PREPARED BY: REINA SCHWARTZ DATE OF MEETING: 07/01/19
SUBJECT:
TITLE
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH STRATEGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC. IN THE AMOUNT OF $48,000 ANNUALLY FOR THE CITY’S COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGY PROGRAM FOR FY 2019-21, FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT COST OF $96,000
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
FY 2019-21 Council Priority Workplan
Major Policy Goal: Enhance Community Resilience; Policy #205 - Civic Engagement are adopted policy items under the FY 2019-21Council Priority Workplan, effective March 1, 2019.
CEQA Compliance Statement
This is not a project under CEQA.
BACKGROUND
On July 18, 2016, the City Council authorized execution by Resolution #2015-244 of a professional services contract in the amount of $48,000 annually between the City of San Pablo and Strategy Research Institute, Inc. (SRI) for the City’s Community Outreach Strategy Program for the period of FY2017-19.
For the upcoming FY 2019-21 period, the City Manager’s Office recommends continuing use of the services of SRI to develop multi-trending of a consensus building strategy among local citizens and stakeholders, for development and implementation of an effective community outreach strategy to foster good citizen relations, and to inform local residents and stakeholders of important issues in the San Pablo community.
Strategic Research Institute, Inc. (SRI) - Professional Services
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 2019-21 Professional Services Proposed
A proposed professional services agreement is attached to the staff report and will involve retaining SRI, Inc. for up to a two-year period to assist the City Manager’s Office and staff in continuing with the City’s Annual Benchmark Survey, and analysis of the community’s core values and needs in order to support the City’s operations and services as well as the City’s economic development efforts, and adopted policies under the adopted FY 2019-21 Council Adopted Priority Workplan (Workplan).
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. (Graydon v. Pasadena Redevelopment Agency (1980) 104 Cal.App.3d 631; Los Angeles Dredging Co. v. Long Beach (1930) 210 Cal.348.) 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. (Hodgeman v. City of San Diego (1942) 53 Cal.App.2d 610,618). No other organization will have the familiarity with our historical survey data or ability to interact with the community based on prior surveys.
A proposed agreement is being presented to the City Council for authorization by the City Manager to execute.
FISCAL IMPACT
A total of $48,000 per year was authorized under the previous contract with SRI for FY 2016/17 through FY 2018/19. Funding for the two fiscal years recommended in this report is included in the operating budget for FY 2019/20 and FY 2020/21 recently approved by the City Council as part of their Mid-Cycle update to the FY 2018-21 Quadrennial Operating Budget. Total professional services costs being considered for City Council authorization for this agreement would total $96,000 for the two-year period of FY 2019-21. The contract amount is based on a $4,000 per month retainer.
Attachment: Professional Services Agreement (FY 2019-21) with SRI, Inc.