AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE CITY OF GARDENA
AND
ARELLANO ASSOCIATES, LLC.
This contract, hereinafter referred to as Agreement, is entered into by and between THE CITY OF GARDENA (“City”) and ARELLANO ASSOCIATES, LLC. (“Consultant”). Based on the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the Parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Recitals.
A. City is desirous of obtaining outreach support for GTrans’ Microtransit service.
B. Consultant is qualified by virtue of experience, training, education and expertise to provide these services.
C. City has determined that the public interest, convenience and necessity require the execution of this Agreement.
2. Services.
A. The services to be performed by Consultant shall consist of the scope of services outlined in Consultant’s proposal, and any associated addendum, incorporated herein by reference, unless otherwise instructed by City.
B. The Services shall be performed in accordance with the Project Schedule. Consultant shall not be liable for any failure or delay in furnishing proposed services resulting from fire, explosion, flood, storm, Act of God, governmental acts, orders or regulations, hostilities, civil disturbances, strikes, labor difficulties, difficulty in obtaining parts, supplies, or shipping facilities, inability to obtain or delays in obtaining suitable material or facilities required for performance, temporary unavailability of qualified personnel, failure by Ci ty to provide appropriate access to equipment or personnel, or other causes beyond Consultant’s reasonable control.
3. Additional Services. If City determines that additional services are required to be provided by Consultant in addition to the Services set f orth above, City shall authorize Consultant to perform such additional services in writing (“Additional Services”). Such Additional Services shall be specifically described and approved by City in writing prior to the performance thereof. Consultant shall be compensated for such Additional Services in accordance with the amount agreed upon in writing by the Parties. No compensation shall be paid to Consultant for Additional Services which are not specifically approved by City in writing.
4. Agreement Administrator. For purposes of this Agreement, City designates Rachel Yoo as the Agreement Administrator who shall monitor Consultant’s performance under this Agreement. All notices, invoices or other documents shall be addressed to the Agreement Administrator, as well as all substantive issues relating to this contract. City reserves the right to change this designation upon written notice to Consultant.
5. Consultant’s Proposal. This Agreement shall include and incorporate therein Consultant’s proposal in response incorporated herein by reference. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms of the proposal and this Agreement, this Agreement shall govern.
6. Timing of Performance. Time is of the essence with respect to Consultant’s performance of the Services required by this Agreement. Consultant shall diligently and timely pursue and complete DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D
the performance of the Services required of it by this Agreement City, in its sole discretion, may extend the time for performance of any Service.
7. Compensation. Compensation for the Services shall be billed as set forth in Attachment A, attached hereto. The Compensation is inclusive of all costs that may be incurred by Consultant in performance of the Services, including but not limited to such items as travel, copies, delivery charges, phone charges, and facsimile charges.
8. Term of Agreement/Termination.
A. This Agreement shall be effective as of the date of execution by the City and shall remain in effect until all Services are completed or until terminated as provided for herein.
B. City may terminate this Agreement without cause by providing written notice to Consultant not less than three days prior to an effective termination date. City’s only obligation in the event of termination will be p ayment of fees and allowed expenses incurred up to and including the effective date of termination.
C. Unless for cause, Consultant may not terminate this Agreement.
D. Upon receipt of a termination notice, Consultant shall: (1) promptly discontinue all Services, unless the notice directs otherwise; and (2) within ten (10) days, deliver to City all files, data, reports, estimates, summaries, and such other information and materials as may have been accumulated or prepared to date by Consultant in performi ng the Services under this Agreement, whether completed or in progress. Consultant shall provide these documents by both hard copy and in electronic format if available. In the event of termination for other than cause attributable to Consultant, Consultant shall be entitled to reasonable compensation for the services it performs up to the date of termination and shall be deemed released from liability for any work assigned but not completed as of the effective date of termination.
9. Invoices and Payments.
A. Payment shall be made upon receipt and approval of invoices for Services rendered. In order for payment to be made, Consultant’s invoice must include an itemization as to the services rendered, date(s) of service, direct and/or subcontract costs, and be submitted on an official letterhead or invoice with Consultant’s name, address, and telephone number referenced.
B. The Agreement Administrator shall review the invoices to determine whether services performed and documents submitted are consistent with this Agreement. Payment shall be made within forty-five (45) days following receipt of the invoice or the Agreement Administrator shall provide Consultant with a written statement objecting to the charges and stating the reasons therefore.
C. Payment by City under this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver of defects, even if such defects were known to City at the time of payment.
10. Records/Audit.
A. Consultant shall be responsible for ensuring accuracy and propriety of all billings and shall maintain all supporting documentation for a minimum of three (3) years from the completion date of the Services under this agreement the following records:
1. All accounts and records, including personnel, property and financial, adequate to identify and account for all costs pertaining to this Agreement and assure proper accounting for all funds.
2. Records which establish that Consultant and any subconsultant who renders DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D
Services under this Agreement are in full compliance with the requirements of this Agreement and al l federal, state and local laws and regulations.
3. Any additional records deemed necessary by City to assume verification of full compliance with this Agreement.
B. City shall have the right to audit Consultant’s invoices and all supporting documentation for purposes of compliance with this Agreement for a period of three years following the completion of Services under this Agreement.
C. Upon reasonable notice from City or any other governmental agency, Consultant shall cooperate fully with any audit of its billings conducted by, or of, City and shall permit access to its books, records and accounts as may be necessary to conduct such audits.
11. Successors and Assignment. This Agreement covers professional services of a specific and unique nature. Except as otherwise provided herein, Consultant shall not assign or transfer its interest in this Agreement or subcontract any services to be performed without amending this Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon the heirs, executors, admi nistrators, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.
12. Change in Name, Ownership or Control. Consultant shall notify the Agreement Administrator, in writing, of any change in name, ownership or control of Consultant’s firm or subconsultant. Change of ownership or control of Consultant’s firm may require an amendment to the Agreement.
13. Key Personnel . City has relied upon the professional training and ability of Consultant to perform the services hereunder as a material inducement to enter into this Agreement. Consultant shall provide properly skilled professional and technical personnel to perform all services under this Agreement. In the event that City, in its sole discretion, at any time during the Agreement, desires the removal of any person or persons assigned by Consultant to perform Services pursuant to this Agreement, Consultant shall remove any such person immediately upon receiving notice from City.
14. Use of Materials.
A. City shall make available to Consultant such materials from its files as may be required by Consultant to perform Services under this Agreement. Such materials shall remain the property of City while in Consultant’s possession. Upon termination of this Agreement and payment of outstanding invoices of Consultant, or completion of work under this Agreement, Consultant shall return to City any property of City in its possession and any calculations, notes, reports, electronic files, or other materials prepared by Consultant in the course of performance of this Agreement.
B. City may utilize any material prepared or work performed by Consultant pursuant to this Agreement, including computer software, in any manner, which City deems proper without additional compensation to Consultant. Consultant shall have no responsibility or liability for any revisions, changes, or corrections made by City, or any use or reuse pursuant to this paragraph unless Consultant accepts such responsibility in writing.
