Council awards Convention Center custodial contract to Pettus after contested hearing; opponents cite procurement and living‑wage concerns

The Los Angeles City Council approved the personnel committee’s recommendation to award the Los Angeles Convention Center custodial services contract to Pettus Building Services after a public hearing that featured competing testimony from the incumbent contractor and labor advocates.

The council approved the award on a roll call, 11 ayes to 2 noes. Opponents argued the procurement process disadvantaged the incumbent, Expert Development Services, and raised concerns about living‑wage compliance and contract scoring. Supporters of Pettus emphasized its experience with large facilities and a collective bargaining arrangement that would provide a living wage and benefits for workers.

What the council decided The Council adopted the personnel committee recommendation to award the custodial contract to Pettus Building Services. The committee had considered procurement materials and supplemental briefings and heard testimony from both the incumbent and the recommended contractor.

Contested points at the hearing - Incumbent concerns: Representatives for Expert Development Services said the company had provided decades of service at the Convention Center and presented letters of appreciation from building management. Expert’s counsel and consultant said the evaluation process was “tainted” because Pettus received higher interview scores despite Expert’s prior favorable performance and argued the procurement did not compare equipment lists and other specifics consistently. - Living‑wage and compliance: Council members heard conflicting statements on whether the incumbent was paying the adopted living wage. Department staff said the incumbent had been notified about living‑wage compliance and that the department was working to resolve administrative notification issues; the incumbent’s…