RFP No. 808-24 & 809-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
1. Transmittal Letter
February 29, 2024 Office of the City Clerk, Lancaster City Hall RFP No. 808-24 "Human Resources Department Performance Metrics Implementation and Optimization” RFP No. 809-24 "Public Safety Department Performance Metrics Implementation and Optimization” 44933 Fern Avenue Lancaster, CA 93534 To Whom It May Concern: The following is a revised proposal on behalf of AveNew Solutions, LLC, and our esteemed partners in response to the Request for Proposals (RFP) No. 809-24 "Public Safety Department Performance Metrics Implementation and Optimization" issued by the City of Lancaster. Our proposal with respect to RFP No. 808-24 "Human Resources Department Performance Metrics Implementation and Optimization” remains unchanged; however, Addendum A: Cost Proposal is revised consistent with our pledge to reduce fees if retained for both projects as well as greater understanding the public safety project. The proposal submitted herewith will remain valid for a minimum of 180 days from the submission date of the original proposals. During this period, we remain fully committed to engaging in any necessary discussions and negotiations to ensure a successful partnership between AveNew and the City of Lancaster. To facilitate communication during the selection process, please direct any correspondence or inquiries to myself, the person authorized to negotiate a contract with the City and the signatory of this cover letter: Barbara J. Maynard Co-CEO, AveNew Solutions, LLC 5256 S. Mission Rd., Suite 703, #335 Bonsall, CA 92003 323-351-9321 (mobile) 213-387-0780 (office) [email protected] Incorporated in 2019, AveNew Solutions, LLC, operates from 5256 S. Mission Rd. Ste 703, #335, 5256 S. Mission Rd. Suite 703, #335, Bonsall, CA 92003, and can be reached at (213) 387-0780, or directly via mobile at (323) 351-9321. We are proud of our commitment to excellence, and we look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the success of the City of Lancaster. Thank you for considering our proposal. We are eager to further discuss how AveNew and our team can best meet the needs outlined in the RFP and contribute to the City's goals. Sincerely, Barbara J. Maynard Co-CEO and Director of Visionary Strategy AveNew Solutions, LLC
RFP No. 808-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
Revised Proposal for RFP No. 809-24: Public Safety Department Performance Metrics Implementation and Optimization 2. Experience and Qualifications of the Firm AveNew Solutions, LLC, spearheads a consortium of public safety and industry experts uniquely positioned to drive transformative change for the City of Lancaster’s Public Safety Department. Our assembled team brings a wealth of experience, each leader contributing specialized expertise crucial to the success of this initiative. Barbara Maynard, co-CEO of AveNew Solutions, is a seasoned professional with an extensive background in public sector agencies spanning nearly three decades. Her tenure as the former director of budget and finance for a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, coupled with diverse experiences with public safety unions, engagement, elected official relations, and community outreach, underscores her unparalleled ability to devise and implement comprehensive strategies and lead this esteemed team. Maynard has been instrumental in navigating through significant changes, including multiple leadership transitions within departments, adjustments to political leadership, and shifts in public opinion related to public services in general, and public safety specifically. AveNew has partnered with retired LASD Assistant Sheriff Todd Rogers, who oversaw administrative and technical services for the Los County Sheriff’s Department. Todd has unparalleled experience in law enforcement and public safety relations, community policing metrics, public safety agency integration, and public safety performance metrics. Rick Bender, AveNew’s co-CEO, boasts 30 years of expertise in driving organizational excellence through holistic employee wellness initiatives. Recognizing the post-pandemic landscape’s challenges, Rick emphasizes the significance of enhancing organizational understanding and capabilities in physical, emotional, financial, and occupational wellness. His focus on talent acquisition aims not just to meet immediate needs but to position organizations as the employer of choice. Our collaboration with Aclaró AI, a Microsoft, Infor ERP, and Oracle Partner specializing in advanced analytics, brings a robust technological edge to our approach. Their expertise in harnessing AI (Artificial Intelligence) and BI (Business Intelligence) technologies ensures actionable insights and data-informed decision-making to continuously drive organizational objectives. Aclaró’s solutions are designed to empower organizations to achieve their objectives by uncovering valuable insights from complex data sources. • Advanced Analytics: Our advanced AI technology enables us to provide predictive analytics solutions tailored to your specific needs. We specialize in deciphering intricate data sets to identify patterns, correlations, and causal relationships that may not be apparent through traditional reporting methods. This predictive capability will be instrumental in assessing and improving your recognition program, allowing you to proactively address issues and optimize impact on employee engagement and motivation. • Comprehensive Reporting: Aclaró AI offers comprehensive reporting solutions through tools like Microsoft PowerBI. We understand the importance of clear and concise reporting in tracking program performance. Our reporting dashboards are designed to provide real-time visibility into key performance indicators (KPIs) that drive your business objectives. These dashboards offer intuitive visualizations, making it easy for all team members to understand and act upon the data. • Data Security and Compliance: We take data security seriously and ensure compliance with relevant regulations, including GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). Our data handling practices prioritize confidentiality, integrity, and availability, safeguarding your sensitive employee data – particularly important when handling data of law enforcement officers.