15. Confidentiality. Consultant acknowledges that some of the material and information that may come into its possession or knowledge in connection with this Agreement or its performance may consist of information that is exempt from disclosure to the public or other unauthorized persons under either state or federal statutes ("Confidential Information"). Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to, names, addresses, Social Security numbers, e -mail addresses, telephone numbers, financial profiles, credit card infor mation, driver's license numbers, medical data, law enforcement records, agency source code or object code, agency security data, or information identifiable to an individual that relates to any of these types of information. Consultant agrees to hold Conf idential Information in DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D
strictest confidence and not to make use of Confidential Information for any purpose other than the performance of this Agreement, to release it only to authorized employees or Sub-consultants requiring such information for the purposes of carrying out this Agreement, and not to release, divulge, publish, transfer, sell, disclose, or otherwise make the information known to any other party without City's express written consent or as provided by law. Consultant agrees to release such information or material only to employees or Sub-consultants who have signed a nondisclosure agreement, the terms of which have been previously approved by City. Consultant agrees to implement physical, electronic, and managerial safeguards to prevent unauthorized access to Confidential Information.
"Personal information" including, but not limited to, "Protected Health Information" (PHI) under Health Insurance Portability And Accountability Act (HIPAA), individuals' names, addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, and social security numbers collected, used, or acquired in connection with this Agreement shall be protected against unauthorized use, disclosure, modification or loss.
HIPAA establishes national minimum standards for the use and disclosure of certain health information.
The Consultant must comply with all HIPAA requirements and rules when determined applicable by the City. If City determines that (1) City is a "covered entity" under HIPAA, and that (2) Consultant will perform "business associate" services and activities covered under HIPAA, then at City's request, Consultant agrees to execute City's Agreement in compliance with HIPAA.
Consultant shall ensure its directors, officers, employees, Sub-consultants or agents use personal information solely for the purposes of accomplishing the services set forth herein. Consultant and its Sub-consultants agree not to release, divulge, publish, transfer, sell or otherwise make known to unauthorized persons personal information without the express written consent of the City or as otherwise required by law.
Any breach of this provision may result in termination of the Agreement and demand for return of all personal information. Moreover, Consultant will indemnify and hold the City harmless from and against all losses and damages resulting from any unauthorized or improper disclosure, dissemination or use of the information as a result, in whole or in part, of Consultant’s action or inaction.
16. Nonuse of Intellectual Property of Third Parties. Consultant shall not use, disclose or copy any intellectual property of any third parties in connection with work carried out under this Agreement, except for intellectual property for which Consultant has a license. Consultant shall indemnify and hold City harmless against all claims raised against City based upon allegations that Consultant has wrongfully used intellectual property of others in performing work for City, or that City has wrongfully used intellectual property developed by Consultant pursuant to this Agreement.
17. Ownership of Work Product. All documents or other information created, developed, or received by Consultant shall, for purposes of copyright law, be deemed worked made for hire for City by Consultant and shall be the sole property of City. Consultant shall provide City with copies of these items upon demand, and in any event, upon termination of this Agreement.
18. Legal Requirements.
A. Consultant shall secure and maintain all licenses or permits required by law, including a City business license, and shall comply with all ordinances, laws, orders, rules, and regulations pertaining to the work.
B. Consultant warrants that it shall perform the services required by this Agreement in compliance with all applicable Federal and California employment laws, including, but not limited to, DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D
those laws related to minimum hours and wages; occupational health and safety; fair employment and employment practices; workers’ compensation; and all other Federal, State and local laws and ordinances applicable to the services required under this Agreements.
C. Consultant covenants that there shall be no discrimination based upon race, color, creed, religion, sex, marital status, age, handicap, national origin or ancestry, or any other category forbidden by law in performance of this Agreement.
19. Conflict of Interest and Reporting.
A. Consultant shall at all times avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest in the performance of this Agreement. If required, Consultant shall comply with the City’s Conflict of Interest reporting requirements. Consultant understands that pursuant to Gardena Municipal Code sections 2.24.020H and 2.24.025G, it is forbidden to make any contribution to a candidate or committee of a candidate for a municipal office of the City, or to an officeholder, until the completion of services to be performed under this Agreement.
B. Consultant and its representatives shall refrain from lobbying City of Gardena officials, employees and representatives for the duration of this Agreement.
20. Guarantee and Warranty. Consultant warrants to City that the material, analysis, data, programs and SERVICES to be delivered or rendered hereunder will be of the kind and quality designated and will be performed by qualified personnel. Without waiver of City’s other rights or remedies, City may require Consultant to re - perform any of said services, which were not performed in accordance with these standards. Consultant shall perform the remedial services at its sole expense.
21. Insurance.
A. Commencement of Work. Consultant shall not commence work under this Agreement until it has obtained City approved insurance. Before beginning work hereunder, during the entire period of this Agreement, for any extensions hereto, and for periods after the end of this Agreement as may be indicated below, Consultant must have and maintain in place all of the insurance coverage required in this Section. Consultant’s insurance shall comply with all items specified by this Agreement.
Any subcontractors shall be subject to all of the requirements of this Sectio n and Consultant shall be responsible to obtain evidence of insurance from each subcontractor and provide it to City before the subcontractor commences work. Alternatively, Consultant’s insurance may cover all subcontractors.
B. Insurance Company Requirements. All insurance policies used to satisfy the requirements imposed hereunder shall be issued by insurers admitted to do business in the State of California. Insurers shall have a current Best’s rating of not less than A-: VII, unless otherwise approved by City.
C. Coverage, Limits and Policy Requirements. Consultant shall maintain the types of coverage and limits indicated below:
1. Commercial General Liability Insurance - a policy for occurrence coverage for bodily injury, personal injury and property damage, with coverage at least as broad as Insurance Services Office Form CG 00 01, with no special limitations affecting City. The limit for all coverage under this policy shall be no less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per occurrence.
2. General Auto Liability Insurance - a policy including all coverage provided by and to the extent afforded by Insurance Services Office form CA 0001, including hired and non -owned autos with no special limitations affecting City. The limit for bodily injury and property damage liability shall be no less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per accident.
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D
3. Worker’s Compensation and Employer’s Liability Insurance - a policy which meets all statutory benefit requirements of the Labor Code, or other applicable law, of the State of California. The minimum coverage limits for said insurance shall be no less than one million dollars per claim. The policy shall be issued by an insurance company which is admitted to do business in the State of California and shall contain a clause that the policy may not be canceled without thirty (30) days prior written notice, return receipt requested, is mailed to City.
4. Professional Errors & Omissions - a policy with minimum limits of one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per claim and aggregate. This policy shall be issued by an insurance company which is admitted to do business in the State of California and shall contain a clause that the policy may not be canceled until thirty (30) days written notice, unless cancelled for non-payment, then ten (10) calendar days notice shall be given, is mailed to City.
5. Policy Requirements. The policies set forth above shall comply with the following, as evidenced by the policies or endorsements to the policies:
a. The City, its appointed and elected officers, employees, agents and volunteers shall be added as additional insured to the policy. b. The insurer shall agree to provide City with thirty (30) days prior written notice, of any cancellation, non-renewal or material change in coverage, unless cancelled for non-payment, then ten (10) calendar days notice shall be given. c. For any claims with respect to the Services covered by this Agreement, Consultant’s insurance coverage shall be primary insurance as respects the City, its elected and appointed officers, employees, agents and volunteers. Any insurance or self-insurance maintained by the City, its elected and appointed officers, employees, agents and volunteers shall be excess of Consultant’s insurance and shall not contribute with it.
