In a request for proposal issued April 15, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) asks for “proposals from qualified contractors to process parking citations and permits, support parking enforcement, and run the department’s Parking Violations Bureau while providing innovative technology and exceptional customer service.”
The department’s 27-page RFP lays out what is sought from a vendor:
- Be responsible for supplying, operating, maintaining and enhancing a complete parking citation and permit management system;
- Process and collect payments for parking citations and parking permits issued within the city;
- Staff and operate at least four walk-in customer service centers, equitably located throughout the city, called Parking Service Centers (as part of the Parking Violations Bureau) to provide customer service support to LADOT and motorists;
- Support the adjudication process of parking violations;
- Provide state-of-the-art handheld computer-based parking citation writers, printers and software including optional mobile license plate recognition (LPR) technology;
- Administer parking permit programs, including processing applications and fulfillment, and the future transition to virtual license plate-based permits;
- Automate, track, and report on vehicle immobilizations and impounds;
- Provide and support all computing and technical resources for all aspects of parking adjudication, citation, enforcement, and permits programs including integration with existing and future providers of technology to the city;
- Provide technical support, including professional consulting and marketing/outreach services for parking initiatives of the city;
- Provide summary and comprehensive reporting statistics, dashboards and analytics of all components of the operation of the parking programs.
Vendors should propose a system using state-of-the-art technologies that can be easily upgraded through the term of the contract, the RFP says. LADOT is seeking a single prime contractor, and it recognizes that the contractor will hire subcontractors.
The vendor chosen as the prime will be responsible for providing “multiple software management systems and hardware solutions related to parking citations, permits, and customer service,” the RFP says. “The selected contractor will provide a complete system and support that is capable of supporting the size of the LADOT parking program.”
In addition, the document notes, “The selected contractor will be responsible for providing the highest level of responsive customer service to both city staff and its customers. That includes, but is not limited to, comprehensive in-person, telephone, email support.”
The RFP spells out the timeline for the project:
- April 15: RFP released
- April 22: Deadline to protest RFP content
- May 17: Mandatory pre-proposal conference (virtual); “Meet the Primes” networking session
- May 24: Final deadline for written questions
- July 1: Business Inclusion Program outreach deadline
- July 15: Proposals due by 2 p.m.
- Week of Aug. 29: Optional proposer interviews, virtual or in person (tentative)
- Sept. 28: Recommendation of contract award (tentative)
- Dec. 1: Operating agreement begins
The RFP includes a host of requirements; most noteworthy among those relating to technology are:
- At least three years’ experience providing end-user support for a variety of hardware devices and software modules in a municipal or university environment. Support shall include procuring, delivery, setup, maintenance and training for all equipment (including desktop and mobile computers, enforcement handhelds, LPR systems, and multifunction printing/scanning/copying machines);
- Establishing and managing networks (including wired and wireless LANs and WANs and cellular services);
- Deploying, supporting and training for end-user software including city-required applications, applications used for managing various parking-related functions, various team collaboration tools, and teleconferencing solutions; and liaison with various vendors providing technology solutions (including managing deployment projects, providing first-level end-user support and ensuring vendors provide higher-tier support).
- At least three technology support references from municipal or university agencies within the United States, with special requirements as spelled out in the RFP.
The contract would run for five years, with two optional one-year extensions available.