RFP No. 808-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
• Client Success: Our track record includes successful implementations across various industries, including healthcare, financial lenders, and automotive retail. We've partnered with organizations in these sectors to achieve their recognition and engagement goals by leveraging the power of AI-driven analytics. Aclaró AI's solutions have consistently delivered actionable insights, helping our clients in the financial and automotive retail sectors enhance their programs and drive employee engagement to new heights. • Timely Reporting: Aclaró AI is committed to delivering regular reports and analytics on program performance, ensuring you have timely insights to make informed decisions and continuously enhance your employee recognition program. We can deliver solutions that run on a Mobile Platform such as iOS or Android, all the way up to a cost-effective custom BI solution that lowers the Total Cost of Ownership without impairing the user experience. Furthermore, our recommendation of LMS Consulting, led by Lina Sosa, emphasizes leadership development. Lina’s Leadership Advantage Program will equip the City of Lancaster’s management team with strategies and techniques aimed at enhancing employee engagement, enthusiasm, and overall performance. Sosa is a bilingual (English/Spanish) forward-thinking executive with a demonstrated commitment to transforming operational performance through the development of a positive workplace culture, strategic staff coaching plans and program development focused on cohesive cross-functional collaborations that transcend traditional operations and management tactics to engage forward-thinking initiatives that deliver an exceptional customer experience while maintaining motivation and excellence from internal stakeholders at all organizational levels. Sosa has designed and overseen the completion of complex projects, ensuring quality delivery while meeting cost expectations and operational efficiencies. Lina Sosa’s key highlights and skills include: • Commitment to Exceptional Constituent Experiences: Combines insights from direct constituent contact with current business trends to deploy initiatives in local markets that shape communication, environment, and service offerings. • Elevating the Performance of Operations: Actively support the development of new and seasoned senior managers, ensuring access to resources, training, and mentoring to increase the number of high-performing departments and mitigate roadblocks before impeding success. • Engaging Qualitative and Quantitative Metrics to Evaluate Performance: Identify key performance metrics that are indicative of success and develop performance objectives that align with each. • Reward Loyalty, Initiative, and Excellence in Talent Development: Develop comprehensive talent development activities, actively encouraging employees to take skills to higher levels and attain positions of increasing responsibility. • Leading Strategic Planning: As a member of numerous leadership teams, provide relevant points of view in the development and implementation of strategic vision while acting as a trusted thought partner to leadership team members. • Communicating Effectively to Drive Results: A recognized leader and advocate for individual success, develop plans for communicating plans and vision in a way that inspires all stakeholders at all organizational levels. Critically, AveNew proposes to introduce our groundbreaking and award-winning engagement platform, Awespira, to the City of Lancaster to educate, inspire, and activate employees, contract deputies, and stakeholders. The Awespira platform offers a closed social gamification environment guided by "Awtto," our mascot, encouraging users to earn “Awtto Coins” through various activities, including responding to polls, quizzes, and surveys for this project. As people engage and take action, a plethora of data continually becomes available. This data significantly enhances traditional metrics, allowing the City of Lancaster to benefit from advanced analytics and reporting capabilities. This extraordinary data will deliver valuable insights, allowing the City to truly optimize the performance metrics gathered. This will allow for the development of solutions to empower Lancaster to meet and exceed project objectives.
