhibits 1 through 91, which were admitted in evidence.
467Petitioner called the following witnesses: Joyce Plummer,
474Angela Morlok, Elizabeth De Jesus, Douglas Harper, Bobby
482Jernigan, and Karen Somerset. Petitioners Exhibits 3
489through 13 were admitted in evidence. Respondent called Joyce
498Plummer as its witness. Respondent did not submit any exhibits
508for admission in evidence. Intervenor called David McDonald as
517a witness. Intervenors Exhibits 1, 2, 12, 13, and 16 were
528admitted in evidence.
531Petitioner served Intervenor with a request to produce at
540the final hearing, requesting the production of Intervenors tax
549returns. Intervenor objected to the request and was required to
559file the tax returns with the undersigned for an in camera
570review. Based on an in camera review of the tax returns, the
582objection is sustained.
585The four-volume Transcript was filed on February 23, 2010.
594The parties agreed to file their proposed recommended orders
603within ten days of the filing of the Transcript. The parties
614timely filed their proposed recommended orders, which have been
623considered in the preparation of this Recommended Order.
631FINDINGS OF FACT
6341. The Commission is an independent commission of the
643State of Florida created pursuant to Section 427.012, Florida
652Statutes (2009), 1 and is housed administratively within the
661Department.
6622. The Commission sought proposals to provide Medicaid
670non-emergency medical transportation, and the Department
676administered the procurement process for the Commission by
684issuing the RFP and otherwise administratively handling the
692procurement for the Commission. Contracts were to be awarded
701for ten counties, including Palm Beach and Duval Counties. The
711proposers were required to submit a separate proposal for each
721county for which they were seeking a contract.
7293. The RFP incorporated three separate addenda, numbered
737one through three. Addendum No. 2 included a list of potential
748proposers questions concerning the RFP and the Commissions
756responses to those questions. Each proposer was required to
765include with its proposal a signed acknowledgement certifying
773its receipt of each addendum.
7784. When the notice of solicitation was posted and the
788addenda were issued, no party filed a protest of the
798specifications within 72 hours of the posting or issuance of the
809addenda.
8105. MV Contract Transportation, Inc., and TMS Joint Venture
819submitted their responses to the RFP for both Duval and Palm
830Beach Counties.
8326. MV Contract Transportation, Inc., is a Delaware
840Corporation, which was incorporated on September 23, 2003. It
849is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MV Transportation, Inc., which
858is a California corporation incorporated on December 18, 1978.
867MV Contract Transportation, Inc., is a separate corporation from
876MV Transportation, Inc. MV Contract Transportation, Inc., and
884MV Transportation, Inc., have separate federal employer
891identification numbers, bank accounts, officers, and directors.
8987. TMS Joint Venture was formed by TMS Management Group,
908Inc., and Transportation Management Services of Brevard, Inc.,
916pursuant to a Joint Venture Agreement dated October 15, 2009.
926TMS Joint Venture refers to the term TMS throughout its
936proposals as TMS Joint Venture and its respective venturers.
945TMS Management Group, Inc., was formed on January 4, 2005.
955Transportation Management Services of Brevard, Inc., was formed
963on November 23, 2004.
9678. Relevant portions of the Joint Venture Agreement
975provide:
976TMSG [TMS Management Group, Inc.] and TMSB
983[Transportation Management Services of
987Brevard, Inc.] do hereby acknowledge,
992pledge, and covenant with one another to
999allow the full use of their personnel,
1006equipment, assets, and facilities to support
1012and perform any contract(s) to which the
1019Joint Venture may become a party and to do
1028such other things and provide other support
1035to TMS [TMS Joint Venture], as may be
1043reasonably necessary, to allow TMS to submit
1050bids, proposals, or otherwise respond to
1056solicitations for its services on the
1062projects and to perform all contracts which
1069may be awarded to TMS.
1074* * *
1077TMSG shall provide financial and
1082administrative support to TMS. In doing so,
1089it is hereby authorized to submit bids and
1097proposals on behalf of TMS. It is further
1105authorized to execute contracts on TMS
1111behalf and to thereby bind both TMSG and
1119TMSB as Venturers. TMSG shall also be
1126authorized to accept and cash checks made
1133payable to TMS and to deposit such into its
1142accounts for subsequent use and distribution
1148in accordance with the joint instructions of
1155the Venturers. TMSG shall otherwise be
1161authorized to take all actions, including
1167but not limited to the submission of all
1175payment requests, payment of related bills
1181and expenses, negotiate and execute any
1187needed subcontracts, provider agreements,
1191obtain insurance or bonds if needed and to
1199otherwise execute all documents and conduct
1205all of the business of TMS for the benefit
1214of the Venture.
12179. TMS Joint Venture has been awarded contracts pursuant
1226to the RFP for other counties. Those contracts have been
1236entered into by the Commission and TMS Joint Venture/TMS
1245Management Group, Inc., and Transportation Management Services
1252of Brevard, Inc.
125510. The Department posted its initial Notice of Intent to
1265Award the contracts pursuant to the RFP at 5:00 p.m. on
1276November 16, 2009. For the Duval County contract, the posting
1286showed that MV Contract Transportation had earned a total
1295score of 88.33 and that TMS Joint Venture had earned a total
1307score of 83.99. The initial Notice of Intent to Award
1317proposed to award the Duval County contract to MV Contract
1327Transportation, Inc.
132911. On November 19, 2009, TMS Joint Venture filed a notice
1340of intent to protest the contract award for Duval County
1350pursuant to the RFP. The notice of intent to protest identified
1361the RFP by number, RFP-DOT 09/10-9005-JP-Duval County, Fl. The
1370notice of protest stated:
1374Please be advised that this firm represents
1381the interests of TMS Joint Venture (TMS)
1388regarding the above referenced matter.
1393Please accept this as written notice of
1400TMSs intent to protest the above referenced
1407intended award to MV Transportation, Inc.
1413(MV). This Notice of Intent to Protest is
1421being forwarded to you pursuant to paragraph
142829.1 of the RFP and Florida Statute 120.57.
143612. No evidence was presented that any of the parties were
1447confused about who was the intended awardee for the Duval County
1458contract. No evidence was presented that, at the time of the
1469filing of the notice of intent to protest, any of the parties
1481were uncertain that TMS Joint Venture was protesting the
1490intended award of the Duval County contract to MV Contract
1500Transportation, Inc. In its Petition to Intervene for the Duval
1510County contract, MV Contract Transportation, Inc., stated:
1517On November 16, 2009, the Department posted
1524a Notice of Intent to Award the Duval
1532Contract to MV Contract. On November 19,
15392009, TMS filed its Notice of Intent to
1547Protest the award to MV Contract. On
1554November 30, TMS filed a Formal Written
1561Protest and Petition for Formal
1566Administrative Hearing (the Petition).
157013. The initial posting for Palm Beach County showed that
1580TMS Joint Venture had a total score of 91.66 and that MV
1592Contract Transportation had a total score of 91.65. The
1601initial Notice of Intent to Award proposed to award the Palm
1612Beach County contract to TMS Joint Venture.
161914. On November 18, 2009, MV Contract Transportation,
1627Inc., filed a notice of intent to protest the award of the Palm
1640Beach County contract to TMS Joint Venture. On December 16,
16502009, the Department posted a revised Notice of Intent to Award
1661the Palm Beach County contract to MV Contract Transportation.
1670The total score of TMS Joint Venture was revised to 89.65, based
1682on a scriveners error by an evaluator. One of the evaluators
1693had made a mistake in recording the scores from his handwritten
1704score sheet to the typed score sheet. There was no evidence
1715presented that any of the evaluators were given an opportunity
1725to revisit or change their original scoring of the proposals.