D. Additional Requirements. The procuring of such required policies of insurance shall not be construed to limit Consultant’s liability hereunder or to fulfill the indemnification provisions and requirements of this Agreement. There shall be no recourse against City for payment of premiums or other amounts with respect thereto. City shall notify Consultant in writing of changes in the insurance requirements. If Consultant does not deposit copies of acceptable insurance policies or endorsements with City incorporating such changes within sixty (60) days of receipt of such notice, Consultant shall be deemed in default hereunder.
E. Deductibles. Any deductible or self -insured retention over $25,000 per occurrence must be declared to and approved by City. Any deductible exceeding an amount acceptable to City shall be subject to the following changes: either the insurer shall eliminate or reduce such deductibles or self-insured retentions with respect to City, its offic ers, employees, agents and volunteers (with additional premium, if any, to be paid by Consultant); or Consultant shall provide satisfactory financial guarantee for payment of losses and related investigations, claim administration and defense expenses.
F. Verification of Compliance. Consultant shall furnish City with original policies or certificates and endorsements effecting coverage required by this Agreement. The endorsements are to be signed by a person authorized by the insurer to bind coverage on its behalf. All endorsements are to be received and approved by City before work commences. Not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the expiration date of any policy of insurance required by this Agreement, Consultant shall deliver to City a binder or certificate of insurance with respect to each renewal policy, bearing a notation evidencing payment of the premium therefore, or accompanied by other proof of payment satisfactory to City.
Consultant shall provide full copies of any requested policies to City within three (3) days of any such DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D
request by City.
G. Termination for Lack of Required Coverage. If Consultant, for any reason, fails to have in place, at all times during the term of this Agreement, including any extension hereto, all required insurance and coverage, City may immediately obtain such coverag e at Consultant’s expense and/or terminate this Agreement.
22. Indemnity.
A. Consultant assumes all risk of injury to its employees, agents, and contractors, including loss or damage to property.
B. Consultant shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the City, including its officials, officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims, suits, or causes of action for injury to any person or damage to any property arising out of any intentional or negligent acts or errors or omissions to act by Cons ultant or its agents, officers, employees, subcontractors, or independent contractor, in the performance of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement. This indemnity shall apply to all claims and liability regardless of whether any insurance policies are applicable. The policy limits do not act as a limitation upon the amount of indemnification to be provided by Consultant. This indemnity shall not apply if the claim arises out of the sole negligence or willful misconduct of City, its officers, agents, employees or volunteers.
C. No official, employee, agent or volunteer of City shall be personally liable for any default or liability under this Agreement.
23. Independent Contractor. Consultant agrees to furnish consulting services in the capacity of an independent contractor and neither Consultant nor any of its employees shall be considered to be an employee or agent of City.
24. PERS Eligibility Indemnification. In the event that Consultant or any employee, agent, or subcontractor of Consultant providing services under this Agreement claims or is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction or the California Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) to be eligible for enrollment in PERS as an employee of the City, Consultant shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless City for the payment of any employee and/or employer contributions for PERS benefits on behalf of Consultant or its employees, agents, or subcontractors, as well as for the payment of any penalties and interest on such contributions, which would otherwise be the responsibility of City.
Notwithstanding any other agency, state or federal policy, rule, regulation, law or ordinance to the contrary, Consultant and any of its employees, agents, and subcontractors providing service under this Agreement shall not qualify for or become entitled to, and hereby agree to waive any claims to, any compensation, benefit, or any incident of employment by City, including but not limi ted to eligibility to enroll in PERS as an employee of City and entitlement to any contribution to be paid by City for employer contribution and/or employee contributions for PERS benefits.
25. Notices. Any notice or communication given under this Agreement sh all be effective when deposited, postage prepaid, with the United States Postal Service and addressed to the contracting parties. Name, address, telephone and facsimile numbers of the parties are as follows:
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D
City of Gardena – GTrans
Attn: Rachel Yoo
13999 S. Western Avenue
Gardena, California 90249
Email: [email protected]
Arellano Associates, LLC.
Attn: Genoveva L. Arellano
5851 Pine Avenue, Suite A
Chino Hills, California 91709
Email: [email protected]
Either party may change the information to which notice or communication is to be sent by providing advance written notice to the other party.
26. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held illegal, invalid, or unenforceable, in whole or in part, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it legal, valid, and enforceable, and the legality, validity, and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not be affected thereby.
27. Jurisdiction and Venue. This Agreement shall be deemed a contract under the laws of the State of California and for all purposes shall be interpreted in accordance with such laws. Both parties hereby agree and consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of California and that the venue of any action brought hereunder shall be Los Angeles County, California.
28. Waiver. No delay or failure by either Party to exercise or enforce at any time any right or provision of this Agreement shall be considered a waiver thereof or of such Party’s right thereafter to exercise or enforce each and every right and provision of this Agreement. To be valid a waiver shall be in writing but need not be supported by consideration. No single waiver shall constitute a continuing or subsequent waiver.
29. Electronic Signatures. The parties hereby acknowledge and agree that electronic records and electronic signatures, as well as facsimile signatures, used in connection with the execution of this Agreement and electronic signatures, facsimile signatures or signatures transmitted by electronic mail in so-called pdf format shall be legal and binding and shall have the same full force and effect as if a paper original of this Agreement had been delive red and had been signed using a handwritten signature. City and Consultant (i) agree that an electronic signature, whether digital or encrypted, of a party to this Agreement is intended to authenticate this writing and to have the same force and effect as a manual signature, (ii) intend to be bound by the signatures (whether original, faxed or electronic) on any document sent or delivered by facsimile or, electronic mail, or other electronic means, (iii) are aware that the other party will reply on such sig natures, and (iv) hereby waive any defenses to the enforcement of the terms of this Agreement based on the foregoing forms of signature. If this Agreement has been executed by electronic signature, all parties executing this document are expressly consenting under the United States Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act of 2000 ("E-SIGN") and California Uniform Electronic Transactions Act ("UETA")(Cal. Civ. Code § 1633.1, et seq.), that a signature by fax, email or other electronic means shall constitute an Electronic Signature to an Electronic Record under both E-SIGN and UETA with respect to this specific transaction.
30. Joint Drafting. Each party acknowledges that it has had an adequate opportunity to review each and every provision in this Agreement and to submit the same to counsel and other consultants for review and comment and that the parties jointly drafted this Agreement. No provision of this Agreement or any Assignment shall be construed more strictly against one party tha n the other party by reason that one or the other party proposed, drafted or modified such provision or any other existing or proposed provision.
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D
31. Public Records Act Disclosure. Consultant has been advised and is aware that this Agreement and all reports, documents, information and data, including, but not limited to, computer tapes, discs or files furnished or prepared by Consultant, or any of its subcontractors, pursuant to this Agreement and provided to City may be subject to public disclosure as required by the California Public Records Act (California Government Code section 7920.000 et seq.). Exceptions to public disclosure may be those documents or information that qualify as trade secrets, as that term is defined in the California Government Code section 7924.510, and of which Consultant informs City of such trade secret. The City will endeavor to maintain as confidential all information obtained by it that is designated as a trade secret. The City shall not, in any way, be liable or responsible for the disclosure of any trade secret including, without limitation, those records so marked if disclosure is deemed to be required by law or by order of the Court.