RFP No. 808-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
Together, AveNew Solutions, Todd Rogers, and our consortium of partners and technologies offer an unparalleled depth of experience and diverse skill sets in HR consulting, performance metrics implementation, process improvement, and change management. This collective expertise is poised to catalyze the City of Lancaster’s journey toward sustainable organizational success. Experience 1. Public Safety Achievements • As Assistant Sheriff, Todd Rogers delivered three consecutive balanced budgets overcoming an annual structural deficit of over $250 million. Rogers directed the reform of LASD transfer and promotional processes resulting in substantial reductions in costly and staff-consuming grievances and, most importantly, ensuring fairness and a higher level of confidence that success is based upon merit rather than subjective assessments. Rogers also conceived a department-wide internal communications platform and a web-based anonymous whistleblower portal through which any employee can report misconduct without fear of retaliation. • As Commander, Rogers developed a Critical Incident Review (CIR) Committee process. The purpose was to conduct assessments of critical incidents occurring throughout the organization within days rather than waiting up to a year or more for when the formal investigative processes might be completed. He served as the founding chair of this committee and conducted weekly reviews of incidents occurring the previous week and made assessments on all aspects and directed remedial actions. The CIR process has since become a critical piece of our risk management strategy and has been widely lauded by departmental monitors and outside observers. • Further, over a period of one year, Commander Rogers had more critical incident callouts, including deputy-involved shootings, barricaded suspects, and hostage situations, than all other departmental commanders combined. He was generally the highest-ranking executive on scene for each with command-and-control responsibility over the responding units. Rogers additionally was responsible for reviewing approximately 50 supervisory reviews of force, shootings, pursuits, civil claims, lawsuits, etc. each week. He developed a protocol and checklist for command responses to deputy-involved shootings that is still in use today. • As Captain of Carson Sheriff’s Station, Rogers and his team reduced Part I Crime by 12% and overall crime by 9%. This was despite multiple gang conflicts that developed between rival neighborhoods and cliques. Rogers utilized intelligence-led policing efforts accompanied by a strong emphasis on neighborhood problem-solving and addressing “broken windows” before they blossomed into larger crime and disorder problems. They increased Part II arrests and created a Gang Diversion Team with an emphasis on using collaborative partnerships to divert at-risk individuals away from crime and gang involvement. Under Rogers’ command, Carson Station was the first sheriff’s station in California to receive the James Q. Wilson Award for Excellence in Community Policing. 2. Dynamic Political Environments Barbara Maynard assumed the role of Director of Budget & Finance for a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 1994, during a period of considerable upheaval resulting from the state property tax shift. This necessitated a substantial operational restructuring to align with economic realities and optimize special district revenues unaffected by the shift. Collaborating with organized labor, Maynard successfully addressed pivotal issues such as pension spiking reduction, obtaining a Medicaid Waiver from the Clinton White House to secure substantial funds for preventive care and the preservation of LAC+USC General Hospital (marked for closure). Additionally, she strategically integrated lifeguard services into the Fire Department's budget and secured state funds for Assessor operations. Results: The outcomes of these initiatives were uniformly successful.
RFP No. 808-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
Subsequently, Maynard has been actively engaged in diverse projects involving significant organizational expansion or contraction, leadership transitions, and substantial changes. Since 1997, she has provided consulting services as the Chief of Staff to the President of the Los Angeles County Deputy Probation Officers’ Union, contributing to major policy initiatives amid organizational and leadership shifts. Further, Maynard has offered her support to the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS) and the Professional Peace Officers Union (PPOA), addressing critical organizational issues related to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. Results: The results of Maynard's endeavors have consistently garnered high satisfaction from her clients, demonstrating her adept navigation of complex challenges. 3. Organizational Change Rick Bender's extensive experience in overseeing departments undergoing transformative changes is exemplified by his leadership role encompassing 90% of all operational areas within the home office of national insurance carrier Jefferson Pilot Financial. Appointed by the President and CEO, Bender undertook the strategic initiative to re-engineer the entire operation, aligning it with the company's new business direction. In this capacity, Rick orchestrated a comprehensive approach, ranging from the assessment of entry-level positions to the design, specification, and implementation of an entirely new technological infrastructure. This infrastructure was crucial in supporting the company's national expansion efforts, allowing for operational scalability through technology while strategically managing personnel headcount growth. Results: Bender’s direct involvement spanned critical areas such as risk assessment process reengineering, contract development, compliance, and training. His hands-on approach and strategic vision played a pivotal role in the successful execution of the reengineering project. Consequently, the organization rapidly transitioned from a fledgling operation to emerging as a national top 10 leader in the target market within a remarkable five-year period. 