173515. On December 18, 2009, TMS Joint Venture filed a notice
1746of intent to protest the intended award of the Palm Beach County
1758contract to MV Contract Transportation, Inc. TMS Joint Venture
1767filed a Petition for Formal Hearing concerning the Palm Beach
1777County contract with the Commission on December 28, 2009, as
1787stated in the Certificate of Service.
179316. Section 1 of the Introduction portion of the RFP
1803provides:
1804The Department intends to award contracts to
1811responsive and responsible Proposer or
1816Proposers whose proposal is determined to
1822be the most advantageous to the
1828Department. . . . After the award, said
1836Proposer will be referred to as the
1843Vendors. For the purpose of each
1849document, the term Proposer means the
1855prime Vendor acting on its own behalf and
1863those individuals, partnerships, firms, or
1868corporations comprising the Proposer team.
187317. The term prime vendor is not defined in the RFP.
1884There are references in other sections of the RFP which require
1895the identification of the prime contractor in the completion
1904of the Bidder Opportunity List and the Anticipated DBE
1913Participation Statement. The terms prime contractor and prime
1921vendor are synonymous. The Department interprets the term
1929prime vendor to mean the entity that will be entering into the
1941contract with the Commission and that will be bound legally to
1952the terms of the contract.
195718. The cover letter of each proposal and the forms
1967submitted which required a signature are signed by W.C. Pihl,
1977vice president. Mr. Pihl is a vice president of business
1987development for MV Contract Transportation, Inc.
199319. The cover pages of the proposals at issue submitted by
2004MV Contract Transportation, Inc., state that the proposal is
2013submitted by MV Contract Transportation, Inc., and underneath
2021that name further state in italics A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of
2032MV Transportation, Inc. The cover letter in each proposal
2041states: Enclosed please find MV Contract Transportations
2048proposal in response to the State of Florida Department of
2058Transportations Request for Proposal for Medicaid Non-Emergency
2065Transportation Services for the county in which the proposal is
2075being submitted, and I encourage you to select MV Contract
2085Transportation as your partner for the provision of Medicaid
2094Non-Emergency Transportation Services for the county in which
2102the proposal is being submitted. The Bid Opportunity List,
2111which was required to be submitted with each proposal,
2120identified the prime contractor as MV Contract Transportation,
2128Inc. If awarded the contracts for Duval and Palm Beach
2138Counties, MV Contract Transportation, Inc., is the entity who
2147would be entering into the contracts and who would be legally
2158bound to the contracts. It is clear that MV Contract
2168Transportation, Inc., is the prime vendor for the proposals at
2178issue.
217920. The proposals submitted by TMS Joint Venture stated:
2188The TMS Joint Venture with its respective Venturers are
2197hereinafter collectively referenced throughout this proposal as
2204TMS, which is the entity submitting this proposal. The
2214proposals identified TMS Joint Venture as the prime vendor.
222321. On October 12, 2009, the Department issued Addendum
2232No. 2 to the RFP, which included questions that were received
2243from prospective proposers and the Commissions responses.
2250Question 7 stated: Page 18, Section 28, Proposal Evaluation:
2259Is the evaluation of the proposal strictly limited to the prime
2270vendor and the Proposer Team as identified in Section 1,
2280invitation? The Commissions written response was: The
2288evaluation of the proposal is based on the prime vendor and
2299their demonstration of their ability to fulfill the requirements
2308of the scope of services.
231322. TMS Joint Venture takes the position that question 7
2323in Addendum No. 2 means that the evaluation of a proposers
2334experience and capability to fulfill the requirement of the
2343scope of services is limited to a review of the experience and
2355capability of the prime vendor and that the experience of others
2366who are part of the proposer team may not be considered by the
2379evaluators. MV Contract Transportation, Inc., takes the
2386position that the experience of others who are a part of the
2398proposer team may be considered in determining whether the prime
2408vendor has the ability to fulfill the requirements of the scope
2419of services.
242123. It is not clear from the testimony what the position
2432of the Commission is concerning whether question 7 in Addendum
2442No. 2 limited the evaluation to the prime vendors experience.
2452Joyce Plummer, the Department employee responsible for the
2460procurement, relied on the Commission for the answers to the
2470questions asked by the proposers. Bobby Jernigan, the executive
2479director of the Commission, relied on his staff to answer the
2490questions. Thus, no one clearly stated the Commissions
2498position as to what the Commission intended by the response to
2509question 7 in Addendum No. 2. The proposed recommended order of
2520the Commission does little to shed light on whether the
2530Commission intended to limit the evaluation to the experience of
2540the prime vendor. For example, in its proposed recommended
2549order, the Commission states that the statements about MV
2558Contract Transportation, Inc.s, experience which included MV
2565Transportation, Inc.s, experience were not misrepresentations,
2571as long as it is proper for the proposer to have included
2583information about its parent company and certain claims made by
2593MV Contract Transportation, Inc., are true, unless MV can only
2603make claims as to the particulars of MV Contract Transportation,
2613Inc.
261424. Based on question 7 and the response to question 7 in
2626Addendum No. 2 and the definition of proposer in the RFP, the
2638evaluation and scoring of the proposals were to be based on the
2650experience, solvency, assets, and capabilities of the prime
2658vendor and not the prime vendor and the proposer team. If the
2670Commission had wanted the experience and solvency of parent
2679companies and affiliates to be considered in the evaluation, it
2689could have said so in its response to question 7, but it did not
2703do so.
270525. Section 8.1 of the Special Conditions of the RFP
2715states:
2716The Department will determine whether the
2722Proposer is qualified to perform the
2728services being contracted based upon their
2734proposal demonstrating satisfactory
2737experience and capability in the work area.
2744The Proposer shall identify necessary
2749experienced personnel and facilities to
2754support the activities associated with this
2760proposal.
276126. Section 20.2 of the Special Conditions of the RFP
2771provides that the proposals shall include an executive summary,
2780a management plan, and a technical plan. The sections were
2790described in the RFP as follows:
27961. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2799The Proposer shall provide an Executive
2805Summary to be written in nontechnical
2811language to summarize the Proposers overall
2817capabilities and approaches for
2821accomplishing the services specified herein.
2826The Proposer is encouraged to limit the
2833summary to no more than ten (10) pages.
28412. PROPOSERS MANAGEMENT PLAN
2845The Proposer shall provide a management plan
2852which describes administration, management
2856and key personnel.
2859a. Administration and Management
2863The Proposer should include a description of
2870the organizational structure and management
2875style established and the methodology to be
2882used to control costs, services, reliability
2888and to maintain schedules; as well as the
2896means of coordination and communication
2901between the Proposer and the Commission.
2907The Proposer shall provide a management plan
2914which describes administration, management
2918and key personnel. The plan should address
2925the following:
29271. Companys experience in providing
2932specialized transportation services,
2935including but not limited to Medicaid NET.
2942Include location and duration.
29462. Companys assets available to operate in
2953the county proposed to be served. List all
2961assets that will be committed to this
2968project.
29693. Describe the proposed local service area
2976organizational structure and how it fits
2982into the overall organizational structure of
2988your company.
29904. Companys ability to comply with the
2997reporting requirements and the Scope of
3003Services. Cite any failures to provide
3009adequate and timely reporting in the past.
30165. Companys solvency and ability to assume
3023the risks of service provision in the
3030proposed county.
30326. Does your company have a policies and
3040procedures manual? If so, describe the type
3047of policies and procedures contained in your
3054manual, how often they are updated and how
3062they are maintained. (Please provide a
3068copy.)
30697. Describe your companys driver training
3075program. How will you ensure youre [sic]
3082your drivers and the drivers of any
3089subcontracted transportation providers are
3093trained?
30948. Does your company have a Quality
3101Management Plan? If so, please provide a
3108copy. If not, describe your methods for
3115ensuring quality of services.