32. Authority to Execute. The persons executing this Agreement on behalf of the parties warrant that they are duly authorized to execute this Agreement.
33. Attorney’s Fees. In the event that legal action is necessary to enforce the provisions of this Agreement, or to declare the rights of the parties hereunder, the parties agree that the prevailing party in the legal action shall be entitled to recover attorney’s fees and court costs from the opposing party.
34. Entire Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire understanding between City and Consultant.
Any prior agreement, promises, negotiations or representations not expressly set forth herein are of no force or effect. Subsequent modifications to this Agreement shall be eff ective only if in writing and signed by both parties. This Agreement may be signed by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, including both counterparts that are executed on paper and counterparts that are in the form of electronic signatures. Electr onic signatures include facsimile or email electronic signatures. Each executed counterpart shall be deemed an original. All counterparts, taken together, constitute the executed Agreement. If any term, condition or covenant of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall be valid and binding.
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have hereunto affixed their names as of the day and year written below.
CITY OF GARDENA
By ______________________
Tasha Cerda
Mayor
Date ____________________
ACCEPTED: ARELLANO ASSOCIATES, LLC.
By ______________________
Genoveva L. Arellano
Principal
Date ____________________
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
________________________
Carmen Vasquez
City Attorney
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D 9/6/2023
Request for Proposal
City of Gardena's Transportation Departm ent
On-Demand MicroTransit Service
September 5, 2023
PREPARED FOR
PREPARED BY
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
1 | Page
Firm Overview
Established in 1994, Arellano Associates (AA) is a
professional services consulting firm specializing in
communications and public outreach, community and
government relations, and strategic planning and
marketing programs. AA serves many of Southern
California’s most important public programs, including
transportation, public safety, sustainability, planning, infrastructure improvement, and other energy and water-related projects. Our vision is to serve as a trusted partner guiding meaningful community engagement that is intentional, equitable, and inclusive. Our team of professionals provides comprehensive communications and planning services for the full spectrum of public projects from planning to construction or implementation. AA is a Limited Liability Corporation and is woman-owned and minority-owned. AA is a certified Small Business-owned (SBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE). AA is headquartered in Chino Hills, California and is comprised of a growing team of 70 staff members.
AA believes positive change is possible in communities that are informed and engaged. AA has made it its mission to provide the most innovative and culturally fluent outreach that collaboratively engages stakeholders and decision makers to support intentional, equitable, and inclusive community engagement. Our firm’s understanding and appreciation for stakeholder diversity – along with bringing forward the latest innovations in outreach – enables us to work together with clients toward achieving their goals. AA creates and executes specific and tailored community engagement programs and can take apart complex and difficult projects and develop approaches and solutions that provide positive results. Our firm has led outreach for agencies throughout the region and provides unmatched communication and facilitation capabilities and commitment.
AA stands as a proven leader in public outreach and
stakeholder engagement for transportation initiatives,
with an expansive track record that spans both large-scale transportation agencies and small-scale transit programs.
Our extensive outreach work on the Los Angeles County
Transportation Authority’s Metro Micro Pilot Program
encouraged project awareness by employing various
conventional, in-person, and digital outreach methods to introduce and promote Metro’s new on-demand rideshare
service. AA has also demonstrated our commitment
to
fostering success at the local level
through engagements like the City of Milpitas Simple Mobile Access to Reliable Transit (SMART) program and the City of Moorpark MCT On-Demand marketing program by hosting community events and providing onboarding support. Our selected team of professionals are available immediately and have the unique capability to effectively engage the community while simultaneously educating and promoting the new Gardena Transit Service. We are steadfast in our commitment to adhering to deadlines and financial guidelines, ensuring that the project is accomplished seamlessly on time and within budget.
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
2 | Page
Staff Resources
Innovations Team
Since its formation, AA has focused on researching and utilizing the latest communication tools and services to maximize stakeholder engagement and add value to projects, with a focus on innovation and technology. The use of technology in our outreach programs is an essential, cost-effective, and a fun communication method.
To that end, we have assembled a designated department of specialists, the AA Innovations Team, dedicated to serving as creative and technology experts for all projects that we work on.
This team works to bring AA’s technology toolbox to life on projects, which includes the use of creative and visual design software, video and audio tools, webcast, webinars, virtual meetings, digital interactive mapping, survey and polling platforms, online comment forums, digital notification and awareness, social media programs and demographic engagement t argeting. In addition to this in -house toolbox, the AA Innovations Team has the ability to understand and implement other new and emerging digital platforms and technologies that clients and teaming partners bring to us. Our diligence in exploring and implementing emerging technologies and innovative solutions has positioned AA as an industry leader in digital outreach and engagement and has allowed public engagement to be amplified and an exponential growth in the number of stakeholders that are now able to actively participate in projects.
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
3 | Page
Case Studies
Metro Mi cro Pilot Project
Metro Micro is a new on-demand rideshare service, offering trips within several zones in LA County. The new service is for short local trips and uses small vehicles (seating up to ten passengers). Micro is part of Metro’s family of services and has been designed together with our NextGen Bus Plan. The service is meant to be a fast, safe, and convenient option for quick trips around town. During the initial pilot phase, nine service zones were launched in the County.
Under the direction of RideCo, AA increased project awareness by employing various conventional, in-person, and digital outreach methods. The outreach efforts include d reaching residents, riders, community -based organizations, businesses, and local employers in each zone. In each zone, targeted briefings were held to notify key stakeholder organizations and civic agencies of the new service before the outreach team conducted on-board bus outreach, rail station outreach, key destination outreach, and outreach at pop-up events with added focus on disadvantaged and hard-to-reach communities within each zone.
Organized 50+ briefings to major stakeholders ahead of each zone launch Developed e-mail communication strategy and implemented marketing communications with Micro stakeholders
Distributed collateral materials to 150+ businesses and civic organizations
Role: Subconsultant for public outreach
Contract Amount: $633,000
Contract Duration: September 2020 – March 2023
Agency Reference: Rani Narula-Woods, Sr. Director; [email protected] DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
4 | Page
City of Moorpark Marketing Tabling Event/Bus Ridealong
The City of Moorpark launched a new micro mobility service in 2022 to supplement existing transit options in the City. The City contracted RideCo to develop a new on demand rideshare service to serve several key destinations in the city. The service allows residents to book on -demand rides to and from several key destinations in Moorpark including City Hall, Moorpark College, Moorpark Marketplace, Arroyo Vista Community Park, and several other locations.
AA provided in-person outreach support at two major city events, Moorpark Country Days and Moorpark 3rd of July Fireworks Extravaganza. AA also conducted on -board outreach support on the city’s two fixed transit shuttle routes to provide customers with information on the new MCT on Demand service.
Engaged with more than 300 Moorpark residents at two community events.
Engaged with more than 30 fixed-transit route customers to provide information on the new MCT on Demand service.
