A resolution approving a proposed Amendatory Agreement between the City and County of Denver and Securitas Security Services USA, Inc. to add fund requirements, increase the maximum contract amount and extend the term for security personnel at various homeless shelters and facilities during the COVID-19 health crisis. Amends a contract with Securitas Security Services USA, Inc. by adding $1,150,000 for a new total of $1,500,000, extending the contract through 1-31-21 and adding required CARES language to the contract to allow the City to seek reimbursement for service related costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic for security personnel services at congregate and non-congregate shelter locations (GENRL-202054849-01). The last regularly scheduled Council meeting within the 30-day review period is on 10-26-20. The Committee approved filing this item at its meeting on 9-22-20.
Thank you, Madam President. Is there anybody on the call who can speak to this contract? Yes. Yes. Councilwoman CdeBaca, we have myself, Christina Ulrich and Cami Joly available. Awesome. So my first question here is what what exactly where exactly are we placing the Securitas contract that or their security guards? Thank you for the question. We've currently got security officers located at La Quinta, Ramada Inn, Western Motor in Hampton Inn, Quality Inn and Roadway in. Awesome. And what do we use as metrics of success for the security companies that we're using in these locations? I'll go ahead and kick that question on over to Cammy. Thank you. Thanks for the question. Caswell and CdeBaca. So we work in very close contact with our DHS and host partners, as well as the providers checking in with them verbally, really. And I wouldn't say it was a formal process, although we're certainly open to making that a more formal process. We weren't intending that this was going to be a long term engagement. However, since it is expanding to the end of January, we can certainly look at a more formalized process process. But for now it is a verbal discussion with them about the performance of the provider. We have quite a few discussions with them because there have been changes with the number of security professionals per shift and so that is constantly moving depending on the needs. So we're having that conversation on a frequent basis. So I asked this question because one of our other security contracts for 4 million, there was a murder on their watch. And so I'm wondering, when we talk about or when we hire security, how do we gauge their success and what are the consequences if they don't meet whatever that bar is? Sure. Absolutely. And so, again, I would say right now, it's it's not a formalized process, just verbal in nature, checking in with them, checking in with the provider, because they really are on each of these are at each of these site locations on an ongoing basis. And so they have a very close relationship with the security professionals that are there providing the service. So we really look to them to provide us that feedback. And each each location operates a little bit differently, and there could be different providers at each of the locations. So it really is about that one on one contact with them to ensure that they are delivering the services that we've agreed to. And what are those services? Sure. So the scope of work really is a a monitor and report, I would say or not monitor and report my my that it's a observe and report. So our security professionals are not to engage physically in any sort of way. They really are to patrol the area, whether that's internal or external to the building and to report on anything that they've seen. And then also to engage in a customer service level, answering questions, directing people similar to what our city contract is. They're really ambassadors, I would say, on those sites. But again, it's very much an observer and report type of security engagement. We we don't ever encourage and that was specific in the scope of work whenever we submitted this out that this was a monitor and report and absolutely no physical site sort of interaction with any of the guest. Got it. And how was this contractor selected? Tell me a little bit about the bid process. Absolutely. So all of this very, very quickly. And so what we what we did in general services was that we put out a a sort of call for call for rates, call for a professional professionals, sort of response what services or what they could actually provide. And so we put that out. I want to say, because there was such a quick turnaround on this, we put it out, I believe, to 11 different and Christina may be able to correct me here but I believe we put that out to 11 different providers and care within the kind of Denver area to see what their rates were. Just see, you know, their professional sort of certifications and things like that. And we can actually get you a list or the scope that we that we put out. And Christina, I'm sorry, I was trying to find this in my notes earlier, but can you tell me how many people we actually had respond that could stand up and do the work at the sites? Yes. I'm pulling that up now. Oh. Just one moment, please. So we did not. Oh, go ahead. As Christina pulls that up. Is this a minority owned company? I know. It's just is now. And is there. Of those 11 companies that you all reached out to, were there any minority owned security companies, J.C. J. National and who were actually the maybe with your partner to the contract currently? They did reach out and provide some rights and they provided the security at the Pepsi Center site. So we did look for opportunities to engage multiple security contractors across the city for these congregate non congregate shelters, as well as the Pepsi Center site. And so. Go ahead. Oh, excuse me. I was just going to say and I was able to locate the procurement information. So we actually had 27 local security contractors. Of those, 27 of ten proposals were received. Awesome and I would love to see which companies those are when you get a chance if you could send those over . That concludes my questions on this one. Thank you. All right. We'll get those sent over to you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Councilwoman CdeBaca, we've got Councilman Hines up for a question. Excuse me. Thank you, Madam President. If we were to vote against this, what would the next step be? Are you? Would you like. A bit of a precarious situation? Because we have to fill those vacancies. So you're looking at across six different locations, it's about 1900 hours. And that equates to, I think, roughly about 34 positions. So we would have to reach out to some security partner and fill those positions. So there is definitely