FINANCE
LANCASTER
CITY OF LANCASTER, CA
RFP NO. 843-25
GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING SUPPORT SERVICES
SUBMISSION DEADLINE
October 28, 2024
BY 2:00 P.M.
(13:59:59- ACCORDING TO THE CITY'S OFFICIAL PROPOSAL CLOCK) SUBMIT TO:
OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
LANCASTER CITY HALL
"RFP 843-25 General Communications and Marketing Support Services" 44933 FERN AVENUE
LANCASTER, CA 93534
For questions concerning this REP contact by email only:
Purchasing Department
[email protected]
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR
GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING SUPPORT SERVICES
INTRODUCTION
The City of Lancaster (City) is a charter City incorporated in 1977. The City is governed by a five-member City Council whose members are elected at large and operate under a Council/City Manager form of government.
The City serves as the northern boundary of Los Angeles County, with Kern County to the north. The City is the largest City in the Antelope Valley, with a population of 160,000 across 94 square miles.
The City of Lancaster, California, is seeking proposals from qualified consultants to provide ongoing support for the City's communication and marketing efforts. The service includes crafting strategies, creating content, and implementing communication plans that effectively engage the community and support the City's goals. The objective of this service is to enhance the effectiveness and reach of Lancaster's communications, ensuring they align with the city's strategic objectives and enhance community engagement. Proposals should detail the approach, methodology, and any previous experience relevant to these types of services.
This RFP contains the information and documents necessary to prepare and submit a responsive proposal.
Proposers are responsible for complying with all requirements identified herein. By submitting a finished proposal packet, the Proposer represents that it has thoroughly examined and become familiar with the work required within this proposal and that it is capable of supplying a product to achieve the City's objectives.
Requests for modifications to the submitted proposal packet on the grounds that the Proposer was not fully informed as to any fact or condition will not be allowed. The City reserves the right to accept or reject any Proposal, or portions thereof, or to waive any informalities or irregularities within the proposals.
SCOPE OF SERVICES
The Scope of Services is outlined in Exhibit "A."
INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS
PROPOSAL FORMAT AND CONTENT
Proposals must adhere to the specified format for organization and content. Responses should emphasize the vendor's demonstrated ability to perform work of this type, with a focus on completeness and clarity of content.
1. Submission Requirements:
• Proposals (an original and three copies) shall not exceed 10 double-sided pages or 20 single- sided pages, excluding a sample curriculum.
• All proposals must be typed and arranged/divided in the following sequence to facilitate evaluation
2 2. Proposal Summary:
• Discuss the highlights, key features, and distinguishing points of the proposal. • Include a separate sheet listing contact information for individuals responsible for the proposal.
Limit this section to three (3) pages, including the contact sheet.
3. Profile on the Proposing Firm(s):
• Provide a brief description of the firm's size and the proposed local organizational structure. • Discuss the firm's financial stability, capacity, and resources. • List all other firms participating in the proposal, including similar information about these firms. • Include a listing of any lawsuits or litigation related to public or other projects undertaken by the proposer or its subcontractors within the last five years, detailing the outcomes.
4. Qualifications of the Firm:
• Include a brief description of the proposer's and any sub-proposer's qualifications and previous experience on similar or related projects.
5. Work Plan or Proposal:
• Present a well-conceived service plan that describes major tasks and subtasks. • Demonstrate understanding of the City's objectives and work requirements and articulate the proposer's ability to meet those needs.
• Describe the proposed approach for addressing the required services and the firm's ability to adhere to the City's schedule.
6. Project Staffing:
• Discuss staffing strategy for the project. Identify key project team members by name, title, and specific responsibilities.
• Include an organizational chart and resumes for key personnel. • Note: Changes in key personnel post-submission may be cause for rejection of the proposal.
7. Copy of License:
• Include a copy of state-approved license documentation.
8. Cost Proposal:
• Provide a fee schedule/pricing information as referenced in the attached Exhibit B. • Indicate whether the program will be full-time or part-time, complete the program parameter and associated cost information.
• Proposals must be valid for a minimum of 180 days following submission. • You may submit multiple cost proposals if offering multiple program options.
9. Exceptions to Professional Services Agreement:
• List any exceptions to the Professional Services Agreement/insurance requirements (Exhibit C- Sample Agreement).
10. Signature Sheet:
• Complete the included Signature Sheet and include it with the proposal submission.
11. California Levine Act Statement:
3 • Complete the included California Levine Act Statement and include it with the proposal submission.
EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS
A committee of at least three staff shall evaluate all Proposals.
Proposals will be evaluated and scored on the following criteria (total of 100 points):
• Quality, performance and effectiveness of the solution, goods and/or services to be provided by the Proposer (40 points)
• Proposer experience, including the experience of the staff to be assigned to the project, the engagements of similar scope and complexity (40 points)
• Reasonableness of the proposed budget (20 points)
The evaluation committee may wish to interview Proposers with scores above a natural break during the selection process. Should an interview process take place, the interview results will carry greater weight in the selection process. However, the City reserves the right to select solely based on the proposals without further contact.
The most highly qualified Vendor shall then enter into negotiations with the City to formalize the Agreement and Compensation. If the City is unable to obtain a fair and reasonable price or cannot reach an agreement regarding the terms and compensation, then the City will end negotiations with that Vendor.
QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS RFP
Any questions or requests for interpretation or clarification, either administrative or technical, about this RFP must be submitted via email to [email protected] prior to 2:00 PM on October 15, 2024. The subject line should be "Questions - RFP 843-25."
Oral statements concerning the meaning or intent of the contents of this RFP by any person is unauthorized and invalid. The City will not be responsible for any other explanation or interpretation of the RFP, or for any oral instructions. Any contact with City personnel other than identified above regarding this RFP may disqualify a Vendor.
CLARIFICATION STATEMENTS
For clarification purposes, the words "Contractor", "Consultant"; "Vendor", "Supplier", "Company"; "Proposer" and "Bidder" shall be read to be one and the same. The words "Contract" and "Agreement" shall be read to be one and the same. The words "Bid"; "Quote"; and "Proposal" shall be read to be one and the same. "City of Lancaster" and "City" shall be read to be one and the same. "Request for Proposal" and "RFP" shall be read to be one and the same.
NO CONTACT POLICY
After the date and time established for receipt of proposals by the City, any contact initiated by any Vendor with any City representative, other than the representative listed herein, concerning this Request for Proposals is 4 prohibited. Any such unauthorized contact may cause the disqualification of the Vendor from this procurement transaction.
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL
Be advised that all information contained in proposals submitted in response to this solicitation may be subject to the California Public Records Act (Government Code §6250 et. seq.), and information's use and disclosure are governed by this Act. Any information deemed confidential or proprietary should be clearly identified as such.
It may then be protected and treated with confidentiality only to the extent permitted by state law.
COMPLETION OF PROPOSAL
Proposals shall be completed in all respects as required by this RFP. A proposal may be rejected if conditional or incomplete, or if it contains any alterations or other irregularities of any kind and will be rejected if any such defect or irregularity can materially affect the quality of the proposal. Proposals which contain false or misleading statements may be rejected. If, in the opinion of the City's selection committee, such information was intended to mislead the City in its evaluation of the Proposal, and the attribute, condition, or capability is a requirement of this RFP, the Proposal will be rejected. Statements made by a Vendor shall also be without ambiguity, and with adequate elaboration, where necessary, for clear understanding. Unauthorized conditions, exemptions, limitations, or provisions attached to a Proposal will render it non-responsive and may cause its rejection.
The Vendor, in responding to this RFP, must submit Proposals in the format identified in this RFP. The Proposal must address all requirements of the RFP even if a "no response" is appropriate.
Costs for developing Proposals are entirely the responsibility of the Vendor and shall not be chargeable to the City.
Only one Proposal is to be submitted by each Vendor. Multiple Proposals will result in rejection of all Proposals submitted by the Proposer.
ERRORS AND OMISSIONS
If, prior to the date fixed for submission of Proposals, a Vendor discovers any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission or other error in this RFP or any of its appendices or exhibits, Vendor shall immediately notify the City of such error in writing and request modification or clarification of the document. Modifications shall be made by written Addenda to the RFP.
Interested Vendors may submit requests for clarifications in email or writing. The City will compile all requests and provide responses in written format to all Vendors who have furnished or requested an RFP.
If Vendor fails to notify the City, prior to the date fixed for the submission of Proposals, of an error in the RFP known to the Vendor, or an error that reasonably should have been known to the Vendor, Vendor shall submit its Proposal at his/her own risk, and if Vendor is awarded a Contract, Vendor shall not be entitled to additional compensation or time by reason of the error or its later correction.
ADDENDA TO PROPOSAL
5 The City may modify the RFP, any of its key actions, dates, or any of its attachments, prior to the date fixed for submission of Proposals by issuance of an Addendum to potential Vendors. Such Addendum shall also be posted on the City's website. Vendor shall acknowledge receipt of all Addenda in their Proposal. Any Addenda issued during the time for submission of proposals will be made part of the Agreement. Vendor shall be responsible for ensuring all addenda are included in its response.
EXECUTION OF PROPOSAL
The full name, business address, zip code, and business telephone number (with area code) of individual, partnership, joint venture, or corporation submitting a Proposal shall be typewritten on the Proposal. The Vendor shall ensure that the Proposal is signed by an authorized signatory. No stamped or facsimile signatures will be accepted.
WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL
A Proposal may be withdrawn after its submission by written or facsimile request signed by the Vendor or authorized representative prior to the time and date specified for Proposal submission. Proposals may be withdrawn and resubmitted in the same manner if done so before the Proposal submission deadline.
Withdrawal or modification offered in any other manner will not be considered.
PROPOSALS BECOME THE PROPERTY OF THE CITY
Proposals become the property of the City and information contained therein shall become public documents subject to disclosure laws after the contract is awarded. (Government Code Section 6250 et seq.). The City reserves the right to make use of any information or idea contained in the Proposal.
Vendors must notify the City in advance of any proprietary or confidential materials contained in the Proposal and provide justification for not making such material public. The City will have the sole discretion to disclose or not disclose such material subject to state law.
All materials, ideas and formats submitted in response to this RFP will become the property of the City upon receipt.
REJECTION OF PROPOSALS
The City may reject any and all Proposals and may waive any immaterial deviation in a Proposal. The City's waiver of an immaterial defect shall in no way modify this RFP or excuse the Vendor from full compliance with this RFP and/or Contract documents if awarded the Contract. Proposals that include terms and conditions other than the City's terms and conditions may be rejected as non-responsive. The City may make investigations as deemed necessary to determine the ability of the Vendor to perform, and the Vendor shall furnish to the City all such information and data for that purpose as requested by the City. The City reserves the right to reject any Proposal if the evidence submitted by, or investigation of, such Vendor fails to satisfy the City that the Vendor is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the Agreement and to complete the work described therein.
AWARD OF CONTRACT
The City reserves the right to modify the Award of Contract or rejection date as best meets the needs of the City. The City reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals in response to this RFP in the best interest of the 6 City. The City further reserves the right to waive any informalities or irregularities in the Proposals. The City shall not be liable for any cost incurred in connection with the preparation and submission of any Proposal.
Award, if any, will be to the Vendor whose Proposal best complies with the requirements of this RFP. The City reserves the right to award the Contract as complete, or any part thereof, including any and all schedules, locations, additive alternatives, or extra work. The City reserves the right to award the contract to multiple Proposers should it be deemed in the best interest of the City.
CONTRACT TERM
The total term of the Agreement shall be for one year. The Agreement may extend for one (1) additional 2-year term upon mutual agreement in writing by both parties.
Pricing shall remain firm for the initial contract term. Should the option to renew for additional terms be exercised, the City and the Vendor may negotiate any and all pricing increases and term length. Any decrease in costs to Vendor shall be passed through to the City.
