Title
Contract for Employee Uniforms (B)
Staff recommends establishing a contract for purchased employee uniforms for various Utility and General Government departments.
Explanation
Various Utility and General Government departments provide uniforms to designated employees. Staff safety and employee identification to the public are among some of the reasons that uniforms are important. Certain employees are provided rental uniforms through a separate contract which includes laundry service based on the types of contaminants encountered while performing their work.
This purchase uniform contract provides uniforms to approximately 300 Utility and 100 General Government employees who are responsible for their own uniform laundering. Employees required to wear flame resistant clothing (electric line workers and certain gas and electric personnel) as well as those who wear non-flame resistant clothing (water and power plants, service employees from gas, electric, facilities and field services, as well as General Government's Operations division) receive uniforms through this contract.
This contract has developed into a full service contract which allows department representatives to order standard uniform items for their department's employees using the uniform company's web-based system. The direct order process significantly reduces administrative costs by streamlining uniform ordering and receiving. In addition, the contractor is required to maintain an allowance amount for each employee based on City-furnished amounts, provide an on-line uniform catalog, maintain order history and offer custom reports for tracking purchase activity. The contractor also provides useful information to staff about industry requirements for flame resistancy and safety to help ensure that the City complies with applicable laws.
A Request for Proposal was issued for the provision of employee uniforms to ten prospective uniform providers. Six proposals were received which were evaluated based on understanding and approach to performing the work, qualifications and experience of the company's personnel and the business, uniform selections, pricing and references. Tyndale Company, Inc. submitted the best evaluated proposal and is recommended for award of the contract.
Recommendations
The City Commission: 1) authorize the Interim General Manager, or her designee, to execute a three year contract with Tyndale Company, Inc. for employee uniforms for various Utility and General Government departments, subject to approval of the City Attorney as to form and legality; and 2) approve the issuance of purchase orders for uniforms to Tyndale Company, Inc. not exceeding budgeted amounts for each year of the contract, subject to the final appropriation of funds for each fiscal year.
Fiscal Note
Funds for this contract are available in the FY 2007 budgets and will be requested in future fiscal year budgets. The estimated annual cost of this contract is $100,000 for utility departments and $25,000 for General Government.
Drafter
Prepared by Kathy E. Viehe, Interim Assistant General Manager, Customer Support Services
Submitted by Karen S. Johnson, Interim General Manager