3. Proposed Approach and Methodology Our team is led by Barbara Maynard, co-CEO of AveNew Solutions, LLC. Barbara has nearly 30 years of experience working in and with public sector agencies and has a deep passion for service delivery and respect for the civil servants who make our communities livable. As the former director of budget and finance for a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and her subsequent decades of diverse experience with labor unions and employee engagement, elected official relations, and community and stakeholder outreach, her unique combination of strategies, tactics, relationships, and experience are unparalleled. Recognizing that the employment relationship has been permanently altered by the pandemic and that employee engagement has suffered as social media has consumed the attention of people young and old, Maynard and her co-CEO, Rick Bender, have developed an engagement platform to educate, inspire, and activate employees with robust data analytical capabilities that promise to transform the metrics gathered in this project into actionable and trackable information, propelling the City of Lancaster towards future success. Central to our team is Todd Rogers, an executive-level manager with 32 years of experience managing the budget, personnel, training, and all aspects of employee relations functions for the LA County Sheriff's Department, from which he retired in 2017 as Assistant Sheriff. Rogers is highly regarded as an executive with the ability to lead from the front with credibility and in a manner that engenders loyalty and respect from team members. He is adept at managing complex organizations, facilitating change, and leading innovation, and skilled at avoiding and managing risk and inspiring teamwork toward solving complex issues through open and clear communication and establishing clear expectations throughout the organization. He has unique and unparalleled experience working with and within all levels
RFP No. 808-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
of government, strong partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, and a strong legacy of community partnership and involvement. Mr. Rogers currently serves as Vice Mayor of the City of Lakewood. Rick Bender, AveNew’s co-CEO, has 30 years of experience in end-to-end employee wellness as a centerpiece of driving organizational excellence. In this post-pandemic environment, Rick recognizes the significance of advancing organizations’ understanding and capabilities in physical, emotional, financial, and occupational wellness. In the quest for top talent, it's essential to not only meet current needs but also to position your organization as the employer of choice in your area and industry. AveNew’s partnership with Aclaró AI brings advanced analytics and reporting capabilities to truly optimize the performance metrics gathered. As a Microsoft, Infor, and Oracle Partner, Aclaró brings a wealth of experience in harnessing AI and BI technologies to deliver actionable insights and drive data-informed decisions. Aclaró’s solutions are designed to empower organizations to achieve their objectives by uncovering valuable insights from complex data sources. Finally, AveNew is recommending LMS Consulting led by Lina Sosa, who has more than 20 years of experience managing and coaching individuals and teams. Sosa’s “Leadership Advantage Program” will prepare the City of Lancaster’s management team to reach the highest level of performance by learning strategies and techniques that will increase employee engagement, enthusiasm, and overall results. We are confident that the team of experts we have assembled will not just meet but exceed the City’s goals to continuously improve internal services by utilizing key performance metrics across all departments, starting with the HR and Public Safety Departments.
RFP No. 808-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
Awespira Awespira was imagined by Barbara Maynard and Rick Bender, veteran professional leaders who united around a deep passion for human engagement and civic purpose. Taking their decades of experience and deep relationships in the community, Maynard and Bender have built a paradigm-changing private-label technology platform called Awespira that uses gamified education and engagement to inform, inspire, and activate people. Awespira also serves as a hub for all of the disparate platforms that employers use, making it a true end-to-end solution. Fundamental to the Awespira platform, which users can access on phones, tablets, and desktop computers, is a closed (private) social gamification environment where users are guided through their journey by our mascot “Awtto,” who encourages users to earn coins by participating in various activities, such as completing surveys, taking quizzes and polls, reading articles, watching videos, taking training courses, participating in community actions, and more. AveNew customizes the Awespira reward program based on each client’s needs and can include everything from raffles to discounts at local merchants to cash bonuses. The reward program can be funded through a cost-recovery revenue share from our exclusive affinity marketplace with high-quality discounts, financial products, and wellness programs along with vetted and trusted merchant sponsors. With a structure that allows for API integrations (the connection from other platforms to Awespira) and hosted web-application connections as frictionless as possible, the platform is poised to be limited only by the imagination of the City of Lancaster. For example, the platform can be initially deployed as an onboarding and engagement platform for employees to gather metrics, and with our multi-tenancy architecture, and could expanded to residents, stakeholders, contractors, and vendors – the only limit is our collective imagination! 1. Awespira’s Multi-Tenancy Architecture We recognize that different employee groups have varying needs for information and rewards. Awespira has been designed with state-of-the-art multi-tenancy architecture, as well as the ability to discreetly “tag” users in the admin portal to micro-curate content (e.g., which employees work on the line versus management, department, which work in the office versus in the field, etc.).