CONTRACT DOCUMENTS - PRECEDENCE
In submitting a Proposal, the Vendor agrees to enter into an Agreement with the City. In the event of a conflict existing between documents, the following order of precedence shall apply:
• Agreement
• City's Request for Proposals and Addenda, if any
• Vendor's Response to the Request for Proposals
EXECUTION OF AGREEMENT
After notification of intent to award Contract, the following Contract documents shall be signed within ten (10) business days from the date the City mails, or by other means, delivers said documents to the Vendor.
A. The Agreement in the form agreeable to both parties, properly executed by the Vendor.
B. Properly executed policies or Certificates of Insurance, including an Additional Insured Endorsement for each policy in accordance with the Insurance Requirements, Exhibit D.
No Agreement shall be binding upon the City until all documents are fully executed by the Vendor and the City.
FAILURE TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT
Failure to execute the Agreement and furnish the required insurance, within the required time period shall be just cause for the recession of the award. If the successful Vendor refuses or fails to execute the Agreement, the City may award the Agreement to the next qualified Vendor.
CANCELLATION
The City reserves the right to cancel this RFP at any time should it be deemed to be in the best interest of the City. No obligation either expressed or implied exists on the part of the City to make an award based on the submission of any Proposal.
7 ADMINISTRATIVE CONTACTS
Any questions regarding contractual terms and conditions, proposal format, Exhibit A - Scope of Services, Exhibit B- Cost Proposal, or Exhibit C- Sample Agreement shall be directed to: [email protected]
DUE DATES
All Proposals (an original and three copies) are due by 2:00 (13:59:59) P.M. on October 28, 2024. Any Proposal samples received at the designated location after the required time and date specified for receipt shall be considered late and non-responsive. Proposals and packages containing product samples must be clearly marked on the outside with the name of the Vendor and RFP title. It is the responsibility of the Proposer to ensure that the Proposal is delivered to the place and by the time specified in this RFP. Email and facsimile responses will not be considered. Any late Proposals shall be returned unopened, to the Vendor.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
The City reserves the right to modify the content or schedule of these events at any time, for any reason.
Event Date
RFP Distribution October 10, 2024
Last Day to Submit Questions 2:00 PM, October 15, 2024
Addendum (Responses to Questions) Issued October 18, 2024 Proposal Due Date 2:00 PM, October 28, 2024
Proposal Evaluation by Committee October 28 - November 1, 2024 Tentative Selection November 4, 2024
Expected Contract Awarded by City Council (If Tentatively November 12, 2024 Needed)
8 SIGNATURE SHEET
My signature certifies that the proposal as submitted complies with all terms and conditions as set forth in RFP No. 843-25.
My signature certifies that this firm has no business or personal relationships with any other companies or person that could be considered a conflict of interest, or potential conflict of interest to the City of Lancaster, pertaining to any and all work or services to be performed as a result of this request and any resulting Contract with the City.
The Vendor hereby certifies that it has:
• Read each and every clause of this RFP and addenda, including Addendum # • Included all costs necessary to complete the specified work in its proposed prices. • Agreed that if it is awarded the Contract, it will make no claim against the City based upon misunderstanding of any provision of the Agreement. Should conditions turn out otherwise than anticipated by it, the Vendor agrees to assume all risks incident thereto.
I hereby certify that I am authorized to sign as a Representative for the Firm:
Name of Firm: _
Address:
Fed ID No: DIR # (if applicable):
Name (print):
Name (sign):
Title:
Telephone: Fax:
Email: Date:
*To receive consideration for award, this signature sheet must be returned with the Proposal.* 9 For use with RFPs, Licenses & Permits
California Levine Act Statement
California Government Code Section 84308, commonly referred to as the "Levine Act," prohibits any Lancaster official from participating in any action related to a contract or application if he or she receives any political contributions totaling more than $250 within the previous twelve months, and for twelve months following the date a final decision is rendered.
The Levine Act also requires a Lancaster City official who has received such a contribution to disclose the contribution on the record of the proceeding.
Current Lancaster City Council Members are listed at:
https://www.cityoflancasterca.org/government/city-officials/city-council-copy Current Planning Commissioners are listed at:
https://www.cityoflancasterca.org/government/commissions- appointments/planning
Proposers are responsible for accessing this link to review the names prior to answering the following questions.
1. Have you or your company, or any agent/board member on behalf of you or your company/entity, made any political contributions of more than $250 to any Lancaster City Council Member or other city official in the 12 months preceding the date of the submission of your proposal or application, or the anticipated date of any Council action?
— YES If yes, please identify the Council Member(s)/city official(s):
NO
2. Do you or your company/entity, or any agency on behalf of you or your company/entity, anticipate or plan to make any political contribution of more than $250 to any Lancaster City Council Member or other city official in the 12 months following any Council action related to your proposal or application? _YES If yes, please identify the Council Member(s) /city official(s)::
_ NO
Answering yes to either of the two questions above does not preclude the Lancaster City Council from awarding a contract or approving an application or any subsequent action. It does however, preclude the identified Council Member(s) from participating in any actions related to your proposal or application.
Date Signature of authorized individual
Company/Applicant Name
10 EXHIBIT "A"
SCOPE OF SERVICES
AND RATES SCHEDULE
The City of Lancaster is seeking proposals from qualified consultants to provide General Communications and Marketing Support Services. Lancaster has a strong history of collaborating with experts to enhance its community engagement and outreach.
The main responsibility of the selected consultant will be to provide comprehensive support for the City's various communication and marketing initiatives. This includes content creation, social media management, public relations, and other related activities. Proposals should detail the services offered, experience, and provide examples of past work.
The anticipated start date for these services is as early as November 2024, with services expected to continue through at least November 2025, with an additional two-year option available at the end of the initial year's services.
The selected consultant will be expected to provide the City with regular updates on project progress and deliverables that meet the City's standards. They should conduct evaluations to measure the success of the services provided, including audience engagement and feedback, and use these insights to suggest improvements and explore the potential for future projects. Presentation of the findings and their impact may be required to be delivered to the City Council or appropriate City officials at one or more agreed-upon dates during the contract.
CONSULTANT AGREES TO:
• PROJECT RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Be responsible for conducting comprehensive Communications Evaluation Services, including assessing and analyzing the City's marketing strategy and practices, and/or providing General Communications and Marketing Support Services.
• Ensure all evaluations and support services adhere to industry best practices and align with the City's goals and messaging guidelines.
Provide consistent personnel with minimal substitution to maintain continuity and quality of service.
• Conduct services in a professional and effective manner. • The City reserves the right to observe the consultant's work to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the Agreement.
• The selected organization must ensure that all deliverables are culturally, linguistically, and contextually appropriate for the community served.
• Comply with all relevant California laws and regulations regarding communications and marketing services.
• QUALITY OF PROGRAM:
• Maintain a quality program which includes, but is not limited to:
• Consultants are knowledgeable and experienced in communications, marketing strategy, and evaluation techniques.
11 • Consultants are organized and prepared to deliver high-quality services on schedule. • Consultants maintain strong working relationships with City staff and stakeholders. • Consultants provide excellent customer service.
• Consultants and their teams can effectively resolve any issues that arise during the project.
• The consultant is required to comply with all laws, regulations, rules, policies, and reporting procedures relevant to communications and marketing services. • EMPLOYEES:
• All employees and/or volunteers must complete a fingerprint background check and must pass the background check prior to providing services. Additionally, they must provide negative TB test results within the last two years.
• All consultants, as well as their employees and volunteers, are strongly recommended to obtain certification in CPR/First Aid.
• PUBLICITY:
Must obtain prior approval from the City for any publicity containing the City's logo. • RECORD KEEPING:
• Must track and document the progress of each project as assigned. • The consultant will work with City staff to identify and prioritize communications and marketing projects that align with the City's goals.
• PRIVACY:
• Agrees that any personal information that the consultant receives regarding City staff or residents may not be used for anything other than City business. • Ensures that any personal information will be stored in a secure location. • RATE:
• The consultant will not be compensated for projects that are initiated and then canceled. The consultant will be compensated only for completed projects as outlined in the agreed-upon scope of work.
• LOCATION OF SERVICES:
• The City will provide the necessary space and equipment for these services. The consultant must have access to their own additional tools and resources required for the project. 12 EXHIBIT "B"
Cost Proposal
Cost Proposal Template (Edit as necessary)
1. Company Information
Company Name:
Contact Person:
Address:
Phone:
Email:
2. Summary of Proposed Services
Brief summary of services offered and associated cost structures (if submitting multiple proposals for different service options, specify each one separately).
3. Cost Breakdown
Service Hourly Rate (or other Cost for Initial Cost for Cost for Total Cost Fee Structure) Year (Year 1) Optional Year Optional Year for 3 Years (Year 2) (Year 3)
Service 1 _per hour / flat $. $. $_
rate/etc.
Service 2 _per hour / flat $ $ $ $
rate/etc.
Service 3 $_ _per hour / flat $. $.
rate/etc.
Total $_ $_ $_ $_
Costs for
Services
13 4. Additional Cost Considerations
Discounts: Any volume or long-term service discounts offered.
Materials or Equipment Costs: Indicate if any are included or will be billed separately.
Other Anticipated Costs: Provide details on any additional costs (e.g., travel, administrative fees, etc.) that may arise during the initial year or the extended years.
5. Payment Terms
Specify the payment terms (e.g., net 30, upon completion of services, milestone-based payments).
Authorized Signature
Name:
Title:
Date:
14 EXHIBIT "C"
SAMPLE AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
THIS AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES is made and entered into this _ day of , 2024, by and between the CITY OF LANCASTER, a municipal corporation and charter city, ("City"), and _ a lentity type (e.g., California corporation] ("Consultant") (collectively, sometimes referred to hereinafter as the "Parties").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the City desires to engage Consultant to perform certain technical and professional services, as provided herein, identified as:
[Name of the Project or General Description of the Services] (THE "SERVICES") WHEREAS, the principal members of Consultant are qualified and duly registered/licensed under the laws of the State of California, and Consultant desires to accept such engagement; NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
1. Parties to the Agreement.
The parties to this Agreement are:
A. CITY: City of Lancaster
B. CONSULTANT:
-
2 Notices. All written notices required by or related to this Agreement shall be sent by Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested, postage prepaid and addressed as listed below. Neither party to this Agreement shall refuse to accept such mail; parties to this Agreement shall promptly inform the other party of any changes of address. All notices required by this Agreement are effective on the day of receipt, unless otherwise indicated herein.
CITY City of Lancaster
Attn: Trolis Niebla, City Manager
44933 North Fern Avenue
Lancaster, California 93534
CONSULTANT
Attn:
Address
15 3. Successors and Assigns. The terms hereof shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the parties hereto; provided, however, that no party hereto shall assign any of the benefits and burdens hereunder, whether voluntarily or by operation of law, without prior written consent of the other party, and any such assignments without said consent shall be void.
4. Description of Work. The City hereby engages Consultant, and Consultant accepts such engagement, to perform the technical and professional services set forth in the "Scope of Services and Rates Schedule," attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and incorporated herein by reference. Consultant shall perform and complete, in a manner satisfactory to the City, all work and services set forth in Exhibit "A." The City Manager or his designee shall have the right to review and inspect the work during the course of its performance at such times as may be specified by the City Manager, or his designee.
5. Obligations of the City.
A. The City shall pay Consultant an amount not to exceed $ for all work necessary to complete the Services, as described in the Scope of Services and Rates Schedule. Payments shall be due within thirty (30) days following submittal of an invoice detailing the services performed, at the hourly rates set forth in Exhibit A.
B. No payment made hereunder by the City to Consultant, other than the final payment, shall be construed as an acceptance by the City of any work or materials, nor as evidence of satisfactory performance by Consultant of its obligations under this Agreement.
6. Obligations of the Consultant.
A. Consultant shall perform as required by this Agreement and in accordance with the Scope of Services and Rates Schedule set forth in Exhibit A.
B. Consultant shall be responsible for payment of all employees' wages and benefits, and shall comply with all requirements pertaining to employer's liability, workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, and Social Security.
