Town of Atherton
Community Survey
Request for Proposals
Prepared by the Town of Atherton
City Manager’s Office
80 Fair Oaks Lane
Atherton, CA 94027
RFP Issued: February 26, 2024 Introduction &
Overview
Deadline for Submittals: March 29, 2024 Community Profile Page 1 Submit Proposals To: Project Objectives Page 2
George Rodericks, City Manager Scope of Work Page 3
80 Fair Oaks Lane Submittal Requirements Page 3
Atherton, CA 94027 Selection Process Page 5
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
Project Overview
The Town of Atherton (the Town) is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to conduct at least one community survey around early 2025. Working with Town staff and representative committee members (the committee), the selected consultant will develop an appropriate survey process and methodology to measure community input and sentiment on various topics. The consultant will be responsible for creating and administering the survey after obtaining committee input on questions; tabulating the results; and presenting a final product to Town officials in a written report and formal presentations.
Questions regarding the RFP can be directed to George Rodericks, [email protected].
Background
The Town of Atherton, incorporated in 1923, is a small residential community, with approximately 7,188 residents. The Town extends from slightly west of the Bayshore Freeway (US 101) up to I280 and is approximately 4.5 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. Its municipal neighbors include Menlo Park to the south, Woodside to the west and Redwood City to the north.
A general law city, Atherton has a Council-Manager form of government. Five council members serve at-large for four-year terms. The City Council selects a mayor from among its members each December for a one-year term. The city manager is appointed by the City Council and serves as the chief executive officer responsible for the day to-day administration of Town affairs. The Council also appoints a city attorney. There are four (5) advisory committees and one (1) planning commission appointed by the Council.
The Town provides a wide range of municipal services including police, public works, engineering, parks and open space, library, finance, planning and zoning, building inspection, street maintenance, and general administrative services.
COMMUNITY PROFILE – DEMOGRAPHICS
Atherton has approximately 7,188 residents. There are approximately 2,183 households in the Town, 76 percent of which are families with an average size of 3.2. The median household income is $250,000+. The population is well educated with 86 percent having obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Approximately 24% of the population is 65 years old or older. Atherton is a diverse community with race and ethnicity demographics of 7% Hispanic, 20% Asian, and 67% White. About 4.8% of the population speak Spanish at home and 11.4% speak Asian or Pacific Islander languages. Source: 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
Gender
Male: 50%
Female: 50%
Housing
Owner-occupied units: 62%
Renter-occupied units: 38%
Age
Under 20 years 25.8%
20 to 34 years 15.7%
35 to 64 years 33.9%
65 and over 23.7%
Median Age 46.2
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
In at least the last decade, the Town has not conducted a formal community survey to gauge residents’ general satisfaction with Town services, community aspirations and concerns, or on policy-related topics. In 2013, the Town conducted a survey to poll residents on a specific parcel tax measure and that survey included satisfaction components.
The Town’s intent is to conduct a broader community survey beginning in early 2025 and the Town may consider conducting future surveys on two-year cycles. The initial survey should include questions that could be used as a benchmark for future surveys.
The Town recently completed its most significant facilities upgrade in over 50 years – the new Town Center. Capital project focus now shifts to much needed capital infrastructure priorities. The Town is also finalizing updates to its General Plan Housing Element and may conduct land use and zoning changes over the next several years to meet the obligations under the Element. In addition, the Town has recently completed an Age-Friendly Community Engagement process and received feedback highlighting a need to provide additional services to this important segment of the community. Lastly, the Town would like to engage the community on a broad range of community feedback soliciting input for the survey content from the Town’s various community committees and planning commission (Audit/Finance, Transportation, Bicycle, and Pedestrian, Environmental Programs, and Parks).
Community input is central to these processes. Input from the community will help the Town better understand the community, inform budget priorities, and identify infrastructure needs. In the interest of keeping the survey to an effective length, the Town is open to using a variety of survey methodologies and analytics, to include the use of AI-technologies.
Goals include:
• Measure general attitude of residents toward Town services and programs. • Determine residents’ priorities and areas of concern. • Receive feedback on key policy issues or priorities.
SCOPE OF WORK
The purpose of this RFP is to select a qualified research firm to conduct a survey of residents, provide recommendations on question development as well as a recommended approach to reach a diverse audience.
