November 22, 2024
Dante Hall, City Manager
City of Hercules, California
111 Civic Drive
Hercules, CA 94547
RE: Proposal for Strategic Federal Advocacy Consulting Services – Phase 1
Dear Mr. Hall:
This letter serves as a proposal and outlines the terms of agreement (“Agreement”) between Tai Ginsberg & Associates LLC ( “TG&A”) and the City of Hercules (“Hercules” or the “c ity”) to provide strategic federal advocacy consulting services.
1. TEAM OVERVIEW.
TG&A is a client focused government relations firm. TG&A’s broad yet specialized knowledge base is matched by the group’s experience working with a diverse set of clients. TG&A is comprised of a team of highly knowledgeable and seasoned veteran government relations professionals with substantial experience on Capitol Hill and working with infrastructure, transportation & energy, and technology issues, clients, and trade associations. Since 2019, Bloomberg Government has ranked TG&A as one of the top performing government relations firms in DC.
TG&A works with a diverse set of clients in the private sector and has a deep understanding of the challenges posed at all levels of government through its work with many public agencies. Over the years, our clients have included a mix of Fortune 500 and other high profile private sector companies such as Canadian National, CSX, Peloton, Tesla & Uber, and public agencies across the country, particularly in California and the Midwest. Our service includes extensive work with the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, developing or modifying policies and programs to meet client objectives while building relationships for our clients to leverage. We also help clients with matters before many federal agencies. Specifically, our team has a broad set of bipartisan experiences in federal, state, and local government and political campaigns. TG&A has a notable record of successfully delivering for clients, including those clients that do not fit into neat categories of federal funding.
TG&A-Hercules Agreement
2. SERVICES & PROPOSED SCOPE OF WORK . During the term of the A greement, TG&A will provide strategic consulting services to the city that includes the following activities:
i. Strategic advice on funding and financing strategies to leverage available funding sources to help fund the Hercules Hub project, including:
• Federal discretionary grants like U.S. DOT RAISE grants and FRA CRISI grants • USDOT innovative financing programs through the Build America Bureau • “Earmarks” or congressionally directed spending – Community Project Funding in the House and Congressionally Directed Spending projects in the Senate ii. Regional stakeholder support and advocacy: Using our expansive relationships with Bay Area transportation entities, TG&A proposes to engage in careful and sustained coordination with the key regional stakeholders to guide and assist the city in delivering the Hercules Hub project. This includes but is not limited to the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority, Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA), and San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority; iii. Building relationships with key federal elected officials : Both the local Congressional and Senate offices, and also key Congressional Committee decisionmakers; and iv. Strategic Counsel: In general, TG&A will provide strategic counsel on overall governmental and political trends with potential impacts to the city.
3. TERM. This agreement is effective on January 1, 2025, and will continue through December 31, 2025.
The agreement may be extended at the discretion of both parties by written agreement.
4. FEES. In consideration of the Services, TG&A will receive a retainer of $4,000 per month. Consulting fees shall be billed monthly and shall be paid within 30 days from receipt of invoice.
5. PROPOSED TEAM BIOS. See below for an overview of the proposed team’s bios:
Jason Tai, Principal at TG&A
Jason has over 20 years of broad and substantive experience in federal and state government with an expertise in technology issues. He has proven successful in negotiating and securing significant federal and state funding for a variety of critical projects and managed complex governmental and political processes to achieve results. Prior to joining the private sector governme nt relations field, Jason served as Chief of Staff for Congressman Dan Lipinski (Illinois -3rd) where he oversaw and managed all policy, projects, communications, intergovernmental, and political issues. Jason also spent time as a Professional Staff Member on the U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. Previously, he served as an appointed senior executive at the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) serving dual appointed positions as Director of Public and Intermodal Transportation (DPIT) and Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary, where he was responsible for a $548 million budget, which funded statewide transit and rail operating and capital needs. DPIT administered federal and state funding for 52 transit agencies across Illinois. Prior to his IDOT stint, Jason was Chief of Staff to former U.S. Congressman William O. Lipinski (Illinois-3rd).
Matt Ginsberg, Principal at TG&A
TG&A-Hercules Agreement
Matt has extensive government relations experience including campaign, federal government, and over a decade of private sector lobbying experience. He has expertise in drafting and passing legislation, performing business development services, coordinating lobbying strategies, securing federal funding, managing trade associations, and representing clients before Congress, executive branch agencies, and industry associations. Matt excels at promoting the adoption of new technologies within traditional arenas . Over the course of his private sector tenure, he has successfully secured over hundreds of millions of dollars in federal discretionary grants for his clients through direct advocacy and strategic technical assistance. Previously, Matt worked for then-U.S.