C. Consultant shall not subcontract any of the work required to perform the Services without the express prior written approval of the City.
7. Hold Harmless and Indemnification. Consultant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the City, its elected officials, officers and employees, from and against any and all third-party claims, losses, obligations, or liabilities whatsoever, including reasonable attorney's fees, incurred to the extent arising out of or related to Consultant's negligent or willful wrongful acts, errors or omissions, or those of its employees or agents. Consultant agrees to defend the City, its officers and employees, using counsel of the City's choosing, from and against any and all claims covered by the indemnity in the preceding sentence.
8. Amendments. Any amendment, modification, or variation from the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be effective only upon mutual written approval by the City and Consultant.
9. Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity. 16 A. In the performance of this Agreement, Consultant shall not discriminate against any employee, subcontractor, or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability or age. Consultant will take affirmative action to ensure that subcontractors and applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment without regard to their race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability or age. Affirmative action relating to employment shall include, but not be limited to the following: employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer; recruitment; layoff or termination; rates of pay or other forms of compensation; and selection for training including apprenticeship.
The provisions of subsection A above shall be included in all solicitations or advertisements placed by or on behalf of Consultant for personnel to perform any services under this Agreement. The City shall have access to all documents, data and records of Consultant and its subcontractors for purposes of determining compliance with the equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination provisions of this Section.
10. Term; Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective and shall be in full force and effect upon the execution of the Agreement by the City and the Consultant. This Agreement shall continue in full force and effect for twelve (12) months, unless the Agreement is sooner terminated in accordance with this Agreement; provided, however, that the City and the Consultant may mutually agree in writing to extend the Term of this Agreement.
11. Termination.
A. For Convenience. The City may terminate this Agreement at any time without cause by giving thirty (30) days written notice to the other party of such termination and specifying the effective date thereof. In the event of termination of this Agreement, Consultant will be paid for work completed through the date of termination within thirty (30) days following submittal of a final invoice.
B. S For Cause. If Consultant fails to perform the services called for by this Agreement or so fails to make progress as to endanger performance of this Agreement in accordance with its terms, Consultant shall correct such failure within ten (10) days (or such longer period that the City may authorize in writing) after receipt of notice from the City specifying such failure. Should the failure not be corrected within this time period, the City may immediately terminate the Agreement by written notice to Consultant.
C. In the event of termination, whether for convenience or cause, reports, plans, studies and other documents (collectively, "documents") related to the Services shall become the City's property.
Consultant shall provide all documents to the City that have not yet been within ten (10) calendar days after termination of the Agreement.
12. Independent Contractor. Consultant is an independent contractor and shall have no power or authority to incur any debt, obligation or liability on behalf of the City. It is expressly understood between the Parties to this Agreement that no employee/employer relationship is intended.
13. Insurance.
A. The Consultant, at its expense, shall maintain in effect at all times during the term of this Agreement the following coverage and limits of insurance, which shall be maintained with insurers listed "A-, VIII" or better in the Best's Key Rating Guide:
17 Commercial General Liability
Each Occurrence $1,000,000
Per Project General Aggregate $2,000,000
Including Products/Completed Operations; Contractual Liability/Independent Contractors; Property Damage
(Coverage shall be at least as broad as ISO form CG2010 11/85 or CG2010 07/04 and CG2037 07/04 combined, or an equivalent providing ongoing and completed operations) Commercial Automobile Liability
Combined Single Limit per Accident for
Bodily Injury and Property Damage $1,000,000
(Coverage shall be at least as broad as ISO form CA00 01) Workers Compensation
As Required by the State of California Statutory Limits Employers Liability
Each Accident $1,000,000
Bodily Injury by Disease $1,000,000
Each Employee $1,000,000
(A Waiver of Subrogation must be provided on behalf of the Certificate Holder for the Workers Compensation & Employers' Liability policies)
Professional Liability
Each Occurrence $2,000,000
General Aggregate $2,000,000
Provide one of the following for cyber-related services Technology Professional Liability
(Errors and Omissions)
Each Occurrence $2,000,000
General Aggregate $2,000,000
(Coverage shall be sufficiently broad to respond to the duties and obligations as are undertaken by Consultant pursuant to this Agreement and shall include, without limitation, claims involving invasion of privacy violations, information theft, damage to or destruction of electronic information, release of private information, alteration of electronic information, extortion and network security. The policy shall provide coverage for breach response costs as well as any applicable regulatory fines and penalties as well as credit monitoring expenses with limits sufficient to respond to these obligations.) Or
Cyber Liability Insurance
Each Occurrence $5,000,000
General Aggregate $5,000,000
18 B. The Consultant's insurance shall apply separately to each insured against whom claim is made or suit is brought, except with respect to the limits of the insured's liability.
Professional liability and/or cyber insurance written on a "claims made" basis must be renewed for a period of three (3) years after this contract expires or is terminated. Such insurance must have the same coverage and limits as the policy that was in effect during the term of this contract and will cover Consultant for all claims made by the City insured entities arising out of any acts or omissions of Consultant or its officers, employees, or agents during the time this Agreement was in effect.
D. Any deductibles or self-insurance retentions must be declared and approved by the City.
At the City's option, either the insurer shall reduce or eliminate such deductibles or self-insured retentions as respects the City insured entities or the insurer shall procure a bond guaranteeing payment of losses and related investigations, claim administration and defense expenses.
E. All insurance shall be primary and non-contributory as respects the City insured entities.
Any insurance or self-insurance maintained by the City insured entities shall be in excess of the Consultant's insurance and shall not contribute with it.
F. Consultant shall furnish the City with Certificates of Insurance and with endorsements effecting coverage required by this Agreement. Certificates of Insurance shall meet the following requirements:
(1) Show that the insurance policy has been endorsed to state that coverage shall not be suspended, voided, canceled, reduced in coverage or in limits except after 30 days' prior written notice (10 days' written notice for non-payment) to the City of Lancaster. (2) List in the "Descriptions of Operations/Locations/Vehicles" section:
"[Name of the Project/Services/Title & Date of Event]
The City of Lancaster, its elected officials, officers, employees and volunteers are included as additional covered parties, but only insofar as the operations under this contract are concerned."
(3) List in the "Certificate Holder" section:
The City of Lancaster, 44933 Fern Avenue, Lancaster, California 93534.
14. Commencement and Completion of Work. The Services to be provided by Consultant pursuant to this Agreement shall commence within _ days after execution of this Agreement, and shall be completed no later than _ days following commencement; provided however, that the Parties may agree to extend the time for completion upon mutual written agreement.
15. Ownership of Documents. All plans, specifications, reports, studies, maps and other documents prepared or obtained by Consultant in the course of performing the work and are required by this Agreement to be delivered to the City shall be the property of the City. Basic sketches, charts, computations and similar data prepared or obtained by Consultant under this Agreement shall, upon request, be made available to City without restriction or limitation on their use. 19 16. Data Provided to Consultant. City shall provide to Consultant, without charge, all data, including reports, records, maps and other information, now in the City's possession which may facilitate the timely performance of the work described in Exhibit A.
17. Consultant's Warranties and Representations.
Consultant warrants and represents to City as follows:
A. Consultant has not employed or retained any person or entity, other than a bona fide employee working exclusively for Consultant, to solicit or obtain this Agreement.
B. Consultant has not paid or agreed to pay any person or entity, other than a bona fide employee working exclusively for Consultant, any fee, commission, percentage, gift, or any other consideration contingent upon or resulting from the execution of this Agreement. Upon any breach or violation of this warranty, City shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to terminate this Agreement without further liability, or, in the alternative, to deduct from any sums payable hereunder the full amount or value of any such fee, commission, percentage or gift.
C. l Consultant has no knowledge that any officer or employee of the City has any interest, whether contractual, non contractual, financial, proprietary, or otherwise, in this transaction or in the business of the Consultant, and that if any such interest comes to the knowledge of Consultant at any time, a complete written disclosure of such interest will be made to City, even if such interest would not be deemed a prohibited "conflict of interest" under applicable laws.
D. Upon the execution of this Agreement, Consultant has no interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction or business entity which would conflict with or in any manner hinder the performance of services and work required by this Agreement, nor shall any such interest be acquired during the term of this Agreement.
18. Resolution of Disputes.
A. Disputes regarding the interpretation or application of any provisions of this Agreement shall, to the extent reasonably feasible, be resolved through good faith negotiations between the parties.
B. If the parties cannot resolve the dispute through good faith negotiations, either party may give Notice of Dispute to the other party. The Notice of Dispute shall state the nature of the dispute and the corrective action necessary to remedy the dispute.
After Notice of Dispute, the parties shall first attempt to resolve any disputes by mediation. The parties shall agree on a single mediator. Mediation shall be conducted in Lancaster, California.
Each party shall pay its own attorneys' fees and the costs of mediation shall be split equally between the parties.
If the dispute has not been resolved by mediation within 45 days after Notice of Dispute, or the parties are unable to agree to a mediator, within 15 days after Notice of Dispute, then, the dispute may, upon agreement of the parties be resolved by binding arbitration. 20 C. If any action at law or in equity is brought to enforce or interpret any provisions of this Agreement, the prevailing party in such action shall be entitled to reasonable attorney's fees, cost and necessary disbursements, in addition to such other relief as may be sought and awarded.
19. Exhibits.
The following exhibits to which reference is made in this Agreement are deemed incorporated herein in their entirety:
Exhibit "A" Scope of Services and Rates Schedule
20. Governing Law.
This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California.
21. Effective Date.
This Agreement shall become effective as of the date set forth below on which the last of the parties, whether City or Consultant, executes said Agreement. 21 LEVINE ACT DISCLOSURE
California Government Code section 84308 ("Levine Act") requires a party to a contract other than competitively bid, labor, or personal employment contract, to disclose any contribution of more than $250 that the party (or their agent) has made to a member of the City Council or any other officer of the City as defined in the Levine Act within the prior 12 months. The Levine Act also prohibits for 12 months following a final decision, a party (or their agent) from making a contribution of more than $250 to any member of the City Council or any other officer as defined in the Levine Act who may participate in the making of this Agreement.
A. By its signature on this Agreement, [COMPANY NAME] represents and warrants [select one]:
Neither [COMPANY NAME] nor any agent acting on behalf of [COMPANY NAME] TO} has, within the 12 months preceding the commencement of negotiations of this Agreement, made any political contribution of more than $250 to any member of the City Council or any other officer as defined in the Levine Act who may have participated in the making of this Agreement.
OR
[COMPANY NAME] (or an agent acting on behalf of [COMPANY NAME]) has made a political contribution of more than $250 to:
Identify the person(s) or agent(s) who made the contribution:
Identify the City officer(s) who received the contribution:
22 B. By its signature on this Agreement, [COMPANY NAME] further represents and warrants [select one]:
• Neither [COMPANY NAME] nor any agent or principal acting on behalf of [COMPANY NAME] intends, within the 12 months following the execution of this Agreement, to make any political contribution of more than $250 to any member of the City Council or any other officer as defined in the Levine Act who may have participated in the making of this Agreement.
OR
[COMPANY NAME] (or an agent acting on behalf of [COMPANY NAME] ) intends to make a political contribution of more than $250 to:
Identify the person(s) or agent(s) who will make the contribution:
Identify the City officers) who will receive the contribution:
[Signatures begin on next page.]
23 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and attested by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized.
CITY OF LANCASTER
LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA
By:
Trolis Niebla, City Manager
Dated:
By:
(Name, Title)
Dated:
ATTEST:
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
24 FINANCE
LANCASTER
RFP 843-25
GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING SUPPORT SERVICES
Addendum #1
Date: October 18, 2024
Questions & Answers:
1. What inspired your decision to issue this RFP? Why is it important right now to improve the way you connect with your constituents, stakeholders, and other audiences?