Role: Prime consultant for public outreach
Contract Amount: $9,700
Contract Duration: June 2022 - October 2022
Agency Reference: Adeline Chien, Sr. Marketing Manager; (504) 434-2339, [email protected] DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
5 | Page
City of Milpitas Simple Mobile Access to Reliable Transit (SMART)
The SMART program is a zone-based rideshare program for residents and workers in the City of Milpitas. The service was launched in 2022, in partnership with RideCo. The program provides point-to-point, on- demand rideshare services within the city limits and offers connections to the Great Mall and three Valley Transit Authority (VTA) light rail line stations.
AA played an instrumental role in the Milpitas SMART project, actively coordinating and executing a series of pop-up events across three VTA Light Rail stations as well as the Milpitas Great Mall. These strategic initiatives provided an invaluable platform to engage with over 1,000 members of the public, fostering awareness and interest in the project. Our team distributed more than 800 informational flyers and attached over 200 posters at all bus stops throughout the City of Milpitas. This concerted effort not only contributed to heightened visibility for the Milpitas SMART service but also led to a tang ible increase in ridership and app downloads, reflecting the effectiveness of our hands-on and community-centric approach.
Developed and implemented collateral materials to promote the mobile app and rideshare program
Role: Prime consultant for public outreach
Contract Amount: $10,550.26
Contract Duration: October 2022 – August 2023
Agency Reference: Adeline Chien, Sr. Marketing Manager; (504) 434-2339, [email protected]
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
6 | Page
Team Resumes
Maria Yáñez-
Forgash
Project Manager
Education
Master of Public Administration,
California State University
Fullerton, 2001
Bachelor of Arts, Criminal
Justice, California State
University Fullerton, 1997
Years with Arellano Associates
15 Years of Experience
23 Areas of Expertise
• Community Relations
• Program Management
• Strategic Planning
• Creative Material
Development
• Marketing
• Urban & Regional
Planning
• Bilingual – Spanish
Professional Summary
Maria Yáñez- Forgash has over 23 years of community relations experience in both the public and private sectors. As a Project Manager, she has extensive experience working on a wide array of projects ranging from transportation to planning, goods movement, air quality and active transportation. Additionally, she has experience implementing multilingual public education campaigns within diverse community settings. Maria is an established professional with excellent interpersonal skills that facilitate relationship building with clients and stakeholders at all levels including high -level staff, business leaders, grassroots groups, underserved communities, and elected officials. She is skilled in project management, community outreach and engagement, inter -agency relations, marketing, and event coordination. Her ability to fluently speak, read and write in Spanish has enabled her to successfully reach and engage underserved communities throughout Southern California.
Project Experience
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), Metro Micro Pilot Project, Los Angeles County, CA
(May 2018 – Dec. 2018, Dec. 2021 – Present)
As part of the NexGen Bus Plan, Metro is launching a new 3-year micro- transit pilot service – Metro Micro within several service areas in Los Angeles County. This new on-demand rideshare service is primarily used for short trips and utilizes small vehicles that seat up to ten passengers.
Arellano Associates is conducting public outreach in support of the launch of Metro Micro. Maria serves as the Project Manager and helps oversee the development and implementation of m ulti-lingual, zone - specific outreach plans that include but are not limited to targeted stakeholder briefings, electronic newsletters, bus, and station in-person outreach, and collateral material development.
Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), OC Streetcar, Orange County, CA (June 2015 – Present)
The OC Streetcar is the first modern streetcar project to be built in Orange County and will serve Santa Ana’s historic and thriving downtown, which includes federal, state, and local courthouses, government offices, colleges, an artists’ village, and a thriving restaurant scene. Expected to begin carrying passengers in late 2021, it will operate along a 4.15 -mile route that connects the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center (SARTC) and a new stop at Harbor Boulevard and Westminster Avenue in Garden Grove. Maria served as the Deputy Project Manager and Project Manager between 2015 and
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
7 | Page
2018. During this time, she led the development and implementation of a comprehensive multilingual Public Outreach Plan. She was also responsible for the coordination of team and public information meetings, stakeholder ascertainments, and the development of key deliverables such as project fact sheets, frequently asked questions, newsletters, event marketing materials, and business outreach and social media plans.
Arellano Associates (AA) also led the outreach effort for the Conceptual Stop Design effort for the streetcar stops (ten in each direction) and led the development of a Business Resource Guide in advance of the streetcar construction.
Metro, Rail to River Active Transportation Corridor – Segment B Supplemental Alternatives Analysis, Los Angeles, CA (Nov. 2020 – Present)
Segment B of the Rail to River Active Transportation Corridor Project will create more biking and pedestrian connections in Southeast Los Angeles and will connect the Metro A Line (Blue) to the Los Angeles River. In 2017, the Metro Board approved the Alternatives Analysis for Segment B of the Rail to River Active Transportation Corridor Project and adopted the Randolph Street alternative as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). Since then, the West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor (WSAB) Project is also planned along a segment of the Randolph Street LPA. To address this conflict, Metro is conducting a supplemental AA for Segment B to re-evaluate Randolph Street and other additional/potential alternatives. Maria serves as the Public Outreach Manager and has oversight of all o utreach activities. She is responsible for the implementation of a comprehensive public participation plan that includes reengaging the Community Advisory Committee, the use of traditional and digital tools to engage diverse and underserved communities and coordination with various Metro departments, local agencies community -based organizations and grassroots organizations.
City of Santa Ana, Standard Avenue Protected Bike Lanes, Santa Ana, CA (Feb. 2021 – Present) Maria led collaboration with the City of Santa Ana to prepare and implement a bilingual Public Engagement Plan (PEP) that focused on stakeholder engagement in disadvantaged communities. In the lead up to the community meetings, Maria oversaw the development of multiple traditional and digital notification efforts, including coordination of mailings, and canvassing of meeting notices, electronic notices and coordination of banner placement in the vicinity of the project areas. She also led the development of a social media campaign which included publications on all the City's social media platforms. Additionally, Maria led facilitation of two rounds of in-person community meetings and staffed multiple pop-up events.
Caltrans D12, Freeway Ramp Active Mobility Enhancement Study (FRAMES), Orange County, CA (Jan. 2023 – Present)
Maria is developing and leading the extensive Public Engagement Plan (PEP) that will serve as the guiding document for communicating and engaging an array of stakeholders throughout communities in identified areas of Orange County. She will work collectively with California Walks (paid CBO by Caltrans) to promote community engagement by notifying the public of upcoming meetings. Maria will also work in coordination with AA’s in-house Innovations team to employ innovative digital as well as conventional methods, including three virtual and in-person public workshops, MMS/SMS message campaign, five pop-up events, and an interactive online survey using Type form platform.
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
8 | Page
Joshua Francis
Deputy Project Manager
Education
Bachelor of Science, History and
Communications, North Dakota
State University, 2016
Years with Arellano Associates
6 Years of Experience
11 Areas of Expertise
• Social Media Engagement,
Notification &
Management
• Public Relations
• Content Development
• Database Support
• Data Analysis
• Innovative Outreach
• Strategies Development
• Demographic Research
• Survey Strategy &
Implementation
Professional Summary
Joshua serves as a Deputy Project Manager and provides strategic public outreach services for a variety of transportation, planning, community development, and construction projects. Joshua is highly experienced in research and interviewing techniques, com munity and social networking, and marketing and communication strategies. He has worked with both high-level community stakeholders, as well as the public at large, with an emphasis on racial and ethnic diversity outreach.