View the App Demo at bit.ly/LancasterDemo Or scan the QR code:
RFP No. 808-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
2. Gamification Gamification – the application of game-inspired design and mechanics into a non-gaming environment to increase motivation and engagement levels for users, drive behavior change, and achieve specific goals – is the key to a successful digital platform. Awespira utilizes gamification in a profound way to engage and convert users, inspiring people to learn, and take action. The heart and soul of Awespira – both our web and mobile applications – is a robust private labeled social gamification environment where users can safely and privately earn coins by: • Taking a quiz, poll, or survey • Reading an article or watching a video • Sharing a message or action on social media • Sending an email or signing a petition • Participating in live or virtual meetings or events • Taking virtual training courses and receiving certificates • Taking a wellness challenge • Donating to their favorite cause 3. Rewards AveNew will collaborate with the City of Lancaster to develop a robust rewards program that aligns with the unique wants and needs of employees. We pledge to make every effort to utilize local merchants when feasible. Coupling Employee Appreciation with Knowledge Through predictive analytics, we will be able to design an employee engagement program that shows appreciation and recognition to employees in the language that resonates with the employee. In a study of 55,000 employees conducted by the author of the landmark book “The Five Love Languages,” which was followed by “The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace,” the following was noted: “Less than 10% of employees identify tangible gifts as their primary language of appreciation [in the workplace]… But interpreting the data correctly is important. Employees aren’t saying they don’t want tangible rewards (gift cards, going out to eat, earning a trip) for doing good work – and they clearly won’t refuse receiving a gift! …Often employees comment, “If I receive some gift but I never hear any praise, no one stops to see how I’m doing, or I never get any help – the gift feels really superficial.” Thus, it is important indeed to create a solid recognition program, but there is more. Utilizing predictive analytics will accelerate overall engagement by using data from Awespira to gain deeper understandings and support managers as they strive to engage employees to drive the City of Lancaster to new levels of excellence.
RFP No. 808-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
4. Preventing “App Abandonment” App abandonment is a pervasive issue, which is why at AveNew we have developed strategies to make Awespira a sticky “go-to” platform: • Local Discounts (optional) – We have embedded America’s largest discount program, entertainment.com, to bring users exclusive local and national discounts. • Push Notifications – AveNew’s state-of-the-art embedded push notification system allows us to gently remind users to return to Awespira to see the latest Calls to Action, updates, and discounts. 5. Analytics and Reporting Overview With Awespira, our clients have three levels of data and metrics analytics and reporting, from the most basic global view to advanced predictive analytics. A. Level One: The Awespira admin portal provides a convenient macro view of organization and sub-organization real-time engagement, including: • Number of users • User activity, including date last active • Coins earned • Coins redeemed • Call to Action (CTA) performance, including number of views, points earned, etc. • Reward redemption – by individual and for each CTA B. Level Two: When downloading the data to Tableau, the information starts to come to life, with optics into individual employee and constituent behavior. C. Level Three: To fully maximize the power of the data generated through Awespira, AveNew partners with Aclaró AI to use predictive analytics to deliver advanced psychographics that allow our clients to fully engage with their people. Consider the following: In this dynamic era, raw data alone is a mere collection of facts. It's like having a palette full of colors but not knowing how to paint a masterpiece. While the City’s HRIS system can certainly churn out straightforward reports and allow basic analytics through tools like Excel, what truly differentiates an organization is its ability to *comprehend and connect* with the essence of that data. Envision, if you will, a symphony of understanding that unfolds the deeper nuances of your employees' aspirations, desires, and needs. The key isn't just in asking the right questions, but in seeking those profound insights that resonate with the soul of your workforce. It’s about understanding whether they perceive your organization as a nurturing ally during their career journey. Can they proudly proclaim, "This is where I belong"?
RFP No. 808-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
Now, imagine harnessing the power of modern methodologies like the Net Promoter Score (NPS) to tap into these sentiments. Couple that with the prowess of Machine Learning, which not only assimilates this data but predicts, with uncanny accuracy, the rhythm, and patterns of your workforce's psyche. Add to this a dash of Business Intelligence and the conversational ease of a ChatBot, and you have a seamless interface that brings these insights to your fingertips. Envision the profound harmony between an employee and an organization, where both dance in perfect synchronization, cherishing a bond that could span over 60,000 hours or 7,800 days. And while unforeseen circumstances, like black swan events, might challenge this bond, with the right insights you can always be prepared. At the end of the day, a thriving relationship is rooted in understanding, and that's where we come in. Our offerings aren't just tools; they're bridges to nurturing enduring relationships. We've transformed the landscape of recognition and retention for many, and we are confident in our ability to do the same for your esteemed organization. 6. Integrations, Maintenance & Ongoing Innovations Tech.us is our technology partner that brings Awespira to life. Based in California’s Silicon Valley and several locations in India, with customers on four continents, Tech.us is an innovative software development and related services company with more than 1,350+ projects under its belts. Maintenance services provided for Awespira by Tech.us include: • Monitor and maintain servers and network infrastructure on AWS to ensure availability and performance; • Monitor and maintain integrations with 3rd party software and systems to ensure availability and performance; • Monitor API traffic and maintain API microservices to ensure availability and performance; • Monitor application, database, network, and server performance and resource utilization and recommend improvements as needed; • Monitor and maintain databases and database integrity; • Adjust resources or architecture of server or network infrastructure to improve application speed and responsiveness; • Update and patch servers as needed to keep current; • Conduct and maintain regular backups of the system; • Update and patch servers and software as needed to keep current with information security requirements; • Investigate and troubleshoot any bugs or failures and determine changes required and root cause; • Investigate and troubleshoot usability and user interface issues and recommend changes to reduce friction or confusion; and • Monitor and maintain mobile app store listings with Apple and Android App Stores.