a need at those sites, which is been communicated to us from our DHS and host partners. Actually, we do have Rebecca martinez on the line from DHS, who is onsite to actually provide an overview. That would be helpful. Yes, please. Good evening, Rebecca. To to speak to some of your initial kind of questions. I really just wanted to dove into the level of partnership that we've built historically with the securities company. So as it stands currently, we do have a weekly reoccurring meeting with them to address kind of high level concerns. And then again, how do we remedy those across all of our locations? So we have built a very good standing partnership with them. They are equipped to address any of our concerns as well as continue to work in that partnership. So it's been very successful thus far. I think reestablishing that with another company could be a disservice. Safeguards are very familiar at this point with our residents and our guests and our adhere to a strict kind of protocol that they must follow. So they have post orders that are identified by their supervisors, and that includes making rounds every hour of the entirety of the properties, engaging with guests, being in communication consistently with their staff, as well as any other members that are kind of on the ground. So they have already established, again, those relationships thus far and really makes them the best service provider and a good fit for this operation. So I guess one other question. If we were to vote against this contract, would service abruptly end to night or would is it a week from now? Thank you for the question. And this is Christina. So the contract is through mutual extension, actually through January 31st of 2021. That was written into the original agreement. And so per the executive director of General Services and the Vice President of security, they mutually agreed to that. However, the piece that's really pending here is the increase in compensation. So although we might be able to, you know, still have that term that's available through that mutual extension from a monetary standpoint, it's just a matter of when we would hit back at that that contract, Max. Councilman, if I may join. This is Lisa Plumlee with real estate. We would. Hi there. Also, at least on a couple of the hotels being default of the lease if we cannot provide these services. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. All right. Thank you, Councilman. Councilwoman CdeBaca. Thank you, Madam President. Just two quick questions. One, are all of these security officers armed or post certified and to with the compensation change, why is that happening? And what is the compensation rate for security guards? I can answer the the armed questions. This is Cami. None of the of the officers at these locations are armed. And that was a decision that we made as a group and determined if there was a need that we would revisit that and and determine if it was an actual need or come up with some more concrete sort of path forward on that rather than just arming if somebody thought that we needed to arm. Christina, can you answer the second part of that question on the funding? Thank you, Councilman. So your question you had asked. The change in pay, are you talking about prevailing wage, living wage or something within the union? How about you break it all down? Do you do you pay them as union members or do you. Why are we increasing their cost and how do we dole it out? Oh, I see the question. Why are we increasing the maximum contract amount that we have? We pay them at, you know, what they proposed for their rates, for their guards. That is, they are responsible to pay minimum wage as well as, I believe, living wages on this contract. So they are responsible to pay for those agents. At a minimum, what the city pays to them is going to be a little bit higher rate to cover their overhead profit costs, management, etc.. The reason for the increase in the maximum contract amount. We originally thought that this was going to be a three month engagement with the possibility of an additional six months. However, we did not fully understand the scope of services that would be needed. We went from originally three facilities to now, you know, more than six. So originally the and was a very small scope not intended to be across as many facilities as this is really morphed into, which has really caused kind of that increase to that maximum contract amount can. And you said that we pay it's slightly over. So we require them to pay minimum wage or livable wage because those are two very different numbers. So I can pull up exact in the contract for you. What they pay their officers? We do not know. I know what the city pays to secure. However, how much Securitas is paying their officers is an unknown. Other than they do have to meet those minimum thresholds. We can certainly reach out and ask that question, however. That would be helpful. Thank you. That's it from my question. All right. Thank you, Councilman. See no other questions. Madam Secretary, roll call. See tobacco. I. Clark. I. Flynn. I. Herndon. I. Hines. I Cashman. I can h. I. Ortega. I. Sandoval. Sawyer, I. Torres. I am black. I. Madam President. I Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results to arise. 12 Eyes Council Resolution 923 has been adopted. The next item up is Resolution 924. Council members say to Barca, Please go ahead with your questions on Resolution 924, please. Thank you, Madam President. I'm curious about what kind of pest control this is and how it fits for changing the language for it to be cares, act reimbursable. So explain that to me. That's just my overall question here. Thank you, Rebecca. This is Kirsty with General Services. So this is for pest control citywide. So this could be anything from small mites and bugs to mice and rats and so on and so forth. So far, there's actually only been one use of this contract related to cures. And that was just specific to excuse me, one of the sheltering locations. So adding that cures language just allows us to seek reimbursement. And as I mentioned, it's only been one instance in which this contract has been used to date for pest control at a sheltering site. However, we do anticipate that one other location may require some pest control at a sheltering site as well. What are those sites? What past where we were moving and how much did it cost? I would have to get that specific information for you. I do not have that on off the top of my head. That would be helpful. Thank you very much. That's it from my questions there. All right. Thank you. Moving on. The next item up is resolution 925. Councilmember Hines, would you please put council resolution 925 on the floor for adoption?