He is well -versed in stakeholder and organization engagement, presentation development, task management, database management, development of public outreach plans and deliverabl es timelines, and development of collateral materials. Joshua also serves as Social Media Lead as part of the Arellano Associates Innovations Team, with specific expertise in social media campaigns, advertising , and targeted messaging. He provides updates to project e -blast communications programs, website notification, and public comment forums.
Project Experience
Metro, Metro Microtransit, Los Angeles, CA (Sept. 2020 – April 2023) Metro launched the Metro Micro rideshare service in December 2020 in two zones in LA County (Watts/Willowbrook and LAX/Inglewood) and followed that launch with three new zones in January 2021 El Monte, Compton/Artesia, and North Hollywood/Burbank), two new zones in June 2021 (Altadena/Pasadena/Sierra Madre and Highland Park/Eagle Rock/Glendale), and two zones opened in fall of 2021 (Northwest San Fernando Valley and UCLA/Westwood).The new three-year micro transit pilot program was meant to supplement and replace bus service in each of these new zones as a follow up to the NextGen Bus Plan that was adopted in 2020. Joshua was the task lead and managed the day- to-day outreach coordination on this project, including coordination with Metro and its other consultants, planning and staffing events, stakeholder
briefings, and community presentations. He also
supported RideCo and Metro with marketing and outreach strategy planning to provide the public with updates and information on new service launches and education on how to use the service and coordinates with Metro’s public relations department and media outlets for inclusion of Metro Micro in news articles and video segments.
City of Milpitas Simple Mobile Access to Reliable Transit (SMART) Program – Milpitas, CA (Nov. 2022 – July 2023)
The SMART program is a zone-based rideshare program for residents and workers in the City of Milpitas. The service was launched in 2022, DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
9 | Page
in partnership with RideCo. The program provides point-to-point, on-demand rideshare services within the city limits and offers connections to the Great Mall and three Valley Transit Authority (VTA) light rail line stations.
Joshua served as the outreach manager for this program and supported RideCo and the City with the deployment of an in-person outreach campaign at the Great Mall and VTA LRT stations. He also managed an extended outreach effort to businesses and large employers in Milpitas to help spread awareness of the service. Joshua developed a short video ad for a future digital campaign. After these outreach efforts, the service saw a significant increase in ridership in the weeks following the in-person engagement activities.
Moorpark City Transit on Demand (MCT), City of Moorpark Marketing and Outreach Support Services – Moorpark, CA (Oct. 2022 – Dec. 2022)
In 2022, the City of Moorpark launched a new zone-based rideshare service for residents, students, and its workforce. In partnership with RideCo, the service offers point-to-point, on-demand transit services within the city limits and allows users to book their rides through a mobile phone application, calling a customer service number, or on MCT on Demand’s website. Joshua was the day -to-day outreach manager on this project and oversaw the deployment of two o n-board bus ride alongs, to increase awareness o f the new service among existing MCT bus riders. Joshua also managed the deployment of outreach teams at two in- person community events including Moorpark Country Days and the City’s Annual Fourth of July Celebration and Parade.
Metro, Bus Speed & Reliability Improvements, Los Angeles, CA (March 2021 – Present) Metro and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation are in the process of identifying, designing, funding, and implementing transit supportive infrastructure to speed up transit service as part of the NextGen Bus Plan. Joshua is the task lead and is involved with planning outreach activities and executing on key deliverables including the development of messaging, coordinating on-board bus outreach and pop- up information tables, and coordinating presentations and briefings with key stakeholder organizations. This project includes multiple corridors that will be implemented between now and 2024, and to date three of those corridors have moved from planning to implementation, include: Grand/Olive, La Brea, Florence, and Sepulveda. Joshua manages the day-to-day outreach coordination on this project throughout Los Angeles County. He also leads efforts to engage key stakeholder organizations, civic agencies, businesses, and residences on each of the corridors.
City of El Monte, Main Street Complete Streets Feasibility Study, El Monte and San Gabriel Valley Subregion, CA (March 2023 – Present)
The City of El Monte is implementing a feasibility study to identify key project elements and develop a comprehensive, integrated multi -modal transportation network. The complete street improvements are expected to allow for safe travel along and across Main Street fo r all users, and thus connecting the community safely to local and regional transit services, residences, businesses, parks, and other community destinations. Josh oversees strategic planning and key aspects of outreach coordination for this project including the development of a Public Participation Plan, in-person outreach strategies and a project video. Josh also provides support developing collateral materials and reviewing project materials.
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
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I. Introduction and Project Understanding
In December 2023, the City of Gardena's Transportation Department (GTrans) will launch an 18 -month pilot program for a new on -demand microtransit service to serve both paratransit users and other residents.
Initially, the program will include four vehicles . Following the pilot period, GTrans staff will return to the Gardena City Council in the summer of 2025 to receive direction on the continuation of the service.
The Gardena City Council approved a two-year, $635,240 contract (with three one-year options) with RideCo for its on -demand microtransit software in June 2023. GTrans' new microtransit service (Flexi) will operate within the boundaries of the City of Garde na, and it will also extend to some locations that the current paratransit service covers. Major destinations within the city, such as parks, shopping centers, casinos, libraries, the Civic Center, senior residences, hospitals, and connection points to oth er transit lines, will be served. The City's objective for this new service is to enhance mobility, reduce congestion, and promote sustainable transportation options.
Following the execution of the contract with RideCo, the City approved a $74,567 contract with Pulsar Advertising for the marketing of the new service. This contract covers the development of vehicle design wraps, branding, bus cards, logo creation, and other marketing needs. In addition to the marketing efforts by RideCo and Pulsar Advertising, the city is seeking support from an outreach services firm. This support will provide in -person and virtual outreach services for the pre -launch and early launch pe riods for the new service. The primary goal of this support is to bolster awareness of the program, transition existing paratransit users onto the new mobility platform, and educate both existing GTrans customers and Gardena residents on the service's benefits and features.
Below is Arellano Associates' (AA) approach for supporting GTrans with this effort, for a period of 18 months.
II. Project Management and Administration
AA will participate in project kick -off and twice per month check -in meetings with the City and coordinate upcoming outreach activities and provide updates on previous activity. AA will also develop monthly progress reports detailing outreach activities for the month, to include with the transmittal of the monthly invoice.
AA will also conduct any necessary coordination with the City’s other vendors on this program, Pulsar Advertising and RideCo. Coordination will include asset and data retrieval as well as any support needed from operations to conduct certain outreach activities, including on-board outreach.
III. Outreach Work Plan
The outreach plan will be formulated by AA at the project's kick -off, defining the public outreach strategy to promote and educate GTrans paratransit users and residents about the new micro transit service. This plan will specify key deliverable dates and identify outreach opportunities within the City. Additionally, it will incorporate an outreach timeline, keeping the City and its vendors informed about crucial outreach dates and the instances when support may be required.