31199. Describe your companys process for the
3126procurement of subcontracted operators, if
3131applicable, including your efforts for
3136recruitment and retention of minority
3141businesses.
314210. Please describe how your companys
3148internal office practices lessen the impact
3154on non-renewable resources and global
3159climate change (reduction in water, energy,
3165paper use, minimalization of hazardous
3170materials, compressed or flexible work week
3176schedules, etc.).
317811. Discuss what initiatives your company
3184will implement to effectively manage current
3190funding levels and secure additional funds
3196to support the system.
320012. Provide 3-5 professional references
3205regarding your organizations ability and
3210experience in providing specialized
3214transportation, including but not limited to
3220Medicaid NET services. The references
3225should state the period of time service was
3233provided.
3234b. Identification of Key Personnel
3239The Proposer should provide the names of key
3247personnel on the Proposers team, as well as
3255a resume for each individual proposed and a
3263description of the functions and
3268responsibilities of each key person relative
3274to the task to be performed. The
3281approximate percent of time to be devoted
3288exclusively for the project and to the
3295assigned tasks should also be indicated.
33013. PROPOSERS TECHNICAL PLAN
3305The Proposer shall provide a technical plan
3312which explains technical approach and
3317facility capabilities.
3319Technical Approach
3321The Proposer should explain the approach,
3327capabilities, and means to be used in
3334accomplishing the tasks in the Scope of
3341Services, and where significant development
3346difficulties may be anticipated and
3351resolved. Any specific techniques to be
3357used should also be addressed in addition to
3365the following:
33671. The Proposer should provide a
3373description and location of the Proposers
3379facilities as they currently exist and as
3386they will be employed for the purpose of
3394this work.
33962. Identify your companys software and
3402demonstrate its ability to comply with CMS,
3409HIPPA and Commission software necessary for
3415reporting data as required in Exhibit A,
3422scope of services.
34253. Provide documentation demonstrating the
3430number of specialized transportation trips,
3435including but not limited to, Medicaid NET,
3442provided on a monthly basis and show the
3450complaint ration on said trips. Please
3456state when and where these trips were
3463provided.
34644. Describe your companys process for
3470tracking and resolving complaints received.
3475Please include the length of time it takes a
3484complaint to be resolved by your
3490organization.
34915. Describe your companys ability to
3497monitor activities of subcontracted
3501operators. Reference evaluation tools used
3506and include copies in proposals if
3512available.
35136. Please describe your companys vehicle
3519inspection and maintenance program to ensure
3525safe and reliable functioning of their
3531vehicles. Address how your company will
3537comply with the requirements of Chapter 14-
354490, FAC.
35467. Have your vehicles or your
3552subcontractors vehicles, been involved in
3557any accidents that resulted in a fatality
3564over the last year? Please attach the
3571accident report(s).
35738. Describe the process to acquire vehicles
3580for use in the service area. Provide the
3588estimated amount of time required to acquire
3595vehicles.
35969. Please describe any alternative energy
3602resources your company or your
3607subcontractors (or expectations listed in
3612procurement for subcontractors) may utilize,
3617such as solar or wind energy, and use of
3626bio-diesel or other alternative fuels in
3632support of your companys energy needs.
363810. Provide a detailed plan describing the
3645process that will be followed to ensure a
3653smooth contract start-up on January 1, 2010.
366027. Based on the definition of proposer, which includes
3669the prime vendor and the proposer team, and based on the
3680information which was required to be submitted, it is clear that
3691the Commission contemplated that the prime vendor would not
3700necessarily be providing all the services required by the
3709contract and that some services could be subcontracted.
371728. In Addendum No. 2, the Commission responded
3725affirmatively to question 8 which provided:
3731Page 15, Section 2a, Proposers Management
3737Plan, #1 through #12 and Page 16, Section 3.
3746Proposers Technical Plan #1 through #10,
3752the terms company and organization are
3758used throughout this section. Please verify
3764that these terms are to mean the Proposer.
377229. The RFP and Addenda are not models of clarity;
3782however, when the responses to questions 7 and 8 in Addendum
3793No. 2 are considered together, information could be included
3802about the prime vendor and the proposer team, but only the
3813information about the prime vendor would be used in the
3823evaluation process. Thus, the proposals would have to identify
3832what information related to the prime vendor and what
3841information related to the proposer team.
384730. The parties have stipulated as follows:
3854MV Contracts proposals, in part, described
3860the experience, contracts, facilities,
3864assets and/or personnel of some of its
3871related entities (parent and affiliated
3876corporations).
387731. Throughout its proposals MV Contract Transportation,
3884Inc., refers to the term MV, which it identifies on page 9 of
3898each of the proposals as MV Transportation, Inc. and its
3908affiliates. The cover letters for the proposals state that MV
3918is the current Subcontracted Transportation Provider (STP) for
3926the county for which the proposal is being submitted, meaning
3936that MV is the current STP for Palm Beach and Duval Counties.
3948However, MV is not the current STP provider in each of the
3960counties; MV Contract Transportation, Inc., is the current STP
3969provider in the two counties.
397432. In its proposals, MV Contract Transportation, Inc.,
3982refers to the experience of MV, meaning MV Transportation, Inc.,
3992and its affiliates. The proposals do not identify who the
4002affiliates are. One would presume that MV Contract
4010Transportation, Inc., is one of the affiliates, since it is a
4021wholly-owned subsidiary of MV Transportation, Inc., and is
4029submitting the proposals. The proposals do not delineate
4037between the experience and capabilities of MV Contract
4045Transportation, Inc., and MV Transportation, Inc., and its
4053affiliates.
405433. The RFP required that each proposal address the
4063Companys solvency and ability to assume the risks of service
4073provision in the proposed county. The RFP did not require that
4084certain documents, such as a financial statement, be submitted
4093to satisfy this requirement. How this requirement was to be
4103addressed was to be left to the proposer.
411134. MV Contract Transportation, Inc.s proposals address
4118the solvency issue by the following:
41245. Financial Resources and Stability
4129MV is a privately held firm that has neither
4138been bought by nor merged with another firm.
4146The lack of this debt load associated with
4154such transactions has allowed MV to control
4161interest costs and keep money in the pockets
4169of our customers and employees and out of
4177those of lenders.
4180MV is in sound financial condition and has
4188proven ability to run services efficiently.
4194We are well positioned to handle the risks
4202of this program, and understand the
4208contractual expectations of the CTD, and the
4215service expectations of our passengers.
4220The Companys financial position is solid,
4226and has strengthened over the last three
4233years as evidenced by the increase in
4240working capital and working capital ratios.
4246The Company has the financial resources and
4253wherewithal to meet its financial
4258obligations. For more information regarding
4263the financial viability of MV, please
4269contact Mr. Jeff Heavin, Chief Financial
4275Officer, at (707)863-8980, extension 3009.
428035. Based on the definition of MV in MV Contract
4290Transportation, Inc.s, proposals, an evaluator could not tell
4298to what extent the proposal is addressing the solvency of MV
4309Contract Transportation, Inc., and the ability of MV Contract
4318Transportation, Inc., to assume the risks of service provision
4327in the proposed county. This is important because MV Contract
4337Transportation, Inc., is the entity that would be legally bound
4347and responsible to perform under the contract. The Commission
4356would not be contracting with MV Transportation, Inc., or other
4366affiliates of MV Contract Transportation, Inc., and, therefore,
4374cannot hold MV Transportation, Inc., liable for the performance
4383of the contract.
438636. Section 28 of the Special Conditions of the RFP
4396provides:
439728.1 Evaluation Process :
4401A Technical Review team will be established
4408to review and evaluate each proposal
4414submitted in response to the Request for
4421Proposals (RFP). The Technical Review team
4427will be comprised of at least three persons
4435with background, experience, and/or
4439professional credentials in relative service
4444areas.