Representative and now Colorado Governor Jared Polis (Colorado-2nd), formerly a member of the powerful House Rules Committee. He has experience working in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to his time in Washington DC, Matt worked for a political consulting firm in Denver, Colorado helping to manage the media strategy for a major Presidential campaign.
Gus Maples, Vice President at TG&A
Gus Maples joined TG&A after completing five federal budget cycles as Professional Staff Member on the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations, overseeing more than $50 billion in budgetary resources and programs at the U.S. Department of Transportation. I n this capacity he advised Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Susan Collins (R -ME) on policy and funding issues, departmental rulemakings, and grant programs administered by agencies including the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. He gained broad experience working with many Senate offices, on both sides of the aisle, as well as participating in conference negotiations with the House of Representatives to enact Appropriations bills. Before Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) hired Maples to the Appropriations Committee staff, he worked at the Student Veterans of America organization.
Annie G. Toro, J.D., Senior Vice President and Counsel
Annie Toro has worked in the field of policy for more than 25 years. She has held senior management level positions at various widely recognized and leading entities . Ms. Toro began her career in Congress serving as Democratic Staff Director at the U.S. House Financial Services Committee Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and as Senior Legislative Counsel to U.S.
Representative Luis V. Gutierrez. In her position at Representative Gutierrez’ office, she developed, wrote legislation, and provided legal counsel on a comprehensive number of key legislative issues, including new, strategic initiatives to advance priority issues of significance to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) – working closely with its members. She also led and developed all appropriations initiatives of the congressional office, including the member’s commitment to improve affordable housing, transit, rail, and economic development. Specifically, Ms. Toro served as the focal point in the member’s work when the Chicago Transit Authority decided to close down the Douglas Branch of the former Blue Line, serving primarily Latino communities. These efforts culminated with successfully securing $320 million in federal fundi ng to reconstruct Blue Line stops and its full-service reinstatement.
Brooke Kintz, Strategic Policy Advisor
Brooke Kintz is a Strategic Policy Advisor to TG&A out of the greater Washington, D.C area. Brooke has nearly 18 years of experience in state and federal government relations. Previously, Brooke was Director of North America policy for Tesla, Inc. During her almost ten year tenure, she led and
TG&A-Hercules Agreement
managed a team that advocated for clean energy policy in the automotive sector focusing on dealer franchise law, autonomous vehicle policy, electric vehicle incentives, and electric vehicle charging initiatives. Before joining Tesla, Brooke was Director of Federal Affairs for Associated Builders and Contractors. There she managed a portfolio of issues on workforce development, immigration and labor related issues in the commercial construction industry.
6. CONFIDENTIALITY. If either party provides information or materials indicated to be confidential, the receiving party will maintain the confidentiality of such matters and not disclose any such matters except in the proper performance of this Agreement. The receiving party agrees: (a) not to disclose or otherwise make available Confidential Information of the disclosing party to any third party without the prior written consent of the disclosing party; provided, however, that the receiving party may disclos e the Confidential Information of the disclosing party to its officers, employees, consultants, and legal advisors who have a “need to know”, who have been apprised of this restriction, and who are themselves bound by nondisclosure obligations at least as restrictive as those set forth in this Section; (b) to use the Confidential Information of the disclosing party only for the purposes of performing its obligations under the Agreement or, in the case of the City of Hercules, to make use of TG&A services or deliverables; and (c) to promptly notify the disclosing party in the event it becomes aware of any loss or disclosure of any of the Confidential Information of the disclosing party. For the purposes of this Agreement, Confidential Information is defined as information that is treated as confidential by a party, including but not limited to all non- public information about its business affairs, products or services, intellectual property rights, trade secrets, third-party confidential information, and other sensitive or proprietary information. Confide ntial Information shall not include information that: (a) is already known to the receiving party without restriction on use or disclosure prior to receipt of such information from the disclosing party; (b) is or becomes generally known by the public other than by breach of this Agreement by, or other wrongful act of, the receiving party; (c) is developed by the receiving party independently of, and without reference to, any Confidential Information of the disclosing party; or (d) is received by the receiving party from a third party who is not under any obligation to the disclosing party to maintain the confidentiality of such information.
TG&A-Hercules Agreement
This Agreement sets forth the entirety of the Agreement between TG&A and the City of Hercules, CA as to the services to be provided and compensation to be made during the term thereof. If the city is agreeable to the terms and conditions set out above, please sign below. A fully executed Agreement will be transmitted to you for your records.
Jason Tai, Principal
Tai Ginsberg & Associates, LLC (TG&A)
____________________________________
City of Hercules, California
Date Date