RFP No. 809-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
Project Methodology AveNew Solutions is partnering with Todd Rogers. Together we are proud to introduce an innovative approach that leverages Rogers’ decades of experience with the LA County Sheriff’s Department, AveNew’s history in government and labor, the cutting-edge technology platform, Awespira, the predictive metrics competencies of Aclaró AI, and the leadership coaching of Lina Sosa. Our comprehensive approach transcends traditional methods, providing the City of Lancaster with a groundbreaking solution to the City’s quest to improve internal services using performance metrics and optimizing operations, specifically in the area of Public Safety. 1. In-Depth Analysis of the Public Safety Department Our team will conduct an in-depth evaluation of the City of Lancaster’s Public Safety Department, including: • Understanding the current structure, roles, and responsibilities. • Identifying opportunities for process improvement and optimization. • Review existing and proposed Public Safety policies, practices, and procedures to align with best practices. The following are examples of the type of information that will be gathered: • Identifying the effectiveness of the service provided by LASD and pain points. • Review existing Public Safety policies, practices, procedures, and deployments and how they align with LASD and industry best practices. • Evaluate areas for process improvement and efficiencies. • Employee and contract deputy experience and engagement evaluation utilizing both traditional interviews and AveNew Awespira. • Community opinions regarding public safety (if desired). Specifically, our evaluation will include the following key components: • Strategic Alignment: As a part of this evaluation, we will assess the Public Safety Department's alignment with the LASD and the operational goals of the City of Lancaster. We propose to utilize the Awespira platform to conduct surveys as a part of the evaluation, engaging employees – and ideally contract deputies – in a strategic collaboration for positive change based on precise evaluation outcomes. • Effectiveness: Our analysis will delve into the Public Safety Department’s and LASD’s relative effectiveness in meeting the public safety goals of the community and City leadership. 2. Develop and implement key performance metrics for the Public Safety Department Our team will develop and implement key performance metrics for the Public Safety Department, including: • Identifying relevant metrics to track departmental effectiveness and efficiency. • Establishing baseline measurements and setting targets for improvement. • Designing a monitoring and reporting system for ongoing assessment. The following describes our team's comprehensive methodology: • Information Gathering Methods: Our innovative approach includes both on-site and digital environmental analyses and documentation review. Awespira integrates data analysis, digital surveys, and online interviews, ensuring a streamlined process that minimizes disruption to the team's productivity. • Key Performance Metrics: Through Awespira-driven analytics, AveNew and Todd Rogers will establish baseline Key Performance Metrics aligned with industry standards and community priorities.
RFP No. 809-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
3. Provide Recommendations for Improvements Based on the Evaluation and Performance Metrics We will provide recommendations for improvements based on the evaluation and performance metrics, including: • Suggestions for process optimization and best practices implementation. • Recommendations for any necessary structural changes within the department. • Development of a plan to address identified gaps and inefficiencies. Included in this phase will be a focus on successes and ongoing challenges: • Full implementation of Public Safety Department Expansion. • Integration with LASD. • Internal and external assessments. • Overall performance relative to core public safety metrics. • Community perception of the City of Lancaster's public safety strategy. • Financial considerations. Additionally, we will review and provide recommendations for the Public Safety Department, specifically by reviewing key metrics around: • Crime trends and perceptions of public safety. • Community satisfaction with public safety services. • Inter-agency conflicts. Potential recommendations for improvement may include: • Revised departmental policies, procedures, and structure. • Revised deployment parameters. • Recommendations for enhanced community policing integration. • Recommendations for enhanced inter-agency cooperation. • Development of a plan to address identified gaps and inefficiencies. • Recommendations for longer-term strategic planning. Our recommendations will be prioritized in the order of perceived importance to assist with implementation. 4. Offer Support for the Recent Expansion, New Leadership, and Significant Changes Within the Public Safety Department Our team will offer support for the recent expansion, new leadership, and significant changes within the Public Safety department, including: • Advising on strategies for smoothly integrating new staff and expanded roles. • Supporting new leadership in their vision for the department, focusing on aligning this vision with implementing performance metrics. • Assisting in managing the changes associated with the department's expansion and leadership transition. AveNew, together with Todd Rogers, will present change management recommendations based on priority, qualitatively supported by our evidence-based analysis and quantitatively supported by Awespira's data-driven insights. With a specific roadmap for each change, we offer written communication plans, coaching, SOPs, and leadership buy-in strategies. Our ongoing support ensures a smooth implementation of desired changes.