4445The Procurement Office will distribute to
4451each member of the Technical Review team a
4459copy of each technical proposal. The
4465Technical Review team members will
4470independently evaluate the proposals on the
4476criteria established in the section below
4482entitled Criteria for Evaluation in order
4488to assure that proposals are uniformly
4494rated. The Technical Review team will
4500assign points, utilizing the technical
4505evaluation criteria identified herein and
4510complete a technical summary. Proposing
4515firms must attain a score of seventy (70)
4523points or higher on the Technical Proposal
4530to be considered responsive.
4534During the process of evaluation, the
4540Procurement Office will conduct examinations
4545of proposals for responsiveness to
4550requirements of the RFP. Those determined
4556to be non-responsive will be automatically
4562rejected.
456328.2 Criteria for Evaluation
4567Proposals will be evaluated and graded in
4574accordance with the criteria detailed below.
4580a. Technical Proposal ( 100 Points)
4586Technical evaluation is the process of
4592reviewing the Proposers Executive Summary,
4597Management Plan, and Technical Plan for
4603understanding of project, qualifications,
4607approach and capabilities, to assure a
4613quality product.
4615The following point system is established
4621for scoring the technical proposals:
4626Point Value
46281. Executive Summary 25
46322. Management Plan 30
46363. Technical Plan 45
464037. The evaluators selected by the Commission to evaluate
4649the proposals for Duval County were Karen Somerset, Douglas
4658Harper, and Elizabeth De Jesus. The evaluators selected to
4667evaluate the proposals for Palm Beach County were Karen
4676Somerset, Douglas Harper, and Angela Morlok. The evaluators
4684were advised that they were not to discuss the proposals with
4695the other evaluators and that they were required to do an
4706independent evaluation.
470838. Each evaluator was to fill out a technical evaluation
4718summary sheet, which essentially tracked the areas listed in
4727Section 20.2 of the RFP for what was to be included in the
4740proposals for the executive summary, the management plan, and
4749the technical plan. Each evaluator based his or her scoring on
4760the maximum allowable points per category. Some evaluators
4768assigned points for various aspects of the proposals, and
4777others just gave points on the overall quality of the category
4788being evaluated. Regardless of the method that an evaluator
4797used to allocate the maximum points for each category, the
4807evaluator evaluated all the proposals in the same manner. None
4817of the evaluators discussed the proposals with the other
4826evaluators, nor did the evaluators discuss how the proposals
4835were to be scored with one another.
484239. The RFP did not require the evaluation team members to
4853meet to develop a method to allocate the maximum amount of
4864points for the categories to be evaluated. Although the RFP
4874states, [t]he Technical Review team will assign points
4882utilizing the technical evaluation criteria identified herein,
4890it is reasonable to construe the RFP to mean that each of the
4903evaluators was to assign points independently. This reading is
4912reasonable because the rest of the sentence in which that
4922language appears reads and complete a technical summary. The
4931technical summary was not to be completed by the evaluation team
4942as a whole. Each evaluator was to complete his or her own
4954technical summary for each of the proposals evaluated.
496240. Other than Ms. Somerset, who skimmed the contents of
4972the RFP, none of the evaluators had reviewed the RFP, including
4983the addenda, prior to their evaluations of the proposals. Thus,
4993the evaluators were not aware that they were to evaluate the
5004prime vendor, rather than the proposer as defined by the RFP.
501541. The evaluators did not consider whether the experience
5024and capabilities being evaluated were those of MV Contract
5033Transportation, Inc., or MV Transportation, Inc. They thought
5041had the STP transportation contracts in Palm Beach and Duval
5051Counties and assumed that entity who had those contracts was the
5062proposer.
506342. Section 1 of the Special Conditions of the RFP
5073provides:
5074Since July 1, 2003, the Department has been
5082using the State of Floridas web-based
5088electronic procurement system.
5091MyFloridaMarketPlace. PROPOSERS MUST BE
5095REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF FLORIDAS
5101MYFLORIDAMARKETPLACE SYSTEM BY THE TIME AND
5107DATE OF THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL OPENING OR
5114THEY WILL BE CONSIDERED NON-RESPONSIVE (see
5120Special Condition 18). (Emphasis in
5125original)
512643. TMS Joint Venture is not registered with the
5135myFloridaMarketPlace system; however, the venturers, TMS
5141Management Group, Inc., and Transportation Management Services
5148of Brevard, Inc., are registered with the myFloridaMarketPlace
5156system. No credible evidence was presented on whether the joint
5166venture could have been registered with the myFloridaMarketPlace
5174system.
517544. Question 9 of Addendum No. 2 of the RFP stated: On
5187several forms, the proposers FEID number is referenced. If the
5197proposer is a joint venture, shall the FEID numbers of each
5208venturer be listed or shall only the lead administrative
5217venturers FEID number be listed? The Commissions written
5226response stated: Only the lead administrative venturers FEID
5234number should be listed. An entitys FEID number can be used
5245to register with the myFloridaMarketPlace system. Thus, TMS
5253Joint Venture took this response also to mean that, since both
5264the venturers were registered on the myFloridaMarketPlace
5271system, the listing of the lead administrative venturer as being
5281registered on the myFloridaMarketPlace system was sufficient to
5289make the proposals responsive.
529345. When Ms. Plummer received the proposals from TMS Joint
5303Venture, she questioned whether the proposals were responsive
5311and discussed it with her supervisor. The Department took the
5321position that both venturers were listed on the system; thus,
5331the registering of the lead administrative venturer was
5339sufficient to deem the proposals of TMS Joint Venture responsive
5349to the requirement to be registered on the myFloridaMarketPlace
5358system.
535946. The parties have stipulated that TMSs proposals
5367described the experience, contracts, facilities, assets and/or
5374personnel of its Joint Venturers.
537947. MV Contract Transportation, Inc., contends that TMS
5387Joint Venture is not responsive to the RFP because it listed
5398Greater Pinellas Transportation Management Services, Inc.
5404(GPTMS), as the provider for a contract that was listed in the
5416experience section of TMS Joint Ventures proposals. The
5424listing was clear that GPTMS had been the contractor for the
5435project listed and not TMS Joint Venture. The evaluators could
5445tell by reading TMS Joint Ventures proposals what experience
5454related to TMS Joint Venture and what experience related to
5464GPTMS. The evaluators could not tell from reading the proposals
5474of MV Contract Transportation, Inc., what experience was related
5483to MV Contract Transportation, Inc., because the experience was
5492described as the experience of MV, which was defined as MV
5503Transportation, Inc., and its affiliates.
550848. The RFP required proposers to provide a description
5517and location of the Proposers facilities as they currently
5526exist and as they will be employed for the purpose of this
5538contract. TMS Joint Venture described its call center in
5547Clearwater, which contains 6,000 square feet, with 3,700 feet
5558of additional space to rapidly expand, of administrative space
5567and provides for all functional areas. TMS Joint Venture
5576leases the building in which the call center is located, but it
5588currently shares space in the call center with GPTMS. TMS Joint
5599Venture did not disclose that it is currently sharing space with
5610GPTMS. However, there was no evidence presented that the call
5620center as it currently exists does not have sufficient
5629capability to meet the needs of the contracts at issue.
563949. In TMS Joint Ventures proposals, the Management Plan
5648section states:
5650The TMS senior management has spent years
5657constructing and honing our client
5662eligibility screening systems. TMS staff
5667began innovating these systems in 1991, when
5674management quantitatively analyzed our
5678existing transportation systems. TMS was
5683alarmed when we quantified the considerable
5689costs that running trips for ineligible
5695clients, imposed on the business.