2. Does the City have a total budget for this engagement? If so, does it have a budget for each year of the engagement?
3. Does the City have a separate budget for extraneous costs (advertising, printing, mailing, trade show travel/registration, etc.) outside of the budget for the requested scope of work outlined in its RFP?
4. Is there a preference of local vendors vs. non-local vendors? Do you weigh local vendors more than non-local vendors?
The City does not hold a local preference for this RFP.
5. As part of the potential General Communications and Marketing Support Services work requested, would the City be interested in a consultant supporting all of the City's social media content? If not, approximately what percentage of social media management would the consultant handle?
6. As part of the potential General Communications and Marketing Support Services work requested, would the City be interested in a consultant supporting all of the City's press release/news article development? If not, approximately what percentage of press release/news article development would the consultant handle?
7. Besides social media management and press release/news article development, are there other types of content development support that the City is looking for through this RFP?
8. Is the City currently working or previously worked with any advertising, communications or marketing firms for similar projects? It so, is or was the City satisfied with those relationships?
9. What not-to-exceed budget or budget range does the City have in mind for this contract?
10.Is the cover page, table of contents, and resumes counted towards the total page count?
11. Is there a preference for a local firm?
The City does not hold a local preference for this RFP.
12. What are a few upcoming projects that would be a priority when the contract starts?
13. What are some initiatives the City aims to raise awareness of and encourage greater engagement with?
14. Do you anticipate crisis communications or issue management to be part of this contract?
15. Do you have any plans to run advertising campaigns? If so, is there a separate budget?
16. Can the City of Lancaster provide a list of anticipated topics, issues, or any subject matter that will be part of our collaboration? This is to ensure we operate under compliance guidelines and to better assess the team's goals and initiatives.
17. The RFP states a requirement listed as number 7 under Proposal Format and Content, "Copy of License". Can you please elaborate what you're looking for within this document?
18. Does Lancaster have any notable announcements it expects to make in the coming months?
19. What does Lancaster define as success when working on various campaigns? Are there any specitic KPis the team is keen to see and/or measure against in general? (e.g., increase in followership across social pages, driving more traffic to the website, etc.)
20. What's the budget for this project? Is there any flexibility depending on the scope of work we propose?
21. Are you looking for help with all communication channels (website, social media, email, events, etc.)? Or are you focused on specific ones right now?
22.Is there a specific part of the community or demographic you're trying to reach more effectively?
23. The RFP mentions aligning with the City's strategic goals. Could you point us to where we can learn more about these objectives, especially when it comes to community engagement?
24. How are you currently measuring success in reaching those strategic goals? Are there specific metrics or key performance indicators the City would want the consultant to help track or improve?
25. How would you describe the current level of community engagement with the City? Have there been any major wins or challenges recently that we should be aware of?
26. What's the general vibe of feedback you get from the community about the City's communications? Is it mostly positive, neutral, or a mix?
27. Who would be our main point of contact or liaison? Would this person also be handling decision-making on the City's end?
Contact of abidia to endors casteraged a proposale sent
28. How often do you expect the consultant to be present in person for meetings or events throughout the year? Any key events we should know about?
29. When it comes to visuals and multimedia, would the consultant need to handle photo and video creation, or does the City have an internal team for that?
30. How much of the content creation (like articles, videos and posts) would be the consultant's responsibility versus what's handled in-house?
31. Could you share any past or current marketing efforts that have either worked well or maybe didn't go as planned? Anything the new consultant should keep in mind?
32. Are there any existing systems or campaigns needed to consider when planning for continuity or transitions?
RFP 843-25 General Communications and Marketing Support Services Companies Evaluator's Score Average
Eval. #1 Eval. #2 Eval. #3
Community Symbol 1.8 3.4 3.2 2.80
FTI Consulting 4.6 4.4 4.2 4.40
Tripepi Smith 3 4 3.6 3.53
City of Lancaster
General Communications and
Marketing Support Proposal
October 28, 2024
F. T
CONSULTING EXPERTS WITH IMPACT™
Table of Contents
Proposal Summary. 4
Profile on FTI Consulting • 4
Qualifications of the Firm 5
Proposal 7
Project Staffing. 12
Cost Proposal .. 14
Exceptions to Professional Services Agreement.. 15
Signature Sheet 18
California Levine Statement.............................. .......... . . 2 Contact Information
Please reach out to the individuals below with any questions or comments regarding the proposal.
Jeff Bechdel
Managing Director
Phone #: (412)-979-1623
Email: [email protected]
Hamm Hooper
Senior Director
Phone #: (773)-786-7286
Email: [email protected]
Shelly Liu
Director
Phone #: (240)-761-4099
Email: [email protected]
Proposal Summary
Thank you for the opportunity to share our approach to partnering with the City of Lancaster on its communications and stakeholder engagement strategy. We welcome the opportunity to demonstrate how our integrated communications offering can continue to promote the City and the important work it does for its constituents.
We have had the pleasure of partnering with the City of Lancaster for more than three years now. In that time, we have made meaningful progress on a variety of communication and stakeholder engagement campaigns that help foster a positive image of Lancaster as an ideal place to live and work. Through each of those efforts, we have sought to prioritize the well-being, safety and understanding of every Lancaster resident. Through our partnership, we have also made progress in supporting Lancaster's transformation into an innovative energy hub, helping to tell that story to key stakeholders and encouraging new investment.
The City of Lancaster has a compelling story to tell, and we want to continue to be your partners in helping you share that story. Within this proposal, you will find our recommended approach defined by three (3) specific sections for building on the City's current success and how we propose to take the City's efforts to new heights, underpinned by strategic insights, data, and agreed upon KPIs:
• FTI-Lancaster Foundation: This stage will be used to develop a robust roadmap to align on key priorities for the immediate, near-term, and longer-term outlook. It will also include recurring meetings with the team to align on current needs and discuss anticipated materials.
• Integrated Communications Execution: This phase will include content creation, social media management, public relations work, and other related activities.
• Reporting: Tracking and communicating each project/campaign's progress, performance, and results.
We're excited to collaborate with the team to provide communications support that will raise awareness about the tremendous progress the City is making and position Lancaster as a shining example of what is possible in municipal government.
Profile on FTI Consulting
FTI Consulting (SC) Inc. (FTI) is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations manage change, mitigate risk and resolve disputes: financial, legal, operational, political & regulatory, reputational and transactional.
With more than 8,000 employees located in 33 countries and territories, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex challenges and make the most of opportunities.
Lancaster will be supported primarily by FTI Consulting's Strategic Communications business segment. FT Consulting's strategic communications services help leaders seize opportunities and mitigate risk during both transformational and disruptive moments. C-suites, boards of directors, law firms and the public sector engage us to address their most complex, business-critical issues that require diverse communications skill sets and integrated disciplines. Our hundreds of senior strategic communications consultants around the globe help clients manage crises, navigate market disruptions, stake competitive positions, articulate commitments, and preserve permission to operate.
In 2023, FTI Consulting delivered record revenues of $3.489 billion, an increase of 15% from 2022. Adjusted earnings per share grew for the ninth consecutive year, and FTI Consulting was ranked 888th on the Fortune 1000 list.
Additionally, FTI Consulting was named in 2023 to Forbes' list of America's Best Management Consulting Firms for the eighth consecutive year, and was named to Forbes' lists of America's Best Employers for Women and for New Graduates for the second consecutive year. The Company was also recognized as a Best Firm to Work For by Consulting magazine for the sixth consecutive year and named a Great Place to Work®-Certified Company in the U.S. and UK for the fourth consecutive year and in Australia, Germany, France and the United Arab Emirates for the first year. 4 From time to time in the ordinary course of business, FTI is subject to claims, asserted or unasserted, or named as a party to lawsuits or investigations, including formal legal proceedings with current/former clients regarding collection of past due amounts and generic commercial contract claims. None of these should affect the company's capacity to perform our services in this case.
Qualifications of the Firm
FTI has had the pleasure of supporting Lancaster with previous campaigns and understands the fast-paced environment and the potential shifts in priorities that come given changes in circumstances. This is where FTl's agility will continue to be an asset for the team, working hard to adapt seamlessly to meet your evolving needs. We will work with the team to prioritize and re-engage conversations around campaigns (if still applicable), such as:
• Public Safety: Educate and inform the public on community initiatives taken (e.g., Digital Shield, Safer Shopping, etc.), including the See/Say campaign.
• Lancaster Police Department: Spotlight the recently formed department and help drive quality candidate submissions for the Police Officer open role.
• Pavement: Educate residents on the process and system for road fixtures and maintenance. • Hydrogen: Promote the City's efforts to become the First Hydrogen City through its innovative approach and partnership with other municipalities, private industry, and non-profits. • We Do It Better: Position the City of Lancaster as a great place to live, underscoring all the various initiatives the City has to offer.
• Illegal Cannabis Grow House: Educate residents on spotting signs of these houses and how to help the City mitigate these activities.
• Traffic Safety (with Antelope Valley Partners for Health): Target parents of school-aged children by encouraging them to speak up about safe routes to school and drive active participation.
FTI Consulting's strategic communications team excels at executing integrated communication programs that meet the needs of clients looking to build or enhance their profile in a dynamic space. Our differentiators include:
Bringing Relevant Experience Having a
and Sector Expertise Dedicated Team
Our media relations, digital strategy and creative The team that you have worked with previously will experts will collaborate to effectively engage continue to provide hands-on strategic counsel with the Lancaster's key stakeholders across multiple added benefit of being backed by a global network of communication channels. FTI's Energy and Natural expert support. We are accustomed to coordinating resources sector, which is the largest of its kind, will with other agencies and acting as a strategic provide valuable insight about the industry, as well as partner/campaign manager. We are excited to provide support Lancaster in its energy goals. you with strategies and execution that will meet Lancaster's objectives.
We Take an Integrated Approach
•-O
FTI adopts a subject matter and sector-focused approach that allows our professionals to collaborate across every facet of the business. This model offers our clients access to a comprehensive network of professionals across FTI's global consulting platform.
5 In addition to our previous support for Lancaster, FTI has extensive experience in supporting clients with developing and executing local integrated communication and stakeholder engagement campaigns. Relevant experience includes:
SUNCOR
ENERGY
The Suncor Commerce City Refinery near downtown Denver came under increased public scrutiny following a major operational failure in October 2016. Several more incidents at the site led to the largest air quality settlement in Colorado history. Needing to rebuild trust and confidence with the community, Suncor engaged FT. Our FT team began working with Suncor to fully understand the various challenges in front of the company. By fall of 2020, we conducted a sweeping research and polling project, "Suncor Listens" to gather intel on community perceptions of Suncor and ways in which the refinery can improve its relationship with the predominantly Hispanic community. In January 2021, we used the research findings to develop a reputation program focused on rebuilding trust with the local community. To accomplish this, we execute a series of multi-stakeholder campaigns around key milestones that involved communications, engagement and advertising:
Suncor Listens Research Results
• FTI developed the strategy, key messages and a suite of internal and external communications materials to inform the community, government officials and regulators, and employees about the research findings. The information, including local demographics and local concerns, informed the refinery on steps to take to be a better nelghbor and corporate citizen.
• Research was conducted in both English and Spanish to reach as many community members as possible.
Refinery Notifications
• A key insight from the research was that the community wanted to hear from the Commerce City Refinery more frequently, especially regarding events or incidents at the refinery. • FTI spearheaded the development of a campaign to launch a new, opt-in notification system for neighbors to receive email, text or phone call alerts for any tier 2 or tier 3 incidents. • The campaign leveraged paid, earned and owned channels to encourage community members and other stakeholders to enroll in the notification program. Direct mail, radio, print and digital ads, billboard advertising and a social media toolkit for influencers, and email were used. • We also proactively secured positive coverage in prominent local media outlets, including bilingual outlets.
Improvement Plan and Kearney Report
• As part of Suncor's settlement with the State of Colorado, the company engaged an independent expert to conduct a root-cause investigation into past emissions exceedances. • FTI supported Suncor with the development of the communications strategy, key messages and a suite of internal and external communications materials, including a video message from the head of the refinery, to share the investigation findings and Suncor's improvement plan. Tactics also included stakeholder engagement as Suncor routinely met with key stakeholders to discuss the improvement plan and Kearney Report.