RFP No. 809-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
Change management support shall include: • Creating a roadmap for implementing the recommended changes and metrics. • Coaching and training public safety staff on new processes, practices, and performance measurement. • Written SOPs for the Public Safety department to follow for various new processes. • Coaching and training public safety staff on new processes, practices, and performance measurement. • Capturing and ensuring leadership buy-in for proposed changes. • Encouraging and supporting behavioral changes within the department and City. To ensure a maximum ROI on the project, we recommend LMS Consulting’s Leadership Advantage Program (LAP). LAP, which is led by Lina Sosa, an Executive Coach with 20 years of experience managing and coaching individuals and teams, will prepare your key managers and leaders to reach their highest level of performance. Those who are selected to engage will learn strategies and techniques that will increase their engagement, enthusiasm, and overall results. The program provides interactive workshops to develop skills and tools that they can implement in their day-to-day operations. In this hands-on program, participants will experience increased performance and productivity by practicing critical thinking techniques, improved communication, and innovative ways for effectively resolving conflict. The program includes: Dynamic Group Meetings: 1 full-day meeting in person and 11 half-day virtual meetings held monthly. Accountability Triad: Triads connect every other month to share successes. Dynamic Curriculum: Essential topics based on metrics from this body of work, handling of issues, and hands-on exercises. Duration: One year is recommended Through their work with this program, participations will take these skills and competencies to the next level, allowing them to execute and lead teams effectively. Skills attained will include: • Goal setting • Communication • Collaboration • Listening • Conflict resolution • Adaptability • Organization • Accepting constructive feedback • Productivity • Accountability • Culture-by-design • Constituent success Benefits to Employees • Professional growth and increased confidence • Improved communication • Tools and strategies that help them exceed their personal and career goals. • Team building and connection.
Benefits to the City of Lancaster • Improved performance and productivity • Healthier organizational culture • Increased employee engagement and retention • A clear roadmap to success 5. Assess the Impact of Public Safety Performance Metrics Implementation on the City and its Departments The AveNew team and Todd Rogers understands that organizational change takes time and that some individuals and departments may be resistant to the impact of the changes to be implemented throughout this project. With humanity in mind, we will ensure care is taken in the communication and methodology in which the changes are rolled out and involve key stakeholders to minimize disruption and negative impact to operations. Communicating effectively the reason behind change often eases any potential undue emotional concerns. We will partner with all departments with dependencies on Public Safety operations before implementing change.
RFP No. 809-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
Our team will assess the impact of Public Safety performance metrics implementation on the City and its departments, including: • Identifying interdepartmental dependencies and collaboration opportunities. • Evaluating potential improvements to overall City operations due to the Public Safety department optimization. • As necessary, facilitate meetings and workshops with the Public Safety team, other departments, and stakeholders. 6. Facilitate Meetings and Workshops AveNew is committed to engaging all stakeholders, including those within the Public Safety team, working in other departments, City leadership, and externally as appropriate. This engagement will happen both in person and virtually and will occur throughout the duration of the project. In conclusion, our combined analytics and consulting, combined with the Awespira solution, will provide a transformative analysis and consultation model. This approach not only meets the City of Lancaster's needs but sets a new standard for excellence in the realm of Public Safety and performance metrics solutions. Throughout this journey, data collection via AweSpira ensures continuous improvement and sustained success. 7. Implementation Plan 1. Project Management Methodology Our team employs a robust project management system that ensures efficient handling of projects similar to the one outlined in this Request for Proposal (RFP). Specifically, we have designated a senior project manager for this initiative who possesses extensive experience in overseeing similar projects. The project management methodology adopted incorporates industry best practices and adheres to recognized standards to ensure project success. Utilizing fully transparent cloud-based project management software, we centralize project activities, milestones, and resources. This software enables real-time collaboration, task allocation, and progress tracking, facilitating a streamlined workflow and enhanced project transparency. 2. Stakeholder Engagement Approach We understand the criticality of soliciting and incorporating the perspectives of both internal and external stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle. Our methodology includes a systematic approach to solicit, document, and address the views, concerns, and feedback of relevant stakeholders. Through secure communication channels and regular engagement sessions, we aim to ensure that stakeholder inputs are not only captured but also integrated into the project framework to align with needs and expectations. 3. Additional Project Management Strategies In addition to the aforementioned methodologies, we emphasize secure document storage and version control through a shared platform, ensuring all project-related documentation remains accessible, secure, and updated. We prioritize data security and confidentiality by implementing robust access controls and encryption measures within our chosen document storage system. Our firm will employ risk management strategies that identify potential hurdles early in the project cycle, allowing for proactive mitigation measures to be implemented. Moreover, regular progress reporting and performance evaluation mechanisms will be established to monitor project milestones and ensure alignment with predefined objectives.