5700The Management Plan goes on to say what measures TMS Joint
5711Venture takes to ensure that ineligible clients do not receive
5721services. Mr. David McDonald, the president of TMS Management
5730Group, Inc., explained that the language was meant to
5739demonstrate that the senior staff members of TMS Joint Venture
5749had been constructing and honing eligibility systems since 1991
5758and that they had applied their experience in developing the
5768screening measures used by TMS Joint Venture.
577550. In TMS Joint Ventures proposals, the Management Plan
5784includes the following statement:
5788For more than 15 years, the TMS team has
5797managed the administration, coordination,
5801and provision of Medicaid and all other
5808types of human transportation. The TMS
5814operations team has nearly 350 years of
5821Medicaid and other transportation related
5826service delivery experience.
5829This statement is referring to the experience of the management
5839team members and not specifically to the number of years that
5850TMS Joint Venture or the venturers had been in business. That
5861portion of the proposals goes on to list the various current
5872contracts of the venturers of TMS Joint Venture.
588051. Section 19 of the Special Conditions of the RFP
5890provides:
5891Proposals found to be non-responsive shall
5897not be considered. Proposals may be
5903rejected if found to be irregular or not in
5912conformance with the requirements and
5917instructions herein contained. A proposal
5922may be found to be irregular or non-
5930responsive by reasons that include, but are
5937not limited to, failure to utilize or
5944complete prescribed forms, conditional
5948proposals, incomplete proposals, indefinite
5952or ambiguous proposals, and improper and/or
5958undated signatures.
596052. Section 16 of Pur 1001 form attached to the RFP
5971provides:
5972Minor Irregularities/Right to Reject. The
5977Buyer reserves the right to accept or reject
5985any and all bids, or separable portions
5992thereof, and to waive any minor
5998irregularity, technicality, or omission if
6003the Buyer determines that doing so will
6010serve the States best interests. The Buyer
6017may reject any response not submitted in the
6025manner specified by the solicitation
6030documents.
6031CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
603453. The Division of Administrative Hearings has
6041jurisdiction over the parties to and the subject matter of this
6052proceeding. §§ 120.569 and 120.57, Fla. Stat.
605954. Subsection 120.57(3)(b), Florida Statutes, provides:
6065(b) Any person who is adversely affected by
6073the agency decision or intended decision
6079shall file with the agency a notice of
6087protest in writing within 72 hours after the
6095posting of the notice of decision or
6102intended decision. . . . The formal written
6110protest shall be filed within 10 days after
6118the date the notice of protest is filed.
6126Failure to file a notice of protest or
6134failure to file a formal written protest
6141shall constitute a waiver of proceedings
6147under this chapter. The formal written
6153protest shall state with particularity the
6159facts and law upon which the protest is
6167based. Saturdays, Sundays, and state
6172holidays shall be excluded in the
6178computation of the 72-hour time periods
6184provided by this paragraph.
618855. MV Contract Transportation, Inc., takes the position
6196that the formal protest of the Palm Beach County contract was
6207not timely filed. The evidence demonstrated that the notices of
6217protests and the formal written protests filed by TMS Joint
6227Venture for the both the Duval County and the Palm Beach County
6239contracts were timely filed.
624356. Subsection 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, provides the
6250procedural requirements for a notice of protest of a
6259solicitation or intended contract award. Subsection
6265120.57(3)(b), Florida Statutes, provides that [a]ny person who
6273is adversely affected by the agency decision or intended
6282decision shall file with the agency a notice of protest in
6293writing within 72 hours after the posting of the notice of
6304decision or intended decision.
630857. Florida Administrative Code Rule 28-110.003(1)
6314provides a detailed description of the requirements for a notice
6324of protest stating:
6327(1) A notice of protest shall be addressed
6335to the office that issued the solicitation
6342or made any other decision that is intended
6350to be protested; shall identify the
6356solicitation by number and title or any
6363other language that will enable the agency
6370to identify it; and shall state that the
6378person intends to protest the
6383decision. . . .
638758. MV Contract Transportation, Inc., takes the position
6395that the notice of protest filed by TMS Joint Venture for the
6407Duval County contract was defective because it listed MV
6416Transportation, Inc. (MV) as the intended awardee of the
6425contract. The notice of protest filed by TMS Joint Venture to
6436the intended award of the Duval County contract met the
6446requirements of Florida Administrative Code Rule 28-110.003(1).
6453The notice of protest identified the solicitation and stated
6462that TMS Joint Venture intended to protest the award of the
6473solicitation. The notice did what it was supposed to do, i.e.
6484put the agency on notice that the intended award of the Duval
6496County contract was being protested. The misnaming of the
6505intended awardee of the contract did not mislead the agency or
6516MV Contract Transportation, Inc., about what was being
6524protested.
652560. Subsection 120.57(3)(f), Florida Statutes, provides
6531that in a protest to a proposed contract award pursuant to a
6543request for proposals:
6546[u]nless otherwise provided by statute, the
6552burden of proof shall rest with the party
6560protesting the proposed agency action. In a
6567competitive-procurement protest, other than
6571a rejection of all bids, proposals, or
6578replies, the administrative law judge shall
6584conduct a de novo proceeding to determine
6591whether the agency's proposed action is
6597contrary to the agency's governing statutes,
6603the agency's rules or policies, or the
6610solicitation specifications. The standard
6614of proof for such proceedings shall be
6621whether the proposed agency action was
6627clearly erroneous, contrary to competition,
6632arbitrary, or capricious.
663561. The court in Colbert v. Department of Health , 890 So.
66462d 1165, 1166 (Fla. 1st DCA 2004), defined the clearly erroneous
6657standard to mean the interpretation will be upheld if the
6667agencys construction falls within the permissible range of
6675interpretations. If however, the agencys interpretation
6681conflicts with the plain and ordinary intent of the law,
6691judicial deference need not be given to it. (Citations
6700omitted)
670162. A capricious action has been defined as an action,
6711which is taken without thought or reason or irrationally.
6720Agrico Chemical Co. v. Department of Environmental Regulation ,
6728365 So. 2d 759, 763 (Fla. 1st DCA 1978), cert. denied 376 So. 2d
674274 (Fla. 1979). An arbitrary decision is one that is not
6753supported by facts or logic. Id. The inquiry to be made in
6765determining whether an agency has acted in an arbitrary or
6775capricious manner involves consideration of whether the agency:
6783(1) has considered all relevant factors; (2) given actual, good
6793faith consideration to the factors; and (3) has used reason
6803rather than whim to progress from consideration of these factors
6813to its final decision. Adam Smith Enterprises v. Department of
6823Environmental Regulation , 553 So. 2d 1260, 1273 (Fla. 1st DCA
68331989). The standard has also been formulated by the court in
6844Dravo Basic Materials Co. v. Department of Transportation , 602
6853So. 2d 632, 632 n.3 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992), as follows: If an
6866administrative decision is justifiable under any analysis that a
6875reasonable person would use to reach a decision of similar
6885importance, it would seem that the decision is neither arbitrary
6895nor capricious.
689763. TMS Joint Venture has the burden to establish the
6907allegations in the Petitions for Formal Administrative Hearing
6915by a preponderance of the evidence. Department of
6923Transportation v. Groves-Watkins , 530 So. 2d 912, 913-914 (Fla.
69321988).