Community Air Monitoring
• In May 2021, Suncor decided to voluntarily develop a community air monitoring program ran by a third-party team of environmental experts.
• FTI helped Suncor host a series of public meetings where the public had an opportunity to learn about air monitoring and provide input on the community air monitoring program. 6 • Following the program launch, FTI routinely develops mini-integrated campaigns to rollout the air monitoring results each quarter. As part of these campaigns, FTI helps Suncor host familiarization tours where key stakeholders are invited to community air monitoring locations to learn about the technology and results.
As a result of our work, we have achieved the following results:
• More routine engagement with key stakeholders.
• Drove awareness and sign-ups for Refinery Notifications. • Secured more balanced and positive media coverage in key outlets including The Denver Post and The Colorado Sun. Coverage includes op-eds that demonstrate Suncor's commitment to improving its relationship with the community.
• Developed enhanced content for Suncor's Colorado specific website, addressing a key desire from the community and Commerce City employees.
CLIMATE
CHAMPION
At the end of 2019, global consumer research commissioned by the Hydrogen Council identified a lack of consumer awareness of hydrogen as a major communications challenge and opportunity. The Council agreed with FTI's recommendation that structurally changing lack of public awareness/support for hydrogen required a multi-year campaign with a seven-figure investment. In January of 2020, the Council approved a proof-of-concept campaign aimed at global consumers that would piggyback on the Tokyo Olympics. Following the postponement of the Olympics due to COVID-19, our team was able to quickly and successfully shift the strategy from a media-driven campaign to a digital- focused and community-carried influencer campaign. The campaign employed a See-Learn-Act framework in which we used digital, video, and social media content to raise awareness, educate consumers, and inspire them to take actions.
As a result of our work, we have achieved the following results:
• +30 million impressions.
• +217,000 documentary views.
• 1.5% average Twitter engagement rate.
• 41% of members shared content.
• 16k visits to the website.
• 1m 54 sec average time spent.
• High 34% academy completion rate.
• 750 newsletter Signups.
Proposal
The City of Lancaster has been at the forefront of fostering a safe and evolving community through a series of innovative and forward-thinking initiatives. Based off our previous work with Lancaster and its communications team, we understand Lancaster's goals to be:
• Prioritize the well-being, security, and knowledge of every Lancaster resident. • Raise awareness of the City's transformation into an innovative energy hub, featuring cutting-edge technologies and best practices.
• Ensure transparency among the public surrounding local governance and City projects.
Foster a positive image of Lancaster as an ideal place to live and work. 7 Given our long-standing partnership with Lancaster, we believe we are well-positioned to continue to produce meaningful results for the City and can quickly resume work seamlessly to achieve the desired goals. Below, we've broken out our proposal into three (3) distinct phases: FTI-Lancaster Foundation, Integrated Communications Execution and Reporting. With a solid foundation in place, we are confident that we can quickly resume our work with Lancaster to help the City achieve its goals.
FTI-Lancaster Foundation
To ensure we are delivering impactful work for Lancaster, we recommend a brief strategy period where we can further align with the City on its goals and how communications can help reach those goals.
Kick Off Planning Meeting & Editorial Calendar
To resume our engagement with Lancaster, we recommend a kickoff meeting with key Lancaster communication team members. The purpose of this meeting will be to outline the main priorities for the City in 2025, including notable announcements, campaign priorities, and other relevant internal and external milestones.
Following the kickoff meeting, FTI will deliver an editorial calendar that outlines the key communication milestones.
This editorial calendar will be used to ensure content aligns with overall communication goals and is delivered consistently across channels. The calendar established at the outset will remain in use throughout the partnership between FTI and the City, serving as an ongoing document that functions as a central resource for managing timelines, content creation, tracking progress, managing milestones, and more.
Campaign Discovery
With clear alignment on the specific campaigns, FTI recommends establishing an organized process to uncover critical campaign details such as requirements, goals and challenges. For each campaign, FTI will provide a campaign brief, or a fill-out form, to collect essentlal details for Lancaster to submit prior to each campaign. By doing so, it will alleviate miscommunication and minimize potential roadblocks as the work progresses. Details within the brief may include:
• Campaign Goals: What does Lancaster hope to achieve?
• Target Audience: Who are we trying to reach?
• Key Messages: What are the main messages to communicate? • Preferred Channels: Where will the campaign be most effective? (e.g., social, print, etc.) • Timeline: Key dates and deadlines.
• Assets: Any existing content to repurpose and/or preferred look and feel? • Note: FTI has kept an archive of previous templates, photos, videos, and collaterals that can easily be resurfaced and referenced for future deliverables
FTI understands that more than one campaign may happen at any given time, with some lasting longer than others, which is why understanding all components within each will allow the team to ensure coordination and manage priorities efficiently, especially when it comes to social planning. FTI will remain flexible and work in partnership with Lancaster to ensure campaign discovery intake forms are developed at the onset of campaigns.
Project Management
FTI is already well-integrated with the Lancaster team and understands how to best collaborate and serve as a trusted partner. Before any execution of work, FTI recommends establishing regular check-ins (e.g., recurring weekly/biweekly meetings) to discuss priorities, receive real-time feedback on deliverables, and keep all team members informed. An agenda tracker will be used to outline ongoing and outstanding tasks, which will be shared prior to each meeting. We will also provide monthly summaries with all invoices to ensure full transparency into the activities FTI performed. 8 Per our previous engagements, FTI will also continue to provide final deliverables via email in the preferred formats), as well as ensuring all content is saved within a master shared Google Drive folder that is categorized clearly by workstream/project, so the Lancaster team has access in perpetuity to previous and all approved work.
Integrated Communications Execution
With the FTI-Lancaster foundation laid, our collective teams will be well-prepared to execute a variety of campaigns for the City. While exact campaigns and plan tactics are still to be determined, FTI will offer comprehensive support for the City's various communication and marketing initiatives, including the following:
Other
Content Social Media Public
Related
Creation Management Relations
Activities
Additional details on each activity are included below:
Content Creation
In today's fast-paced digital environment, effective communication is essential for municipalities to connect with residents, visitors, and businesses. Knowing the importance of brand identity and themes across various City initiatives, FTI is well-positioned to deliver high-quality and engaging content across any and all types of projects - including events and throughout broader campaigns. Additionally, FTI will provide support in developing copy for all assets as needed.
Owned
• Website Enhancements: FTI will provide counsel and create updated page templates per Lancaster's request (e.g., previously updated and revised Hydrogen pages to be in kawaii-style formats, elevating existing pages to be more public-facing and digestible [i.e., Pavement Management Program page]), to maximize the City's website structure, design, navigation, and overall user experience.
Marketing
• Print Collateral: Flyers, Brochures, Posters, Banners, Business Cards, Event Programs, Agendas, Fact Sheets, Postcards, Direct Mailers, Signage, Billboards, etc.
• Digital Collateral: Social Media Graphics, Digital Ads/Banners, Event Landing Pages, Presentation Decks, Infographics, etc. (Animation and Videos will be an additional OOP cost; to be priced out separately if necessary).
Event Support
• Event Specific Creative Collateral: Event Invitations, Roll-Up Banners, Booth Backdrops, Stage Graphics, Floor Decals, Sponsor Banners, Branded Giveaways, Menus and Refreshment Cards, Table Tents, Event Badges, etc.
Note: Any materials that require printing and shipping to designated site will be an additional OOP cost; to be priced out separately if necessary.
Social Media Management
A well-intended organic social media strategy can significantly impact online visibility and growth. FTI will leverage historical performance of top performing content to further increase organic growth and build a strong community and relationship. Based upon previous working cadence, FTI will supply Lancaster with final and approved copy and assets.
Lancaster will lead in publication of social content across owned channels (e.g., posting on Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, making website updates, etc.).
Deliverables will include:
• Social Content Calendar: This calendar will strictly be used for social campaign purposes, shown in a bird's eye calendar view for each month, outlining the cadence in which posts are set to be published, in addition to the channels the post will be shared across.
• Please note this calendar is different than the editorial calendar mentioned above, which will live separate and include all workstream line items.
• Copywriting: FTI will support in copywriting for all social content, including asset copy (if applicable). • Creative Development: Pending content that Lancaster can supply (i.e. photos), new assets may be developed, which may include, but are not limited to social graphics, carousels, quote cards, etc. Creatives developed may be repurposed across channels and for paid purposes.
• Note: FTI has kept an archive of previous templates, photos, videos, and collaterals that can easily be repurposed.
Should Lancaster wish to amplify specific campaigns to reach a more granular and targeted audience, FTI can provide a separate paid media plan, including a separate OOP budget. Paid media campaigns may include, but are not limited to social, radio, billboards, newsletters, print, direct-to-publishers, Nextdoor, etc. FTI can assist with all campaign asset development including creative development, copywriting, establishing KPls/benchmarks, campaign launch, in-flight optimizations, and reporting. Reporting cadence to be aligned between FTI and Lancaster before activation (e.g., weekly, biweekly, etc.).
Public Relations
Establishing strong public relations is crucial for engaging stakeholders and cultivating meaningful relationships with the community. Recognizing the importance of earned media, press release development, op-eds, and community building, our team is well-equipped to continue delivering compelling and impactful content across a wide range of platforms.
Earned Media Relations
FTI will continue to support the execution of a media relations program that generates a steady drumbeat of media opportunities and coverage for Lancaster in a mix of top-tier and local industry trade publications. Tactics will include:
• Deskside Briefings: Facilitate meetings for leaders with select media. The focus of these meetings will be on building relationships with reporters to ensure they think of Lancaster as a resource for relevant stories. • Podcast Outreach: Conduct outreach to reputable podcasts that reach target audiences. Develop briefers and help prepare leaders as needed.
• Proactive Pitching: Develop and pitch story ideas to target reporters based upon relevant City announcements, such as new milestones and evergreen topics.
• News-Jacking: Keep a steady pulse on coverage related to Lancaster's interests and identify additional timely opportunities to pitch reporters.
• Amplify Initiatives and Milestones: Craft communication strategies to amplify the news to target audiences ahead of larger announcements, initiatives and milestones. 10 Press Release Development and Distribution
FTI will support the Lancaster communications team in raising awareness of the City via press releases. Support will include:
• Press Release Writing: Crafting press releases to effectively communicate key messages about the City. • Wire Distribution: Targeted distribution of press releases through wire services, reaching specific audiences (Wire distribution will require an additional OOP cost; to be priced out separately and based on the length of content).
Proactive Pitching: Developing and pitching compelling story ideas to target reporters based upon relevant City announcements.
Other Related Activities
FTI will continue to support the Office of the Mayor and other City leaders through a variety of ad-hoc communications requests, including but not limited to:
• Op-eds/Contributed Pieces: Advocating on issues of importance through op-eds or contributed articles speaking at community or industry events, serving as a liaison with various groups and organizations. • Community Building Strategies: Helping the City leadership listen to and build connections with its residents, reinforcing Lancaster's vision, priorities, and action through a clear communications cascade while demonstrating commitment to both transparency and accountability.
Additionally, with the newly formed entity of Lancaster Energy - First Public H2, FTI understands the nuanced approach and tone that needs to be distinguished. FTI will help bridge the gap and carefully craft content for the City of Lancaster to speak upon Lancaster Energy and/or First Public when necessary and vice versa. This will ensure all entities are cohesive when sharing major news or announcements.
Note: Should deviations occur from the agreed upon scope as outlined above, FT/ will work with the City to determine additional budget considerations.
Reporting
Understanding the outcome of any execution is instrumental in any strategy. FTI will work with Lancaster to identify KPls that will be used to measure success and discuss how these metrics will align with the overall goal of each respective campaign, which may be applied to both organic social and earned content. KPis will enable us to:
• Assess sentiment of conversations over time.