The selected firm will:
• Host an initial meeting to kick off the process with Town staff and committee. • Create survey instruments, work plans and schedules, in consultation with Town staff. • Collaborate with Town staff to determine the most cost-effective, reasonable, and productive survey methodology. Provide recommendations on the number of survey questions, suggested content and questions, and duration of survey to maximize engagement results.
• Provide recommendations on whether to conduct a single survey or two surveys to accomplish the project goals.
• Develop survey questions to gauge community perceptions on:
o Quality of life;
▪ Personal and Property Crime
▪ Traffic
▪ Environmental Safety - Fire/Flooding/Power Outages;
o Sense of community;
o Important issues facing the Town;
o Contact with the Town and sources of information; and o Review demographic information.
• Recommend appropriate methodologies and strategies for providing the best data samples, objective results and valid findings, including one or a combination of medium such as phone, mail or internet.
• Conduct the survey(s) ideally around winter/spring 2025, but no later than April 2025. • Provide a draft (within 30 days of the survey’s completion) and final report of the survey’s results in both detailed and summarized form, including any conclusions or recommendations drawn from the findings.
• Hold a meeting with Town staff and committee to review the preliminary results and data. • Present the results to Town staff, City Council and other key stakeholders identified by the Town (minimum of two presentations.) All presentations will be developed in collaboration with the Town, with length and content varied based on the audience.
SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS
All responses must be made in writing and include the name, address, telephone number and email of the consultant firm’s primary contact for the proposal. All proposals should be specific, brief (not to exceed 10 pages) and include the following:
• Cover Letter: Explain the applicant’s experience providing similar services for government entities, including experience identifying important policy options based on research and analyses.
• Response to the Scope of Services:
o Provide demonstrated understanding of the Town’s needs and scope of the project; and describe past efforts to establish baseline perceptions and opinions regarding a variety of topics.
o Describe the recommended approach, suggested sample size, research methodology, timeline and work plan.
o Provide a management plan with a description of qualifications of the key personnel selected to lead the scope of services.
o Identify tasks the consultant will perform versus tasks Town staff will perform or coordinate.
o Identify any suggested modification to the scope of services listed above. • Contract Requirements: Acknowledgment that a contract and insurance will be provided in accordance with Town requirements. Contact Anthony Suber, City Clerk for insurance requirements.
• References: Provide at least three municipal case studies of the proposer’s recent work.
Case studies would showcase the firm’s approach to developing surveys, format and type of questions generated, and how the data was presented. Include the name of the organization, summary of work performed and contact information. • Budget: Costs proposed to complete the above scope of services, as well as any recommended alternative scope of services.
o If the fee is based on hourly rates, include rates for all team members, the expected range of billable hours, and a “not to exceed” budget.
o Identify how potential options regarding methodology, sample size, number of survey questions, language, and use of AI-technologies could affect the cost. o Provide proposed incremental costs for any optional services, or other variability in services, particularly the cost for additional presentations beyond a minimum of two.
Submittal Location and Deadline:
Interested parties should submit four (4) printed copies and an electronic copy of their proposals as follows:
Proposals must be received by 5 p.m. March 29, 2024
• Hard copies should be sent to:
George Rodericks, City Manager
Town of Atherton
80 Fair Oaks Lane
Atherton, CA 94027
• An electronic copy should be sent to: [email protected] or may be shared via an online file hosting service or delivered on a USB drive.
SELECTION PROCESS
The Town will evaluate each of the proposals based on a variety of criteria including:
• Understanding of the project and technical approach.
• Firm’s qualifications and technical experience, particularly within the municipal government policy environment.
• Overall project design and methodology.
• Proposed cost to provide the requested services.
Town staff and a City Council Subcommittee will review the proposals and may select finalists to participate in an oral interview. The Town will only notify those consultants selected as finalists.
Once the Town selects a consultant, the Town and consultant will execute a professional services agreement.
Right to Reject
The Town reserves the right to accept and or reject any or all proposals submitted, and or to request additional information from all proposers. The Town also reserves the right to modify any aspects of, terminate, or delay this RFP, the RFP process, and or the program, which is outlined within this RFP at any time. Contract award will be made at the sole discretion of the Town based on evaluation of all responses.