693364. TMS Joint Venture alleges that MV Contract
6941Transportation, Inc., did not submit responsive proposals for
6949Duval and Palm Beach Counties, and it failed to:
6958(1) provide a proposal that clearly and
6965unambiguously identified the proposer as MV
6971Contract and which did not misrepresent its
6978experience, contracts, facilities, assets,
6982and/or personnel;
6984(2) submit the required data and
6990information to demonstrate its financial
6995condition and solvency;
6998(3) have the proposal executed by a duly
7006authorized corporate officer, rather than an
7012officer for a related non-proposer entity;
7018(4) correctly represent it had only existed
7025since 2003, rather misrepresenting that the
7031proposer had 35 years of experience;
7037(5) correctly represent than many of its
7044claimed contracts and much of its claimed
7051experience was actually the experience of
7057others or identify the company assets
7063available to operate in Palm Beach County
7070[and Duval County] and to list those assets
7078that were committed to the Palm Beach County
7086project [and Duval County project];
7091(6) submit evidence of its experience and
7098past performance strictly related to itself,
7104rather than wrongfully misrepresenting it
7109had obtained experience before it ever
7115existed;
7116(7) correctly represent that the audit
7122results of the Federal Transit
7127Administration or Authority and others
7132referencing the experience and policies
7137described in the proposal were not its
7144experience, qualifications or contracts, but
7149that of others;
7152(8) submit a proper organizational
7157structure for review, but rather submitted
7163only a line of direct reports for those
7171who might work on the project; and
7178(9) submit factually accurate counts and
7184complaint ratios for MV Contracts then
7190current projects.
719265. TMS Joint Venture also alleges that the evaluations of
7202the proposals were not proper because the evaluators scored
7211MV Contract Transportation, Inc.s, proposals based
7217misrepresentations made by MV Contract Transportation, Inc.,
7224concerning MV Contract Transportation, Inc.s, prior experience
7231and current contracts.
723466. Additionally, TMS Joint Venture alleged that with
7242regard to the award for the Palm Beach County contract that the
7254Department improperly rescored MV Contract Transportation,
7260revealed, signed, submitted, calculated, tabulated, and posted.
726767. Agencies enjoy a wide discretion when it comes to
7277soliciting and accepting proposals, and an agencys decision,
7285when based upon an honest exercise of such discretion, will not
7296be set aside even where it may appear erroneous or if reasonable
7308people might disagree. See Baxters Asphalt & Concrete, Inc. v.
7318Department of Transportation , 475 So. 2d 1284, 1287 (Fla. 1st
7328DCA 1985); Capelletti Brothers, Inc. v. Department of General
7337Services , 432 So. 2d 1359, 1363 (Fla. 1st DCA 1963). An agency
7349has the discretion to waive an irregularity in a bid when the
7361irregularity is not material, that is, when it does not give the
7373bidder a substantial advantage over the other bidders.
7381Tropabest Foods, Inc. v. Department of General Services , 493 So.
73912d 50, 52 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986).
739868. The purpose of competitive bidding for the award of
7408public contracts is to ensure fairness to prospective vendors
7417and to secure the best value at the lowest price to the public.
7430This objective was explained by the Florida Supreme Court in
7440Wester v. Belote , 138 So. 721, 722 (Fla. 1938) as follows:
7451The object and purpose of competitive
7457bidding is to protect the public against
7464collusive contracts; to secure fair
7469competition upon equal terms to all bidders;
7476to remove, not only collusion, but
7482temptation for collusion and opportunity for
7488gain at public expense; to close all avenues
7496to favoritism and fraud in its various
7503forms; to secure the best values at the
7511lowest possible expense; and to afford an
7518equal advantage to all desiring to do
7525business with the public authorities, by
7531providing an opportunity for an exact
7537comparison of bids.
754069. The evaluators were not aware of the questions and
7550responses contained in Addendum No. 2 and, therefore, were not
7560aware that the evaluation was to be made based on the prime
7572vendors experience, solvency, and ability to fulfill the
7580requirements of the scope of service. The evaluators considered
7589the experience, solvency, and capabilities of MV Transportation,
7597Inc., and its affiliates in scoring the proposals submitted by
7607MV Contract Transportation, Inc. The evaluators did not
7615evaluate MV Contract Transportation, Inc.s, proposals in
7622accordance with the requirements of the RFP and addenda. Their
7632evaluation was clearly erroneous. The evaluation gave MV
7640Contract Transportation, Inc., an advantage over the other
7648bidders because the experience, solvency, and capabilities of
7656entities other than the prime vendor were considered.
766470. MV Contract Transportation, Inc., was allowed by the
7673RFP to submit experience, solvency, and capabilities of members
7682of the proposer team as well as the prime vendor. The response
7694to question 8 in Addendum No. 2 clearly states that the terms
7706in the Proposers Management Plan and the Proposers Technical
7715Plan mean proposer, which by definition includes the prime
7724vendor and the proposal team. Because of the way MV Contract
7735Transportation, Inc., defined MV in the proposal and because
7744the references to experience, solvency, and capabilities were
7752presented as those of MV, there was no way that the evaluators
7764could determine which information pertained to MV Contract
7772Transportation, Inc., nor could they now on a reevaluation of MV
7783Contract Transportation, Inc.s, proposals.
778771. TMS Joint Ventures claim that MV Contract
7795Transportation, Inc.s proposals were not signed by a duly-
7804authorized officer for MV Contract Transportation, Inc., is
7812without merit. The proposals were signed by a vice president of
7823MV Contract Transportation, Inc., and no evidence was presented
7832that he did not have the authority to bind MV Contract
7843Transportation, Inc.
784572. The reposting of the intended award of the Palm Beach
7856County contract was simply a correction of a scriveners error
7866which occurred during the transfer of one evaluators
7874handwritten score to the typed evaluation summary. The
7882proposals had not been reevaluated. The correction did not give
7892any proposer an advantage over the other proposers.
790073. TMS Joint Venture claims that the evaluators did not
7910comply with the RFP because they did not meet and develop
7921methodology for allocating the total points assigned to each
7930section of the proposals to be evaluated. This issue was not
7941raised in the Petitions for Formal Hearing and was not raised in
7953the Joint Pre-hearing Stipulation. Subsection 120.57(3)(b),
7959Florida Statutes, requires that [t]he formal written protest
7967shall state with particularity the facts and law upon which the
7978protest is based. A formal protest may be amended as any other
7990petition in an administrative hearing. See Optiplan, Inc. v.
7999School Board of Broward County , 710 So. 2d 569 (Fla. 4th DCA
80111998). TMS Joint Venture did not at any time seek to amend its
8024formal protest to include the issue of further allocation of
8034points by the evaluation committee. However, both TMS Joint
8043Venture and MV Contract Transportation, Inc., have addressed
8051this issue at hearing and in their proposed recommended orders.
8061For the reasons stated in the Findings of Fact, the RFP did not
8074require all the evaluation team members to meet and establish a
8085further allocation of the maximum points allowed for each
8094category.
809574. Subsection 120.57(3)(b), Florida Statutes, provides
8101that a person who is adversely affected by an agency decision or
8113intended decision may file a bid protest. The RFP provides that
8124the contracts will be awarded to the proposers who are
8134responsive and responsible and whose proposals are determined to
8143be the most advantageous to the Commission. The relief
8152requested by TMS Joint Venture is not that all bids be deemed
8164nonresponsive and the RFP be reissued; therefore, in order to
8174have standing to bring a bid protest, TMS Joint Venture must
8185demonstrate that but for the intended award proposed by the
8195agency that TMS Joint Venture would have been awarded the
8205contract. See Intercontinental Properties, Inc. v. Dept. of
8213Health and Rehabilitative Services , 606 So. 2d 380 (Fla. 3rd DCA
82241992); Greenhut Construction Co. v. Henry A. Knott, Inc. , 247
8234So. 2d 517 (Fla. 1st DCA 1971); and Couch Contruction Co. v.
8246Dept. of Transportation , 361 So. 2d 184 (Fla. 1st DCA 1978).
825775. MV Contract Transportation, Inc., claims that TMS
8265Joint Venture is nonresponsive because it included the
8273experience of the joint venturers and of GPTMS in its proposals.