• Monitor detractors and their effect on conversations. • Measure the uptake of individual lines of messaging and engagement with specific types of content (e.g. videos, ads, social media posts) to determine the format of content. • Streamline resources behind highest-impact channels, creatives, and messages.
KPls may include the following:
• Impressions
• Reach
Sentiment of commentaries (if any)
• Engagement
• Engagement Rate
• Clicks
• Click-through-rate (CTR)
11 Monthly reporting may be shared, which will clearly outline performance from both social and earned media perspectives. Please note for any paid campaign activations, KPIs will be determined separately.
Project Staffing
FTI will continue to use the below team structure to support the City of Lancaster, with Hamm Hooper leading as the main point of contact and liaison between City staff and the FTl team, working closely with relevant workstream leads. Jeff Bechdel will provide senior oversight and advice, including contractual and other key matters.
Account Oversight: Jeff Bechdel, Managing Director
Hydrogen & Clean Energy Corporate Reputation Digital & Insights Peter Thompson, Director Hamm Hooper, Senior Director Shelly Liu, Director Zac Porter, Consultant Jessica Delgado, Senior Consultant Gabby Donofrio, Consultant Ryan Tippery, Creative Strategist
Stephanle Noreen, Senior Designer
Jeff Bechdel
Managing Director
Jeff Bechdel develops and implements solutions for clients across the energy spectrum with over 12+ years of experience in fast-paced communications environments. Mr. Bechdel has extensive experience working with clients across the hydrogen value chain, helping to manage a federally focused coalition campaign that includes media engagement and ally coordination, along with numerous other hydrogen-related projects. Prior to joining FTI, he served as communications director and chief content officer at a political action committee. He has also served in offices on Capitol Hill, working in communications for statewide campaigns.
Hamm Hooper
Senior Director
Hamm Hooper has extensive experience in developing and executing multi- stakeholder communication programs aimed at protecting, preserving, or promoting reputation for clients in the industrials, energy and financial services industries. Clients include Fortune 500 companies and experience spans corporate positioning, messaging, content strategy, executive visibility, thought leadership, project management, and media relations. Prior to joining FTI, Mr. Hooper provided public relations and communications counsel for a variety of financial and professional services clients.
12 Peter Thompson
Director
Peter Thompson is an experienced public affairs operative, specializing in the cross- section of policy, communications, and stakeholder engagement. Mr. Thompson works across several sectors, including power and utilities, hydrogen, biomass, carbon management, and forestry. He has extensive experience engaging federal and state policymakers with industry stakeholders to advance decarbonization solutions to address energy resilience, security, and environmental goals. Prior to FTI, Mr.
Thompson served as the Communications Director of the California Hydrogen Business Council (CHBC), a state trade association advancing the use of hydrogen and fuel cells across California's energy, transportation and industrial sectors.
Shelly Liu
Director
Shelly Liu is a Director under FT's Digital & Insights team, leading social and paid media executions. She has experience deploying organic and paid content across various platforms, such as Facebook/instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, programmatic display, Google Ads, etc. with various goals and objectives, helping major multinational businesses strengthen their corporate reputation on million-dollar budgets and beyond.
Additionally, Shelly has experience working on corporate recruitment strategies, helping to build upon long-term associate engagement and ultimately hire the best talent.
Ryan Tippery
Creative Strategist
Ryan Tippery is a Creative Strategist with FTl's Digital & Insights team, bringing over a decade of experience in visual design across diverse industries such as entertainment, hospitality, and consulting. Ryan specializes in crafting comprehensive marketing strategies, user interface design, and web content development. His expertise spans digital media, branding and identity creation, as well as the development of marketing collateral and print materials, ensuring cohesive and impactful brand experiences across all platforms.
Stephanie Noreen
Senior Designer
Stephanie Noreen is a Senior Designer with FTI's Digital and Insights team, where she continues to grow her professional portfolio and expertise in design and communication. With a passion for innovative problem-solving, Stephanie excels at bringing projects to life from concept to execution. Her diverse expertise spans branding, data visualization, print and digital design, campaign collateral, social media content, advertisements, event signage, and long- form reports, consistently delivering visually compelling solutions across various platforms. 13 Jessica Delgado
Senior Consultant
As a Senior Consultant in the Corporate Reputation practice of FTI Consulting's Strategic Communications segment, Jessica serves clients in a variety of industries across global markets, with a particular focus on industrials and manufacturing. In her role, Jessica helps companies develop and manage communication programs that raise brand visibility through media relations, research, thought leadership, and executive profile building.
Earning a Juris Doctor (JD) and a skill for repairing and preserving business relationships, Jessica has the capacity to manage and navigate uncomfortable situations, settle disputes, and analyze information using her knowledge of facts and industry practice.
Zac Porter
Consultant
Zac Porter is a consultant in the Strategic Communications practice, based in Washington, D.C. He works in the Energy and Natural Resources segment, specializing in rencwable energy and critical minerals. He holds a master's degree from George Washington University's Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration and a bachelor's degree from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
Gabby Donofrio
Consultant
Gabrielle Donofrio is a consultant on the Digital & Insights team, specializing across an array of digital offerings, including brand research, paid & organic social strategy, data analysis, and social media listening. Specifically, her experience lies in working with various B2B clients, helping them curate custom digital strategies across social platforms based on historical performance. Ms. Donofrio also plays an instrumental role in helping businesses analyze data, and turning them into actionable recommendations and insights, ultimately leading to maximum ROI. Ms. Donofrio received her Bachelors of Business Administration in Marketing at the University of Mississippi.
14 EXHIBIT "B"
Cost Proposal
1. Company Information
Company Name: FT Consulting (SC) Inc.
Contact Person: Jeff Bechdel
Address: 555 12th St. NW STE 700, Washington, D.C. 20004 Phone: (202) 312-9100
Email: [email protected]
2. Summary of Proposed Services
Proposed services will be a full-time program, based upon the three major components listed in the proposal of this document:
• FTI-Lancaster Foundation: This stage will be used to develop a robust roadmap to align on key priorities for the immediate, near-term, and longer-term outlook. It will also include recurring meetings with the team to align on current needs and discuss anticipated materials. • Integrated Communications Execution: This phase will include content creation, social media management, public relations work, and other related activities (please reference the proposal for a detailed breakdown on each section).
• Reporting: Tracking and communicating each project/campaign's progress, performance, and results.
The cost below outlines the price per each phase. Please note, the rates listed below will be used for 2024-2025 contract. Should Lancaster wish to extend the partnership after Year one (1), FTI will rescope based on its current rates.
3. Cost Breakdown
Service Hourly Rate (or Cost for Cost for Cost for Total Cost other Fee Initial Year Optional Year Optional Year for 3 Years Structure) (Year 1) (Year 2) (Year 3)
Service 1 $ 475 per hour / $180K $_ $_ $_
FTI-Lancaster flat rate/etc.
Foundation
15 Service 2 $ 475 per hour / $300K $_ $_ $_
Integrated flat rate/etc.
Communications
Execution
Service 3 $ 475 per hour / $180K $ $ $_
Reporting flat rate/etc.
Total Costs for $660K $_ $_ $_
Services
4. Additional Cost Considerations
Additional costs may include any travel for FTI members to and from client site, wire distribution, and creative content development including animation and videos that require full production team. All paid media campaign support- including strategy planning, execution, and reporting —as well as out-of-pocket costs for the media buy, will be scoped and priced separately. Note that all monthly media buys exceeding $40,000 per month will incur an 8% placement fee.
5. Payment Terms
Invoices are due and payable upon receipt. In addition, and without limiting FTl's other rights and remedies, in the event any payment is not paid by Client within thirty (30) days of date of invoice, then interest shall accrue, from the thirty-first day until payment in full is received, at the rate of one and one-half (1.5%) percent per month.
Nothing herein shall be construed as extending the due date of payments to be made by Client under this Agreement. Client agrees to pay all court costs, attorney fees (whether or not contingent on collection from Client) and other expenses which may be associated with the collection of unpaid invoices. In addition to the remedies set forth above and any other remedies available at law, FTI reserves the right to defer rendering services until payment is received on invoiced amounts that are both (a) past due, and (b) not the subject of a good faith dispute. If FTI is required to submit its invoices through an electronic billing system, any associated fees incurred to utilize the system shall be billed back to the client. uthorized Signatur
Tite: Seniar Managing Director
10-25-24
Date:
16 SIGNATURE SHEET
My signature certifies that the proposal as submitted complies with all terms and conditions as set forth in RFP No. 843-25.
My signature certifies that this firm has no business or personal relationships with any other companies or person that could be considered a conflict of interest, or potential conflict of interest to the City of Lancaster, pertaining to any and all work or services to be performed as a result of this request and any resulting Contract with the City.
The Vendor hereby certifies that it has:
• Read each and every clause of this RFP and addenda, including Addendum # • Included all costs necessary to complete the specified work in its proposed prices. • Agreed that if it is awarded the Contract, it will make no claim against the City based upon misunderstanding of any provision of the Agreement. Should conditions turn out otherwise than anticipated by it, the Vendor agrees to assume all risks incident thereto.
I hereby certify that I am authorized to sign as a Representative for the Firm:
Name of Firm: FTI Cansultma (SC) Inc.
Address:_ 555 1ath St. NW, Washington, DC 20004
Fed ID No: 52-126 1113_ DIR# (if applicable):
Name (print): Christopher Tucker
Title: Senior Mangry Drector
Telephone: 203-346-88255x:-
Email: chris.tucker@ Date: 10-25-24
fticonsulting.com
18 Exceptions to Professional Services Agreement
In response to Paragraph 9 on page 3 of the RFP, FTI provides the following general comments and exceptions regarding the Proposed Agreement for Professional Services. • Section 1.B - Consultant's correct entity should be identified as "FTI Consulting (SC) Inc." • Section 2 - Notices should be provided to: FTI Consulting (SC) Inc., 555 12th Street NW, Suite 700 Washington DC, Attn: Brian Kennedy, Email: [email protected], with a copy also sent to:
Attn: Legal Department, Email: [email protected]. • Section 5. Obligations of the City - FTI would also seek inclusion of the following language... "If Consultant and/or any of its employees are required to testify or provide evidence at or in connection with any judicial or administrative proceeding relating to this Agreement to which Consultant is not a named party, then City will compensate Consultant at its then-current, hourly rates and reimburse Consultant for reasonable direct and allocated expenses (including counsel fees) with respect thereto. • Section 7. Hold Harmless and Indemnification - if FTI is required to defend, then counsel should be its choice, subject to approval by City that shall not be unreasonably withheld. Additionally, because FT must rely on the information provided by or on behalf of the City, FTI requests an indemnity from the City for its use and reliance on any information provided by or on behalf of the City, including any claims that such information infringed or misappropriated and third party's intellectual property rights. • Limitation of Liability - FTI typically includes a limitation of liability ("LOL") in its agreements for professional services. FTI would therefore request a tied to fees paid, but subject to exclusions for third- party indemnity claims
• Section 13.
• Subparagraph A
• TI's professional liability and cyber liability policies are on a claims-made basis • Additional insured status is not available under FTI's workers' compensation, professional liability, nor its cyber liability policy (since this is part of the professional liability policy) • Neither the policy holders, nor the brokers will provide such notice; however, FTI will endeavor to provide the required notices to the City.
Section 15 - FTI has no objection to providing ownership to the City in any Deliverables; however, the transfer of ownership should be tied to payment for the services rendered. Additionally, the transfer in the ownership of any Deliverables should include a carve-out for any pre-existing IP of FTI included therein.
Finally, the disclosure of such deliverables should be limited to the purpose for which such was provided. • Section 16 - because data provided by its clients is key to the pricing and execution plans of FTI, FTI would request language that it may rely on the information provided by or on behalf of the City.
The above provides just some of the key comments and concerns with the Proposed Sample Agreement contained in the RFP, however, FTI reserves the right, should it be awarded the project, to enter into negotiations to reach a "form agreeable to both parties" per page 7 of the RFP.