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
11 | Page
• Stakeholder list
development and data
collection
• Development of project
fact sheet/brochure and
how-to-ride PowerPoint
presentation
• Conduct on-board
outreach to existing
paratransit users
• Conduct outreach
presentations (how-to-
ride) to seniors,
paratransit users
• Conduct on-board
(paratransit) outreach to
existing riders
• Develop promotional
video
• Conduct community
pop-up events at City
events
• Develop digital content
for social media and
eblasts promoting the
service to Gardena
residents and key
stakeholder groups
• Rider Survey (March –
April 2024)
• Prepare outreach summary
report
IV. Stakeholder List Development and Data Collection
The initial step in crafting an effective outreach strategy for this project involves identifying key stakeholder groups and organizations with whom we can coordinate to provide outreach to their members. This stakeholder list will comprise organizations such as the Gardena Valley Chamber of Commerce, Senior Citizens Bureau, Gardena VFW #3261, Elks Lodge No. 1919, Gardena Evening Optimist Club, Kiwanis Club of Gardena Valley, Gardena Valley Lions Club, the Gardena Masonic Center, Garden Fifty Lions Club. Additionally, outreach efforts in the pre-launch phase will target convalescent homes, retirement homes, medical facilities and other organizations and businesses the City recommends for outreach. Coordination will be conducted to transfer any pertinent exis ting stakeholder lists that the City possesses. Further research will identify contacts not currently in an existing database. AA will also request any ridership lists for GTrans’ current paratransit users.
Upon completion, the stakeholder list will serve as a tool for communicating with these contacts about the new micro-transit program and soliciting feedback at significant stages of the program. AA will also provide signup sheets at any in -person public outreach events to gather information from interested parties. At the conclusion of AA’s work on this project, all newly developed or updated stakeholder lists will be handed over to the City.
AA will also develop a community profile for the City of Gardena to identify any language needs, besides English. AA will coordinate with the City and outside translation vendors to develop materials in up to two additional languages if a need to do so is determined by the results of the community profile analysis.
Pre-launch
outreach activities
Oct. 2023 – Mar.
2024
Post launch
outreach activities
Apr. 2024 – May.
2025
Project close out
documentation
May 2025
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
12 | Page
Hawthorne and Unincorporated LA County
GTrans currently serves the City of Hawthorne and provides paratransit mobility services. This paratransit service will continue with Flexi, but the on-demand functionality will not be available for Hawthorne residents.
GTrans also serves a small portion of unincorporated LA County and meeting with stakeholders of these areas will also be a priority during pre -launch and some post-launch activities. The outreach team will coordinate with Hawthorne’s senior center as well as medical facilities, retirement, and convalescent facilities to ensure those paratransit customers are aware of the new service and are educated on how to use it.
V. In-person outreach activities
Engaging the public where they are is crucial to the success of the initial outreach for this micro -transit program. AA possesses extensive experience in coordinating and executing in- person outreach activities, working alongside event organizers, City dep artments such as Parks and Recreation, and key stakeholder organizations to conduct various in -person outreach endeavors. The activities listed below are recommendations; however, AA maintains the flexibility to shift away from activities that may not prod uce the anticipated results. To ensure comprehensive community engagement, AA will strategically space out these events to reach all community members. AA will also ensure that Spanish-speaking staff are present at as many of these activities as possible.
a. How to Ride Presentations (20)
Prior to and in the early stages of program launch,
educating existing paratransit users will be the top
priority for outreach activities. AA will coordinate with the City to set up 12 (12) how- to-ride presentations
(two per month from October ’23 -March ’24), prior to
service launch . Most of these presentations will be
conducted in person, but at least one (1) will be offered as a virtual presentation via Zoom or another virtual
meeting platform GTrans prefers. Another eight (8)
how-to-ride presentations will occur after the service
launch as requested by community groups and the City.
Additional in -person and virtual how -to-ride
presentations can be offered if additional groups would like a presentation.
AA will develop a short RSVP form to track participation and to identify any accessibility or language needs. If there are accessibility or language needs, AA will coordinate with the appropriate vendor to provide that support. Additional language needs for the senior demographic may include Korean and Japanese. The how- to-ride presentation will include a brief presentation to provide an overview of the service and some of its key benefits and features. AA staff and preferably a representative from RideCo, will also demonstrate how the mobile phone application and booking website will work. A slide will also be incorporated to highlight the TAP system, its features and where to purchase TAP cards in the City. The team will also provide details on call-in booking options. These presentations will be scheduled for 1 hour and include 20 -30 minutes for questions and answers.
Figure 1 - AA staff supported a variety of how-to-ride
presentations for the Metro Micro Program.
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
13 | Page
Convalescent Homes, Retirement Homes, Medical Facilities
Presentations at these facilities will target administrative staff who may use the service to book the service on behalf of their patients/clients. If requested, AA will also provide the presentation to the residents of these facilities. If needed, AA will also adapt materials to include larger text and other accommodations for the senior and persons with disabilities demographic.
Optional: If the in -person venue can accommodate, AA
recommends having a vehicle and driver present at the in - person how-to-ride presentation and we can use some time during the question-and-answer portion of the presentation to show the paratransit users the new vehicles and answer any additional questions.
Optional: To promote the use of TAP cards for this new
service, AA recommends developing a custom TAP card
with pre -loaded fare (see Metro Micro example in
Figure 2), to hand out to seniors at these how -to-ride presentations. Additionally, cards can be distributed
during on-board outreach to existing paratransit riders and at community pop-up events.
Optional: A member of the outreach team can conduct
a presentation to the Gardena Senior Citizens
Commission and field any questions from that body
regarding the service. The outreach team will also
encourage that body to promote the service to anyone
it may regularly communicate to about commis sion
business.
Relevant Outreach Experience
Awareness presentations to over 150 groups
Coordinated over 50 presentations to key
stakeholders
Led targeted outreach to senior groups including
Pasadena Older Adult Expo and El Monte Senior
Center
Figure 2 - AA staff conducted outreach at the El Monte
Senior Center for the Metro Micro Program. Staff handed out pre-loaded TAP cards for the seniors to try out the service.
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
14 | Page
b. Community Pop Up Events (15)
AA will identify up to 15 community events to provide information on the new service and sign -up users for the service. Events where the outreach team could conduct this outreach include at senior meal sites, the Kiyoto Nakaoka Community Center during any senior
programming, and any other community events the
City recommends that may lead to additional ridership
from seniors or users with disabilities. These events
will primarily occur following the launch of the service and will be oriented toward signing up new riders,
whereas the how -to-ride presentations offered
primarily during pre -launch, will be focused on
educating existing and potential paratransit riders.
c. On Board Outreach (paratransit)
(4)
The outreach team will coordinate with the City to
identify peak periods for usage of the city’s existing
Special Transit services. An AA staff member will ride
in the vehicle (if space allows) and provide information to riders on the new service, how to sign up, and how
to use the service. A brochure with this information
will also be provided to each rider we contact. AA
recommends conducting at least four 4-hour shifts at
different peak periods (AM/PM) during the service’s
operation. AA does not recommend conducting on-
board outreach on the City’s existing regular bus lines to avoid cannibalizing bus ridership. The exception to
this is if the City intends to cut service or modify
service on a line and augment it with the new Flexi
service.
VI. Digital Media
Reaching the public via digital media platforms including City and GTrans social media profiles and listservs will be an important step in providing awareness of this service option and information on how to use it.
a. Social Media
AA will develop a content calendar of three (3) posts per month to provide information on the program launch and instructions on how to use the service. Social posts will also be a distribution method for a video developed for this project.