RFP No. 809-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
By combining advanced cloud-based project management tools, secure communication protocols, and a comprehensive stakeholder engagement strategy, our implementation plan is designed to optimize project efficiency, maintain transparency, and ultimately deliver exceptional results in line with the requirements outlined in this RFP. Roles and Responsibilities 1. Access to Documents • Responsibility: City staff will provide AveNew with confidential access to relevant policies and procedures that are necessary for the implementation of the project. • Role of City Staff: Identify, compile, and share all necessary policies, procedures, and other documents promptly and accurately. • Role of the AveNew Team: Review and understand the provided policies and procedures to align the project's goals with the City's regulations and guidelines. 2. Facilitating Meetings • Responsibility: City staff will coordinate and facilitate meetings involving employees and stakeholders. • Role of City Staff: Schedule meetings, invite necessary stakeholders, secure meeting spaces or virtual platforms, and ensure smooth facilitation of discussions. • Role of the AveNew Team: Participate actively in these meetings, contributing expertise and guidance to align strategies and goals, as well as gather feedback. 3. Encouraging Engagement • Responsibility: City staff will encourage employees and stakeholders to download and engage with Awespira, participating in surveys, polls, and activities. • Role of City Staff: Promote the features and benefits of the platform and encourage active involvement among employees and stakeholders. • Role of the AveNew Team: Provide support and materials to facilitate engagement, ensuring the platform is user-friendly and culturally relevant to encourage participation. 4. Collaborating on Content Design • Responsibility: City staff will collaborate with AveNew to design relevant and culturally appropriate content for Awespira. • Role of City Staff: Contribute insights into the local culture, preferences, and values to shape the content's relevance to the community. • Role of the AveNew Team: Utilize expertise in content creation and engagement strategies to develop materials that align with the city's culture and resonate with its audience to achieve project goals. 5. Ongoing Communication and Feedback • Responsibility: Both City staff and AveNew will maintain open communication and provide feedback on the progress and effectiveness of the initiatives. • Role of City Staff: Share regular updates, concerns, and suggestions regarding the project's implementation. • Role of the AveNew Team: Gather feedback, analyze data from the platform, and provide recommendations for improvements based on engagement metrics and user feedback.
RFP No. 809-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
This collaboration outlines a mutual effort where City staff and the AveNew team work hand-in-hand to achieve the outlined goals by utilizing each other's strengths, expertise, and resources to ensure successful implementation and engagement within the community. Detailed Timeline Task Timeline In-depth evaluavon of the Public Safety department Months 1-2 Develop and implement key performance metrics for the Public Safety department Months 3-4 Provide recommendavons for improvements based on the evaluavon and performance metrics Months 5-6 Offer support for the recent expansion, new leadership, and significant changes within the Public Safety department Months 6-9 Assess the impact of Public Safety performance metrics implementavon on the City and its departments Months 6-9 As necessary, facilitate meevngs and workshops with the Public Safety team, other departments, and stakeholders Ongoing 4. References Maynard: • Wayne Quint, Executive Director, PPOA | 951-316-8162 | [email protected] • Bud Treece, Executive Director Emeritus, ALADS | (818) 678-0399 | [email protected] Rogers: • Cecil W. Rhambo Jr., Chief of Police, LAWA | 424-477-7362 | [email protected] Bender: • David Roberts, City Manager, City of Carson | [email protected] | 310-830-7600 Sosa: • Jessica Lerner, President and CEO, Community Care Plan | [email protected] | 954-309-2567 • Josue Solano, CEO, BBC International | [email protected] | 954-600-4234 • Tina M. Lux, President, SAIM | [email protected] | 561-859-8509
RFP No. 809-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
5. Cost Proposal
See Addendum A. Hourly Rates AveNew Principal $ 250.00 Project Manager $ 125.00 Communications Manager $ 125.00 Communications Associate $ 75.00 Public Safety Expert Todd Rogers $250.00 Aclaró AI Senior AI Resource $ 250.00 Sr. BI Resource $ 200.00 Jr. BI Resource $ 125.00 All originals of plans, field notes, data and calculations, reports, electronic files, etc., will be turned over to the City upon completion of work. 6. Exceptions to Professional Services Agreement The proposer does not have any exceptions to the Professional Services Agreement/Insurance requirements.
RFP No. 808-24 & 809-24 | AveNew Solutions, LLC
5. Cost Proposal – Revised 2/29/24