ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: October 21, 2026 AGENDA CATEGORY: Consent - PSVS TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Christian Clegg, City Manager
DATE: October 7, 2026
SUBJECT: Amendment No. 1 to Agreement No. 2023-248 with Summit Strategies, LLC (extend term by eight months; and increase compensation $57,000, revised not-toexceed $306,000) for the City’s Federal Legislative and Funding Platform RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the amendment.
BACKGROUND:
Every year, the federal government proposes and enacts new legislation and engages in rulemaking that impact the City of Bakersfield (City). As the ninth largest city in the State of California and 48th largest city in the United States, the City has played an active role in advocating for our region and community through lobby visits to Washington, DC and membership in the US Conference of Mayors, US Mayors & CEOs for Housing Development, and the National League of Cities.
On October 25, 2023, the City of Bakersfield (City) entered into Agreement No. 2023-248 with Summit Strategies Government Affairs, LLC (Summit) to provide federal legislative advocacy services. Over the last three years, Summit has helped the City successfully administer and advocate for the City’s Federal Legislative and Funding Platform. To date, Summit has helped the City secure millions of dollars in federal funding, advised staff on federal issues, scheduled meetings with members of our delegation and relevant stakeholders, coordinated visits to Washington, DC, and provided quarterly reports to Council. The term of the agreement with Summit is set to expire in coming months at which time the City will issue a new solicitation for services. However, this contracting cycle is not conducive to the federal legislative cycle.
Instead, City staff recommend a short-term extension of the agreement to realign the contract cycle with the legislative cycle and with the fiscal year. City staff recommend that we keep the continuity of services for federal legislative advocacy services and propose an extension of the contract with Summit until June 30, 2027. The City and Summit have agreed to amend Agreement No. 2023-248 to extend the term of the agreement to the end of the 2026-27 Fiscal Year and increase compensation by $57,000.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funding for this agreement was appropriated during the Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget process.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Innovative and Efficient City Government
ATTACHMENTS:
Amendment 1 to Agreement No. 2023-248