Figure 3 – City of Moorpark, MCT on Demand
Outreach staff providing information to Moorpark
residents at the Country Days Festival event in
Moorpark.
Figure 4 – LA Metro, Metro Micro
Outreach staff conducted on-board bus outreach on
9 Metro bus lines
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
15 | Page
Optional: Develop targeted social media ads on Facebook/Instagram to promote the service to Gardena residents. These ads can be adjusted to only target residents of the City and the cost for each ad is variable but AA recommends a spend of at least $500 per ad. Social ads are a great method to receive survey feedback or to promote mobile app downloads.
Note: if the City wants to move forward with paid ads, AA can support the development of the ads, but the funding for the ads would be a direct cost for GTrans and is not included in the proposed AA budget.
b. Video Development
A short video will be produced to highlight the
benefits of the new micro transit service as well as
provide a call out for how to download the mobile
application and how to book rides. This video will be
live action and be no longer than 2-minutes. Following
the production of the video, it can be used to promote
the service on the City’s or GTrans’ websites and/or
social media profiles. The video can also be sent out
in an eblast to the stakeholder list.
c. Web-based toolkit
AA will develop a web-based toolkit, similar to what was created for the Metro Micro program for LA Metro (https://www.metromicrotoolkit.com/). This toolkit will include pertinent information to send to community organizations to help with external promotion of the program. The toolkit will include copy-and-paste ready copy for social media posts, newsletters, websites, eblasts and any other platforms identified. The toolkit website will also include images of maps, vehicles, any videos produced as well as downloadable materials including the fact sheet, brochure and PowerPoint presentation. Another feature of the toolkit will be a form for organizations to request materials or a how-to-ride presentation. This feature will allow key stakeholder groups to coordinate directly with the outreach team and receive the information they need to promote the service to their network of stakeholders.
VII. Collateral Materials
AA will coordinate with Pulsar Advertising and the City to develop one (1) fact sheet/brochure and (1) how- to-ride presentation. It is recommended that the fact sheet and PowerPoint be developed in English, Spanish, Japanese and Korean. AA will develop content but will depend on the City’s marketing vendor to provide a kit of parts including logos and graphics. AA will coordinate the printing of the fact sheet through the City. AA will coordinate with a vendor to translate these materials into Japanese and Korean and will handle the translation into Spanish, in-house.
Note: this scope and the attached budget assume the City of Gardena will pay for printing costs associated with collateral materials developed by AA.
Figure 3 – Riverside County Transportation Commission,
Metrolink Marketing/Rail Safety Developed a Metrolink how- to-ride video for Riverside County residents.
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D Gardena Transit Service
Arellano Associates
September 5, 2023
16 | Page
VIII. Promotional Items
AA will coordinate with the Cit, RideCo and Pulsar to identify and develop marketing and promotional materials for distribution at community events, how-to-ride presentations, and to have as incentives for the rider survey. AA recommends the following items:
• Custom TAP Card with Flexi branding: a TAP card with pre-loaded fare can be handed out to seniors and paratransit users to ease them into using the service and switching to TAP as a payment method.
It is recommended the pre-loaded fare allows for at least two (2) free rides. • Reusable Grocery Bag with Flexi branding: this material will be useful to hand out to customers using the service to shop at their local grocery store. AA recommends distribution of these bags also occur inside of the vehicles at the driver’s discretion.
• Pen and Notepads: a cheap but sought after giveaway that outreach teams can hand out at events and presentations.
Note: This scope and attached budget assumes the City of Gardena will pay for costs associated with the production of promotional items.
IX. Rider Survey
AA will coordinate with RideCo to conduct rider surveys toward the end of the 18 -month pilot period to receive feedback from the service’s users. The survey should be distributed digitally to riders who have registered on the app. AA also recommends ride along survey efforts to take place in the microtransit vehicles to survey riders directly. It is recommended that at least ten (10), 4 -hour shifts occur during peak ridership periods to receive a high number of survey responses.
X. City-wide Flyer Distribution
AA will coordinate with the vendor Walking Man, to distribute a flyer to all residences and businesses in the City of Gardena, promoting the new microtransit service. AA will coordinate the development of the bilingual material with the City, RideCo and Pulsar and it will include basic information on the program as well as instructions for downloading and using the mobile app. It is also recommended that this flyer include a promotion like two free rides on the service or other discount options. This distribution should occur after the service has been active for several months, and it’s recommended to take place between August and October 2024.
XI. Event and Project Summary Documentation
Following each outreach activity, a ‘quick summary’ with key metrics like engagements and reach will be provided to the City for review. These quick summaries will also help build a project closeout outreach summary report that will be developed two weeks prior to the end of the contract period. The closeout outreach summary report will include total number of engagements, key comment themes, social media metrics, earned media, and photos of the outreach activities.
DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D AA Budget
Flexi Microtransit Service
Public Outreach
18 months 9/5/2023
LABOR COSTS TOTAL
*
Rate: 186.67$ 140.64$ 109.95$ 92.05$
71.60$
Task Description Hours Cost Hours Cost Hours Cost Hours Cost Hours Cost Hours Cost 1 Project Management and Administration (up to 36) 24 4,480.08$ 50 7,032$ 6 552$ 24 2,209$ 4 286$ 108 14,559.98$ 2 Outreach Work Plan 4 746.68$ 6 844$ - -$ 8 736$ - -$ 18 2,326.92$ 3 Stakeholder List and Data Collection and Review 4 746.68$ 6 844$ - -$
24 2,209$
36 2,578$
70 6,377.32$
4 In-Person Outreach Activities (20 presentations, 15
community pop-ups, 10 rider survey shifts, 4 on-
board outreach shifts) - -$ 50 7,032$ - -$ 300 27,615$ 500 35,800$ 850 70,447.00$ 5 Digital Media
(monthly social media, 1 video)
- -$ 12 1,688$ 50 4,603$ 50 4,603$ 16 1,146$ 128 12,038.28$ 6 Collateral Materials/Marketing Materials (1 fact sheet, 1 brochure) (Coordination of Marketing Materials)
- -$ 12 1,688$ 16 1,473$ 8 736$ 12 859$ 48 4,756.08$ 7 Event and Project Summary Documentation 8 1,493.36$ 6 844$ - -$
24 2,209$
24 1,718$
62 6,264.80$
LABOR SUBTOTAL 40 7,466.80$ 142 19,971$ 72 6,628$ 438 40,318$ 592 42,387$ 1,284 116,770.38$ ESTIMATED DIRECT COSTS**
Mileage/Parking 3,750.00$
Translations (up to three languages) 2,000.00$
Software, Domain Registration 500.00$
Promotional Materials - (City will handle production
costs for promotional materials)
Printing - (City will handle all printing) -$
Social media ads - (City will handle all paid
advertising) -$
Miscellaneous/Event Fees 4,000$
SUB-TOTAL 10,250.00$
TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET 127,020.38$
* Fully Burdened rate is inclusive of 132.46% overhead and 10% fee ** To be billed at actual cost.
Assist. Project Coordinator
Gardena Transit
Maria Yanez-Forgash Josh Francis
Strategic Advisor Deputy Project Manager Project CoordinatorSenior Creative Coordinator DocuSign Envelope ID: D01FD85E-1079-487C-831E-0FD18A57A42D