Enclosed, please find the required Signature Sheet and signed California Levine Act Statement. 17 California Levine Act Statement
California Government Code Section 84308, commonly referred to as the "Levine Act," prohibits any Lancaster official from participating in any action related to a contract or application if he or she receives any political contributions totaling more than $250 within the previous twelve months, and for twelve months following the date a final decision is rendered.
The Levine Act also requires a Lancaster City official who has received such a contribution to disclose the contribution on the record of the proceeding.
Current Lancaster City Council Members are listed at:
https://www.cityoflancasterca.org/government/city-officials/city-council-copy Current Planning Commissioners are listed at:
https://www.cityoflancasterca.org/government/commissions-appointments/planning Proposers are responsible for accessing this link to review the names prior to answering the following questions.
1. Have you or your company, or any agent/board member on behalf of you or your company/entity, made any political contributions of more than $250 to any Lancaster City Council Member or other city official in the 12 months preceding the date of the submission of your proposal or application, or the anticipated date of any Council action?
_YES If yes, please identify the Council Member(s)/city official(s):
X NO
2. Do you or your company/entity, or any agency on behalf of you or your company/entity, anticipate or plan to make any political contribution of more than $250 to any Lancaster City Council Member or other city official in the 12 months following any Council action related to your proposal or application?
3. YES If yes, please identify the Council Member(s) /city official(s):
XNO
Answering yes to either of the two questions above does not preclude the Lancaster City Council from awarding a contract or approving an application or any subsequent action. It does however, preclude the identified Council Member(s) from participating in any actions related to your proposal or application. 10 - 25-24
Date Signature of authorized individual
Company/Applicant Name
19 TRIPEPI SMITH
marketing • technology public affairs
SINGLE SOURCE COMMUNICATIONS
General Communications and
Marketing Support
City of Lancaster
RFP No. 843-25
October 28, 2024
By: Ryder Todd Smith
Co-founder & Principal
Tripepi Smith & Associates
Single Source Communications
Table of Contents
Proposal Summary 3
Profile on the Proposing Firm 5
Qualifications of the Firm 6
Work Plan or Proposal 8
Copy of License.. 16
Cost Proposals 17
Exceptions to Professional Services Agreement... ....21 Signature Sheet... 21
California Levine Act Statement ..21
Appendix: Work Samples..... ..22
2 Tripepi Smith & Associates
Single Source Communications
PROPOSAL SUMMARY
Thank you for the opportunity to present Tripepi Smith's offerings in response to the City of Lancaster's RFP for General Communications and Marketing Support Services. This proposal offers all requested information, including Tripepi Smith's understanding of your needs, our approach, our cost proposal and more.
Tripepi Smith has a deep understanding of the City of Lancaster, having supported the City in various communications efforts since 2019. We are intimately familiar with your brand, your voice and your preferred workflows - giving Tripepi Smith the ability to efficiently grab ahold of this work and hit the ground running.
Tripepi Smith understands the unique dynamics of local government agencies, from the Antelope Valley (where we are also currently supporting the City of Palmdale) and across California and other western states.
Distinguishing/Key Features
No other communications firm has the public agency client depth and diversity that Tripepi Smith offers. We gain insights from the breadth of our work with our 200+ public agency clients, which yields key advantages:
• Certifications in Industry-Standard Platforms: Our team possesses a deep understanding of social media and digital platforms, evidenced by our certifications from industry leaders like Meta, YouTube, Twitter and Meltwater.
Breadth of Expertise: The breadth of Tripepi Smith's team - from policy to videography to graphic design - is rare. The result: we have an ability to tell a complete story across all mediums, all within our one team. • A Deep Understanding of Local Issues: Tripepi Smith's work with over 200 public agencies and municipal partners benefits each client as we translate practical field experience into outreach strategies tailored to their unique circumstances. Moreover, we are known for our mastery of the art of local government communications. • Integrated Offerings: Tripepi Smith owns two local government publications, PublicCEO and Civic Business Journal, in which we can promote City news. Together, they boast a subscriber base of over 17,500 city managers, county administrators, public executives and public employees. • Long History Of Partnership & Support: We have partnered with the City and supported your communications over 5 years of collaboration. We know the players, have built solid relationships, and have experience working with you on key issues - from rolling out your current brand identity, to supporting website migrations and ongoing website updates, to communicating the hybrid policing model and other City initiatives.
Our continued and enhanced partnership will help identify and implement improvement areas for the City moving forward.
• Robust Quality Assurance Practices: With thousands of successful projects delivered, Tripepi Smith has integrated a robust system of tools and workflows. Whether managing deliverables within our own team or subcontractors, our iterative review procedures ensure clients receive high-quality, high-impact work products. • 24/7 Access: Though we have a set number of hours proposed in our contract, Tripepi Smith is available to our clients 24 hours per day. There is no "bad time" to call or email us, and our response will be immediate and engaged on the issue at hand.
Engaging constituents and telling your agency's story is not a simple matter. It takes work, consistency, innovation and creativity to make an impact. We are confident that our dedication and proven track record make us the right partner for the City of Lancaster. Thank you for considering us in this endeavor. We eagerly anticipate the chance to discuss our proposal in more detail.
Tripepi Smith & Associates 3
Single Source Communications
Contact Information
Authorization
I affirm that I have the legal authorization to bind Tripepi Smith into agreements with the City of Lancaster and to make the statements below on behalf of the firm. I also affirm having received all addenda associated with your RFP for General Communications and Marketing Support. This proposal is valid for 180 days from the date of submission.
Contact Information Responsible for Proposal
Pade to frith
Ryder Todd Smith
Co-Founder & President, Tripepi Smith & Associates, Inc.
[email protected] • (626) 536-2173 • PO Box 52152, Irvine, CA 92619 [email protected] is our preferred point of contact throughout the evaluation process. 10 local gov YEARS
IN 9 STATES 20 associations
supported
200+
OVER
60 170+ CLIENTS
CERTIFICATIONS YEARS OF COMBINED
#ABL « "Always Be Learning"
TEAM EXPERIENCE
4. Tripepi Smith & Associates
Single Source Communications
PROFILE ON THE PROPOSING FIRM
A Public Affairs Firm that Understands Local Government Tripepi Smith excels in public affairs and marketing. Founded in 2000 and incorporated as a California corporation in 2002, the company is headquartered in Orange County, California, with staff throughout the western United States. We work in a complex environment where successful communications go hand-in-hand with marketing and technical expertise. As a full-service marketing and creative services firm, Tripepi Smith offers the right professionals for the job while being small enough to be nimble and responsive. Our team offers a broad spectrum of experience and skills that allows us to apply the appropriate resource to the appropriate tasks; this allows us to execute work faster and reduce engagement costs.
The team comprises over 65 full-time professionals experienced in local government. Our staff includes former municipal employees with backgrounds in creative services, public information and city management, as well as seasoned analysts and practice area specialists. Accredited public relations (APR) professionals guide effective messaging while policy wonks provide counsel on public affairs. TS Creatives fashion compelling branding, websites, print and digital design, social media, photography and videography. We employ multiple FAA-certified drone pilots and operate a full-scale video production studio with extensive event and broadcast experience.
The Result: We can tell a complete story across mediums, all within our one team.
Within Team Tripepi Smith, we have the expertise and the adaptability to flex to Lancaster's varying communications needs over time. Lancaster will need only one communications partner.
Firm Structure and Financial Matters
Tripepi Smith was founded in 2000 and incorporated in 2002 as a California S Corporation. The firm has two corporate officers, who are also the co-founders with equal ownership of the business:
Co-Founder & President Ryder Todd Smith
Chief Financial Officer Nicole Smith
Ryder and Nicole have signing authority to bind Tripepi Smith into agreements with clients. Tripepi Smith has generated a profit every year it has been in operation. We have never had a legal claim filed against us and have never failed to fulfill a contract commitment.
In addition to the president/CEO and CFO, multiple principals and directors oversee the day-to-day operations of a team of analysts, graphic designers, photographers and videographers. All Tripepi Smith employees report directly to the President. Please refer to our Org Chart for full details.
Office Locations
Since early 2017, Tripepi Smith has operated in a completely virtual office environment. Being virtual enhances operational resilience and grants us access to a flexible and diverse workforce. The team - composed of policy wonks, creative message developers, broadcast specialists, videography experts, technology gurus and graphic artists — resides throughout Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, with the majority based in Southern California. 5 Tripepi Smith & Associates
Single Source Communications
QUALIFICATIONS OF THE FIRM
Partial Client Roster
We have a network of 200+ satisfied clients in the local government space. We are happy to connect you with contacts at our client agencies who can share their experience working with Tripepi Smith.
California City Management City of La Cañada Flintridge City of Pomona Foundation City of La Palma City of Rancho Palos Verdes City of Aliso Viejo City of La Puente City of Rancho Mirage City of American Canyon City of La Verne City of Riverbank City of Atascadero City of Lake Forest City of Rolling Hills Estates City of Azusa City of Lakeport City of San Clemente
City of Baldwin Park City of Laguna Hills City of San Leandro City of Bellflower City of Laguna Niguel City of Santa Ana City of Benicia City of Lancaster City of Santa Clarita City of Burlingame City of Livermore City of Santa Paula City of Claremont City of Lomita City of Saratoga
City of Coronado City of Lynwood City of Stanton
(City of) Culver City City of Malibu City of South Gate City of Cupertino City of Manhattan Beach City of South Pasadena (City of) Daly City City of Manteca City of Tracy
City of Danville City of Martinez Costa Mesa Sanitary District City of Duarte City of Menifee West County Wastewater District City of El Cerrito City of Millbrae Del Paso Manor Water District City of Fountain Valley City of Morgan Hill Independent Cities Association City of Foster City City of Murrieta Independent Cities Finance Authority City of Fullerton City of Napa Institute for Local Government City of Gilroy City of Norwalk League of California Cities City of Grover Beach City of Orange Municipal Management Association of Northern California
City of Hawaiian Gardens City of Orinda
City of Hayward City of Pacifica Municipal Management Association of Southern California
City of Huntington Beach City of Palm Desert
Orange County City Manager
City of Hercules City of Palmdale Association
City of Indian Wells City of Paramount San Gabriel Valley City Managers' City of Industry City of Pismo Beach Association
City of Irvine Claremont McKenna College
City of Placentia
6 Tripepi Smith & Associates
Single Source Communications
Previous Experience on Similar/Related Projects
City of Palmdale (2023 to Present)
Tripepi Smith's engagement with the City of Palmdale taps into the vast breadth and depth of our team's skillsets, and it exemplifies the model of Tripepi Smith providing a single source for all an agency's communications needs. In the City of Palmdale, Tripepi Smith provides an immense range of communications and marketing support services that include strategic communications support, written content development, social media management, social media monitoring, website support, graphic design, videography, photography, animation, SB 1383 support, translation, newsletters, A/ Council Production, Spanish translation and more.
Contact:
Sara Gallagher, Deputy City Manager (661-267-5279, [email protected]) City of Indian Wells (2018 to Present)
The City of Indian Wells has been a client of Tripepi Smith's since 2018, tapping into the breadth of our team's skillset. Our scope of services primarily entails graphic design, news article and press release writing, website content updates and social media management. We also provide a monthly metrics report on the overall outreach numbers for the City to ensure clarity on both the quality of content and the overall distribution of that content to members of the community. Additionally, we provide support on editorial calendar creation and maintenance, media relations, strategic messaging, quarterly strategy meetings and photo/video production. Indian Wells first engaged Tripepi Smith for an express communications assessment.