8284The parties stipulated that TMS Joint Ventures proposals
8292described the experience, contracts, facilities, assets and/or
8299personnel of its joint venturers. The parties did not stipulate
8309that the experience, contracts, facilities, assets and/or
8316personnel described in the proposals were only those of the
8326joint venturers. The RFP contemplated that information would be
8335submitted concerning the proposer, which included the prime
8343vendor and the proposer team. Thus, there was no error made
8354when TMS Joint Venture included a single reference to a contract
8365performed by GPTMS. The proposals clearly indicated that the
8374contract was being performed by GPTMS so that the evaluators
8384knew that for that contract neither the experience of the Joint
8395Venture nor the joint venturers was being described. Therefore,
8404an evaluation could be made of the experience of the Joint
8415Venture and the joint venturers. No evidence was presented to
8425show that the inclusion of the GPTMS contract made any
8435difference in the points assigned by the individual evaluators.
844476. MV Contract Transportation, Inc., claims that TMS
8452Joint Ventures proposals suffer from the same deficiency as MV
8462Contract Transportation, Inc.s, proposals because information
8468was included about both joint venturers and the evaluations were
8478made of the experiences, capabilities, solvency, facilities, and
8486assets of the joint venturers rather than the joint venture.
8496The difference between MV Contract Transportation, Inc.s,
8503proposals and TMS Joint Ventures proposals is that both joint
8513venturers are bound if a contract is awarded to TMS Joint
8524Venture, but MV Transportation, Inc., and its affiliates, other
8533than MV Contract Transportation, Inc., could not be held
8542responsible for the performance of any contracts awarded to MV
8552Contract Transportation, Inc., pursuant to the RFP. The court
8561in Metrolimo, Inc. v. Lamm , 666 So. 2d 552, 553 (Fla. 3rd DCA
85741995), stated:
8576Appellants Metrolimo, Inc. and Red Top
8582Transportation, Inc. formed a joint venture
8588called Comprehensive Paratransit Services.
8592Comprehensive entered into a contract with
8598Dade County to provide special
8603transportation services for disabled riders.
8608* * *
8611In this case Red Top and Metrolimo formed a
8620joint venture to provide special
8625transportation services. Comprehensive did
8629not itself have employees, but instead the
8636activities of the joint venture were to be
8644carried out by the joint venture partners,
8651Red Top and Metrolimo. The joint venture
8658was free to hire independent contractors, if
8665it wished, but the carrying out of the
8673contract was the responsibility of the joint
8680venture and the joint venture partners. The
8687joint venture and the joint venture partners
8694could not, by subcontracting, exonerate
8699themselves from liability. The joint
8704venture and joint venture partners are
8710liable for the negligent acts of the driver.
8718(Citations omitted)
8720In the instant cases, TMS Joint Venture; TMS Management Group,
8730Inc.; and Transportation Management Services of Brevard, Inc.,
8738would be liable under contracts awarded pursuant to the RFP.
8748Additionally, the Joint Venture Agreement makes it clear that
8757both venturers would be bound by contracts awarded to TMS Joint
8768Venture. Other contracts awarded to TMS Joint Venture pursuant
8777to this RFP have been entered into by TMS Joint Venture/TMS
8788Management Group, Inc., and Transportation Management Services
8795of Brevard, Inc., which means that both venturers are bound to
8806the terms of the contracts.
881177. MV Contract Transportation, Inc., contends that TMS
8819Joint Venture is not responsive to the RFP because TMS Joint
8830Venture is not registered with the myFloridaMarketPlace system.
8838The Commission took the position that TMS Joint Venture met the
8849requirements of the RFP because TMS Joint Ventures proposals
8858listed the lead administrative venturer as being registered with
8867the myFloridaMarketPlace system. Such an interpretation is not
8875clearly erroneous, arbitrary, capricious, or contrary to
8882competition. Both venturers were listed in the
8889myFloridaMarketPlace system, and both would be bound by the
8898terms of any contract awarded to TMS Joint Venture pursuant to
8909the RFP. TMS Management Group, Inc., is the lead administrative
8919venturer who has the authority to accept payments to TMS Joint
8930Venture. In Addendum No. 2, the Commission responded that the
8940FEID number of the lead administrative venturer could be used in
8951forms requiring the listing of an FEID number. An entitys FEID
8962number can be used to register with the myFloridaMarketPlace
8971system. Thus, it is reasonable to deem the myFloridaMarketPlace
8980registration number of the lead administrative venturer to meet
8989the requirements of the RFP. There is no competitive advantage
8999to such an interpretation.
900378. MV Contract Transportation, Inc., contends that TMS
9011Joint Venture is not responsive to the RFP because it
9021misrepresented its experience when it talked about experience
9029relating to the methods for ensuring that ineligible clients do
9039not receive services and experience in providing specialized
9047transportation services. The discussion in TMS Joint Ventures
9055proposals relating to the analyses of client eligibility systems
9064beginning in 1991 is not artfully worded. It was intended to
9075mean that the members of the senior staff had experience
9085developing such systems since 1991. The proposals go on to
9095provide information on how TMS Joint Venture would deal with the
9106eligibility issue in the performance of a contract. The
9115language dealing with analyses since 1991 is a minor
9124irregularity and does not give TMS Joint Venture an advantage
9134over the other proposers.
913879. TMS Joint Venture clearly was discussing the
9146experience of its staff in providing specialized transportation
9154services. TMS Joint Venture listed the current contracts that
9163the venturers had relating to the provision of specialized
9172transportation services.
917480. MV Contract Transportation, Inc., contends that TMS
9182Joint Venture is not responsive to the RFP because it did not
9194reveal in its proposal that it shared space with GPTMS in the
9206call center that would be used for the contracts. Such failure
9217to disclose is a minor irregularity. No evidence was presented
9227to show that the space was not sufficient to perform the
9238contracts. No evidence was presented that the evaluators would
9247have changed their scores if the information had been disclosed.
925781. TMS Joint Venture is responsive to the RFP.
9266RECOMMENDATION
9267Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of
9277Law, it is RECOMMENDED that a final order be entered finding
9288that the evaluation of the proposals of MV Contract
9297Transportation, Inc., were contrary to the RFP; that the way in
9308which MV Contract Transportation, Inc., submitted its proposals
9316prevents the evaluators from evaluating the proposals in
9324accordance with the RFP; that the notices of protests and formal
9335protests of TMS Joint Venture were timely filed; and that the
9346proposals of TMS Joint Venture are responsive to the RFP.
9356DONE AND ENTERED this 25th day of March, 2010, in
9366Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida.
9370S
9371SUSAN B. HARRELL
9374Administrative Law Judge
9377Division of Administrative Hearings
9381The DeSoto Building
93841230 Apalachee Parkway
9387Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060
9390(850) 488-9675
9392Fax Filing (850) 921-6847
9396www.doah.state.fl.us
9397Filed with the Clerk of the
9403Division of Administrative Hearings
9407this 25th day of March, 2010.
9413ENDNOTE
94141/ Unless otherwise indicated, all references to the Florida
9423Statutes are to the 2009 version.
9429COPIES FURNISHED :
9432Bobby Jernigan, Executive Director
9436Florida Commission for the
9440Transportation Disadvantaged
94422740 Centerview Drive, Suite 1A
9447Tallahassee, Florida 32399
9450E. A. Seth Mills, Jr., Esquire
9456Kevin M. Mekler, Esquire
9460Mills Paskert Divers, P.A.
9464100 North Tampa Street, Suite 2010
9470Tampa, Florida 33602
9473Thomas Barnhart, Esquire
9476Office of the Attorney General
9481The Capitol, Plaza Level 01
9486Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1050
9489Christopher T. McRae, Esquire
9493David J. Metcalf, Esquire
9497McRae & Metcalf, P. A.
95022612 Centennial Place
9505Tallahassee, Florida 32308
9508NOTICE OF RIGHT TO SUBMIT EXCEPTIONS
9514All parties have the right to submit written exceptions within
952410 days from the date of this Recommended Order. Any exceptions
9535to this Recommended Order should be filed with the agency that
9546will issue the Final Order in this case.
