PREPARED BY: MATT RODRIGUEZ DATE OF MEETING: 06/15/2026
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE CONSULTING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH STRATEGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC (SRI) EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2023 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2026, EXTENDING THE TERM THROUGH JUNE 30, 2029, FOR ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION NOT TO EXCEED $180,000 OVER THREE FISCAL YEARS (FISCAL YEARS 2026-27 - 2028-29)
CEQA: This agreement is not a project as defined by CEQA.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
COUNCIL PRIORITY WORKPLAN statement
Major Policy Goal: Enhance Community Resilience; Policy #205 - Civic Engagement are adopted policy items under the FY 2025-27 Council Priority Workplan, effective April 7, 2025.
CEQA Compliance Statement
This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
BACKGROUND
Since June 2010, the City Manager has worked extensively with CEO/President Dr. G. Gary Manross of SRI, Inc., a professional organization, deemed qualified to perform a range of professional services to assist the City with consensus building and outreach to community leaders, community and civic organizations, special interest groups/organizations, and other stakeholders who are committed to the ongoing health and well-being of the San Pablo community at-large.
FY 2027 - 2028 Proposed Extension of Consulting Services
A proposed First Amendment to the consulting services agreement is attached to the staff report and will involve retaining SRI, Inc for an additional three-year period to assist the City Manager’s Office and staff in continuing the on-going public outreach efforts, and adopted policies under the adopted FY 2025-27 Council Adopted Priority Workplan (Workplan), and future policy amendments of the Workplan under formal consideration and adoption by the City Council.
SRI shall assist the City of San Pablo with a variety of professional services that include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:
• Strategic Planning for a host of projects, some pressing and imminent and others that may be on the back burner due to the City’s professional staff and support resources being spread thin at the present time.
• Consensus Building among stakeholders and stakeholder groups (including local opinion leaders and influentials identified throughout the community).
• Integrated Marketing Communications [e.g., moving constituents beyond "satisfaction" to a having sense of LOYALTY (community pride) toward the City beyond what exists today...thus, leading to desired behavioral outcomes among constituents, such as: (a) supporting the City’s vision of Economic Development and Redevelopment within the community, and (b) assisting the City, should it place a given Funding Measure or Assessment (e.g., parcel tax, Lighting & Landscape District, or Law Enforcement Benefit Assessment) on the local ballot.
• Writing Ballot Language for a given funding mechanism that might be placed before local voters and/or property owners when the timing is right.
• Public/Community Relations (outreach & press relations)
• Scientific Surveys (e.g., Needs Analysis). SRI will conduct multiple scientific surveys, some involving the community-at-large, some involving registered voters, and some limited to property owners. Each survey will be designed to garner the “intelligence” needed for realizing the objectives and expectations of the City Council.
• Other professional services. Consultant shall perform whatever additional tasks that are assigned by the City Manager in order to maximize the likelihood that the City will continue to realize its stated mission, goals, and expectations.
The full scope of contact services is enumerated under Exhibit A to the underlying agreement being amended.
City Purchasing Requirements
Although the City’s Purchasing Guidelines indicate that three written quotes or an RFP process is appropriate for engaging professional services, competitive bidding requirements may be dispensed if the public interest is better served by doing so, as where competitive bidding would not produce an advantage. The exception may be invoked where the product or service contracted for is of unique value and may not be obtained elsewhere, which is the case with SRI, Inc. No other organization will have the familiarity with City of San Pablo historical and longitudinal survey data or ability to interact with the community based on prior surveys conducted. SRI also uses proprietary algorithms and scientific applications when providing specialized professional services to the City.
A proposed First Amendment to the professional services agreement is being presented to the City Council for authorization by the City Manager to execute via adopted Resolution. Once the Resolution is adopted, all City required insurance coverage/requirements will be confirmed with the consultant before the City Manager executes said contract amendment.
FISCAL IMPACT
The attached First Amendment would result in a cost of $5,000 per month or $60,000 per year. The First Amendment extends the agreement for a full three-year term (FY 2026-27 - FY 2028-29), with a total cost not to exceed $180,000. The funding for the FY 2026-27 and FY 2027-28 fiscal year periods is commensurate with budgeted resources contained in the adopted Two-Year Biennial GF Operating Budget for FY 2026-27 - FY 2027-2028 periods adopted by the City Councill on June 15, 2026 which becomes effective July 1, 2026. All budgeted funds are covered under the City Manager’s Departmental Budget Fund 100-1310-43600 - Professional Services line item, with funding for the remaining year of contract services (i.e. FY 2028-29) subject to budget approval by the City Council.
Attachments:
Att A. Resolution
Att B. Proposed First Amendment effective 6/29/26 to the Professional Services Agreement with Strategy Research Institute, Inc. (SRI) effective 7/1/23, extending services for FY 2027 - 2029 (3-year period ending June 30, 2029)