- Date
- Proceedings
- PDF:
- Date: 04/05/2010
- Proceedings: Intervenor's Exceptions to Recommended Order (filed in Case No. 10-000051BID).
- PDF:
- Date: 03/25/2010
- Proceedings: Recommended Order (hearing held February 4 and 5, 2010). CASE CLOSED.
- PDF:
- Date: 03/25/2010
- Proceedings: Recommended Order cover letter identifying the hearing record referred to the Agency.
- PDF:
- Date: 03/03/2010
- Proceedings: (Proposed) Order Granting Motion for Extension of Time to Respond to Complaint for Interpleader filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 03/03/2010
- Proceedings: Motion for Extension of Page Count for Proposed Recommended Order filed.
- Date: 02/23/2010
- Proceedings: Transcript of Proceedings (volume I-IV) filed.
- Date: 02/15/2010
- Proceedings: CASE STATUS: Pre-hearing Conference Held.
- PDF:
- Date: 02/08/2010
- Proceedings: Letter to Judge Harrell from D. Metcalf regarding Tax Returns filed.
- Date: 02/04/2010
- Proceedings: CASE STATUS: Hearing Held.
- PDF:
- Date: 02/04/2010
- Proceedings: Petitioner's Notice to Produce at Final Hearing Directed to Intervenor filed.
- Date: 02/03/2010
- Proceedings: CASE STATUS: Motion Hearing Held.
- PDF:
- Date: 02/03/2010
- Proceedings: Emergency Motion for Protective Order, Motion to Quash Subpoena and Incorporated Memorandum of Law filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 02/02/2010
- Proceedings: Petitioner's Notice to Produce at Final Hearing Directed to Intervenor filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 02/02/2010
- Proceedings: Petitioner's Amended Notice to Produce at Final Hearing Directed to Intervenor filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 02/01/2010
- Proceedings: MV Contract's Notice of Serving Answers to Petitioner's Second set of Interrogatories filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 02/01/2010
- Proceedings: MV Contract's Amended Responses to Petitioner's Request for Admissions filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 02/01/2010
- Proceedings: MV Contract's Notice of Serving Answers to Petitioner's First set of Interrogatories filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/29/2010
- Proceedings: Petitioner's Supplemental Objections and Responses to Intervenor's First Set of Interrogatories filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/29/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Serving Petitioner's Supplemental Objections and Responses to Intervenor's First Set of Interrogatories filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/27/2010
- Proceedings: Amended Notice of Taking Deposition (of MV Contract's Corporate Representative) filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/27/2010
- Proceedings: Petitioner's Response in Opposition to Intervenor's Motion to Dismiss for Standing filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/27/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Taking Deposition (Elizabeth DeJesus, Bob Jernigan, G. Douglas Harper) filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/27/2010
- Proceedings: Petitioner's Motion to Compel Production of Documents, Answers to Interrogatories, and Responses to Request for Admissions filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/27/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Taking Depositions (TMS' Corporate Respresentative and Lisa Bacot) filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/26/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Taking Deposition (of Corp. Rep. for MV Contract Transportation Inc.) filed.
- Date: 01/25/2010
- Proceedings: CASE STATUS: Motion Hearing Held.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/25/2010
- Proceedings: Petitioner's Objections and Responses to Intervenor's First Set of Interrogatories filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/25/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Serving Petitioner's Objections and Verified Responses to Intervenor's First Set of Interrogatories filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/25/2010
- Proceedings: Petitioner's Response in Opposition to Intervenor's Motion to Dismiss or to Relinquish Jurisdiction filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/25/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Serving Petitioner's Second Set of Interrogatories to Intervenors filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/25/2010
- Proceedings: Motion to Compel Production of Documents, Answers to Interrogatories, and Answers to Requests for Admissions filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/25/2010
- Proceedings: Petitioner's Objections and Responses to Intervenor's First Set of Interrogatories filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/25/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Serving Petitioner's Objections and Verified Responses to Intervenor's First Set of Interrogatories filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/25/2010
- Proceedings: MV Contract's Reply in Suport of Intervenor's Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Standing filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/25/2010
- Proceedings: MV Contract's Reply in Support of Intervenor's Motion to Dismiss or to Relinguish Jurisdiction filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/25/2010
- Proceedings: Petitioner's Objections and Unverifed Responses to Intervenor's First set of Interrogatories filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/25/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Taking Deposition (of E. DeJesus, B. Jernigan, G. Harper, K. Somerset, A. Morlock) filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/25/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Taking Deposition (of K. Somerset, D. Harper, B. Jernigan) filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/22/2010
- Proceedings: Petitioner's Response in Opposition to Intervenor's Motion to Dismiss or to Relinquish Jurisdiction filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/22/2010
- Proceedings: Petitioner's Response in Opposition to Intervenor's Motion to Dismiss for Standing filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/22/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Telephonic Motion Hearing (motion hearing set for January 25, 2010; 2:00 p.m.).
- Date: 01/22/2010
- Proceedings: CASE STATUS: Pre-Hearing Conference Held.
- Date: 01/21/2010
- Proceedings: CASE STATUS: Pre-Hearing Conference Held.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/20/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Serving Petitioner's Second Set of Interrogatories to Intervenor filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/20/2010
- Proceedings: MV Contract's Responses to Petitioner's Fisrt Set of Interrogatories filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/20/2010
- Proceedings: MV Contract's Notice of Serving Answers to Petitioner's Fisrt Set of Interrogatories filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/20/2010
- Proceedings: MV Contract's Response to Petitioner's First Request for Production filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/20/2010
- Proceedings: Petitioner's Objections and Unverified Responses to Intervenor's First Set of Interrogatories filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/20/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Serving Petitioner's Objections and Unverified Responses to Intervenor's First Set of Interrogatories filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/19/2010
- Proceedings: MV Contract's Response to Petitioner's Request for Admissions filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/19/2010
- Proceedings: Motion to Dismiss or to Relinquish Jurisdiction of Time Barred Specifications Protest filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/19/2010
- Proceedings: Petitioner's Objections and Response to Intervenor's First Request for Admissions filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/19/2010
- Proceedings: Petitioner's Objections and Response to Intervenor's First Request for Production filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/15/2010
- Proceedings: MV Contract's Notice of Serving Its First Set Interrogatories toTMS Joint Venture filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/12/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Serving Petitioner's First Set of Interrogatories to Intervenor filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/12/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Appearance (of R. Scully, filed in case no. 10-30BID) filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 01/12/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Appearance (of R. Scully, filed in case no. 10-000051BID).
- PDF:
- Date: 01/12/2010
- Proceedings: Notice of Hearing (hearing set for February 4 and 5, 2010; 9:00 a.m.; Tallahassee, FL).
- Date: 01/11/2010
- Proceedings: CASE STATUS: Pre-Hearing Conference Held.
Case Information
- Judge:
- SUSAN BELYEU KIRKLAND
- Date Filed:
- 01/07/2010
- Date Assignment:
- 01/07/2010
- Last Docket Entry:
- 06/02/2010
- Location:
- Tallahassee, Florida
- District:
- Northern
- Agency:
- ADOPTED IN TOTO
- Suffix:
- BID
Counsels
-
Tom Barnhart, Esquire
Address of Record -
Bobby Jernigan, Executive Director
Address of Record -
Christopher T. McRae, Esquire
Address of Record -
Kevin M. Mekler, Esquire
Address of Record -
E. A. "Seth" Mills, Jr., Esquire
Address of Record -
Ryan Michael Scully, Esquire
Address of Record