Contact:
Micaela Wilkey, Management Analyst (760-346-2489, [email protected]) City of Duarte (2014 to Present)
In the City of Duarte, Tripepi Smith works with the city manager's office in a broad and consistent engagement to advance communications and augment the work of staff. The baseline engagement includes writing press releases and articles, updating the City website, managing social media, redesigning and creating the quarterly City newsletter, developing a style guide, hosting quarterly strategy meetings with department heads, delivering monthly metric reports, advising staff on the Contact:
Andres Rangel, Assistant to the City Manager/PIO (626-357-7931, [email protected]) We encourage you to see all the work we have done for clients through our online portfolio at www.TripepiSmith.com/Work.
Tripepi Smith & Associates 7
Single Source Communications
WORK PLAN OR PROPOSAL
Prospect Needs
The City is seeking a partner to enhance the effectiveness and reach of Lancaster's communications, ensuring alignment with the City's vision for an engaged, innovative, and bold future. The City recognizes the importance of effective community outreach, emphasizing throughout the RFP its desire to engage the community in order to support the City's goals. Part of "Creating a better tomorrow. Together." is increasing awareness and buy-in of community members, and that is precisely what Tripepi Smith plans to achieve through this proposed work.
We will deliver the requested services through the plan outlined here and described in greater detail below:
• Month 1: Kickoff meeting for Communications Assessment • Months 1-2: Communications Assessment Interviews
• Month 3: Delivery of Communications Assessment Report • Months 4-12* (and beyond): Implementation of Communications Assessment Report recommendations/improvements (*TS is also available to provide general support earlier if desired) Tripepi Smith's Approach
Comprehensive Evaluation through a Communications Assessment Tripepi Smith will assess and analyze the City's current marketing strategy and practices through a service we call a "Communications Assessment." This service is one of TS' specialties; it includes an objective review of everything an agency is doing to communicate with its external audiences: residents, businesses, local media, etc.
It is an opportunity to document a "point in time" summary of current strategies, policies, processes and best practices to determine whether there are opportunities for improvement. The resulting report is an expansive audit of the agency's departmental communications efforts, including staff methodology, platforms used, challenges to overcome and Tripepi Smith's customized recommendations to improve the impact of communications.
We offer three tiers of our Communications Assessment. See below for a table comparing the elements and cost of each tier: (1) Full Communications Assessment, (2) Express Communications Assessment, (3) Platforms Review.
Please note that Tripepi Smith is flexible on the make-up of this scope of work and is open to further customization upon the City's consideration. Adjustments can impact costs.
Full Express
Communications Communications Platforms Review
Assessment Assessment
Fixed Cost $60,900 $28,740 $12,720
Principal, Directors, Principal/Director, Director, Business Business Analyst, Senior Business Analyst, Junior
Junior Business Analyst, Business Business Analyst
TS Resources Involved
Analyst Analyst, Junior
Business Analysts
Interviews with City Staff 12 6 2
Tripepi Smith & Associates 8
Single Source Communications
Interviews with City Council
Interviews with Key Members
of the Public
Department Communications
Documentation Details X
Org. Communications
Process Summary
Website Platform Review V
Social Media Platforms
Reviews
Social Media Policy Review
Misc. Tools (Email, Apps, etc.)
Brand and Identity Evaluation
Key Observations V
Recommendations and
V
Tactical Execution Steps
Presentation to Senior Staff V
Presentation to City Council or V
Committee X
Executive Summary Report V
Version X X
Drafts 2 (First Draft, Final) 2 (First Draft, Final)
2 (First Draft, Final)
Report Length 50 Pages 20 Pages 5 Pages
Estimated Timeline Up to 6 Months
Up to 3 Months Up to 2 Months
General Communications and Marketing Support
Tripepi Smith has supported communications efforts for hundreds of public agencies. Our general communications and marketing support services may include, but are not limited to: social media management, monthly metric & analytic report, media intelligence, press release & news article creation, quarterly strategy meetings, on-call strategic communications advice and other ad hoc work as needed.
To provide regular, ongoing communications and marketing support to the City, we are proposing two options:
Option A that offers Tripepi Smith's full suite of services through a Time & Materials approach (leveraging our hourly rates) and Option B that offers a fixed set of services through a Retainer approach (a monthly Fixed Fee).
Ad Hoc Work (as needed)
If there comes the need for any additional ad hoc services, Tripepi Smith is ready to provide those services and is providing our hourly rates for the full array of our resources to support City communication efforts. As such, we recommend setting aside a budget to accommodate a (currently) unknown volume of support.
Examples of these ad hoc requests include but are not limited to: photography services; video production services; newsletter development and assembly; graphic design support; writing speeches; writing Letters to the Editor; presentation preparation; media training sessions; drafting or reviewing policies and procedures; organizing press Tripepi Smith & Associates 9
Single Source Communications
conferences; writing articles for the City website or other publications; marketing campaigns; and other strategies, tactics and resources necessary to support your strategic mission.
Project Staffing
Key Personnel
Tripepi Smith is designating the key personnel below to lead this engagement, leveraging their skillsets, experience, and in-depth understanding of the City of Lancaster. (Jennifer and Kalee are part of the current TS team supporting the City, with Kevin also having supported various design projects for Lancaster.) Depending on the scope the City selects, the rest of our project team may vary. In addition, we may leverage our collaborative team to bring in other Tripepi Smith staff members with diverse skillsets to assist and advance the overall effort.
You can learn more about our backgrounds and qualifications at www.TripepiSmith.com/Our-Team.
The key personnel will have dedicated availability to support the engagement, including capacity to provide support under urgent notice or time constraints. Tripepi Smith will work to maintain consistency of key personnel to maintain continuity and quality of service. Should any key personnel become unavailable during our engagement, TS will consult with the City team and ensure support from Tripepi Smith resources who have commensurate experience, knowledge and/or skillsets.
Jennifer Nentwig, APR
Principal
Location: Mesa, AZ | Role: Account Manager
Jen is a talented, well-rounded communications professional and project manager with implemented programs in strategic communications, media relations, internal more than 17 years of experience serving government organizations. She has built and communication, community relations and social media. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Science in Global Leadership from the University of San Diego.
Kevin Bostwick
Creative Director
Location: Claremont, CA | Role: Creative Lead
Kevin is an experienced Creative Director and brand designer. He partners with stakeholders to reflect powerful ideas visually, distilling unexpected brand stories from challenging content and designing media for engagement, understanding and absorption.
He navigates the whole ecosystem, working with high-powered stakeholders to shape concepts, UX, branding, strategy, writing, asset management, information architecture and infographics.
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Kalee Cummings
Senior Business Analyst
Location: San Francisco, CA | Role: Project Manager
Kalee brings a wealth of experience in public policy, non-profit management and marketing strategy. She excels in client management, narrative crafting and community engagement, alring slations to meet diverse client needs. Kalee holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Claremont McKenna College, with a focus on public policy and organization, complemented by a sequence in data science. 09000
CCC
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Organizational Chart
Ryder Todd Smith Nicole Smith
Co-founder & President Co-founder & CFO
Katherine Griffiths, APR Jennifer Nentwig, APR Jennifer Vaughn, APR Creative Services Principal, Editorial Lead Principal
Principal
Cameron Grimm Kevin Bostwick Mike Egan
Principa Creative Director Christine Martin
Director Director
Melanie James Kjerstin Wingert Saara Lampwalla
Director Sr. Graphic Designer Karen Villaseñor
Sr. Business Analyst Sr. Business Analyst
Sara Madsen ean Talbot Sydni Overly
Sr. Business Analyst r. Graphic Designe Sr. Business Analyst Kaitlyn Wu Sr. Business Analyst
Nolan Voge Josh Hernandez
Videographer Videographer Sienna Boyd Devyn Fisher
Sr. Business Analyst Sr. Business Analyst
Jeremy Camp Jenni Wechsler Caetlyn Hernandez
Videographer Graphic Designer
Sr. Business Analyst
Ethan De La Peña Audrin Baghaie Melanie Moore
Jr. Videographer Jr. Videographer Kylie Sun
Sr. Business Analyst Business Analyst
Daniel Ceruti Alexis Mendez Cailyn Thompson
Jr. Videographer Jr. Graphic Designer Charlie Mount
Business Analyst Business Analyst
Jenna Haubruge Christina Haverilla Skyler Addison
Jr. Graphic Designer Jr. Videographer Business Analyst Peter Johnson Business Analyst
lessa Laboissonnier Kayla Cao Valerie Nevarez
Jr. Graphic Designe Business Analyst Business Analyst
Abigail Wolf Amber Stallard Madeline Wilson Amy Gallagher Business Analyst Management Analyst Business Analyst Jr. Business Analyst Morgan Mock Kendall Lowery Maximilian Weirach Devin Antonio Jr. Business Analyst Jr. Business Analyst Jr. Website Developer Jr. Business Analyst Mia Valenzuela Olivia Rizzuto Sydney Fitch
Jr. Business Analyst Kara Cato
Jr. Business Analyst Jr. Business Analyst Jr. Business Analyst Sarah Klem Hannah Wedepohl Avi Vemuri Dominick Beaudine Jr. Business Analyst Jr. Business Analyst Jr. Business Analyst Jr. Business Analyst Claire Blodget Laurel Yocum Emma Totaro Julia Gale
Jr. Business Analyst Jr. Business Analyst Jr. Business Analyst Jr. Business Analyst
Courtney Koç Erin Pinkelman Ted Hwang Erica Chandler
Jr. Business Analyst Jr. Business Analyst Jr. Business Analyst Jr. Business Analyst Tripepi Smith & Associates 12
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Resumes
JENNIFER NENTWIG, APR
TRIPEPI SMITH - PRINCIPAL 03/22 - PRESENT
• Strategic advice and project leadership across an array of clients • Redistricting subject matter expertise, business development and project management • Internal leadership on policy areas like water quality, major infrastructure projects • Provide project management and account support for numerous clients • Develop content including strategic messaging, leadership talking points, speeches and articles TRIPEPI SMITH - DIRECTOR 01/21 - 03/22
TRIPEPI SMITH - SENIOR BUSINESS ANALYST 08/19 - 01/21
COUNTY OF ORANGE - COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER 11/16 - 8/19
• Managed County website and social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Nextdoor • Developed and implemented communication plans, including talking points, key messages and FAQs BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON - COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT/ASSOCIATE 09/11 - 11/16 • Led communications support of several U.S. military clients such as the Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) • Developed and published high-visibility products including vision documents and strategic plans U.S. AIR FORCE RESERVES - PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER/MAJOR 09/11 - PRESENT • Provides once-a-year Public Affairs support to active-duty U.S. Air Force units U.S. AIR FORCE - PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER/CAPTAIN 05/07 - 08/11 • Served as Director of Public Affairs for U.S. military joint task force providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; Led media relations program and community relations events for Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada including support for a visit and speech by President Barack Obama
EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO - SAN DIEGO, CA
• Master of Science in Global Leadership
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME - NOTRE DAME, IN
• Bachelor of Arts in Political Science | Minor in Hesburgh Program of Public Service
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• Accreditation in Public Relations,
Public Relations Society of America ............2015
• Public Affairs Qualification Course, Defense Information School...........2007
CERTIFICATIONS
• Facebook Blueprint Digital Marketing Associate. ..07/20 • Hootsuite Social Marketing. .09/19
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KEVIN BOSTWICK
TRIPEPI SMITH - CREATIVE DIRECTOR 10/19 - PRESENT
• Consult, design and execute on premium branding and design projects • Manage client accounts and creative presentation, encourage business development where the focus is design
• Ensure quality assurance, brand consistency and overall visual quality. Establish high technical standards, manage internal and external creative resources and vendors, provided project management and consulting KB GRAPHIC STUDIO - PRINCIPAL 01/03 - 10/19
• Content strategy and information design for both digital and print communications • Data visualizations, interactive components, information models, and diagrams used for assessment, learning, marketing, and presentation
• Projects include Canon, Walmart, Coca-Cola, HP, Google, PNC, Clarkson University and Goodwill KORN FERRY INTERNATIONAL - ART DIRECTOR 01/12 - 03/18
• Design for talent acquisition, leadership training, performance and retention • Development of internal brands and product lines, white-label offerings and client brands • Lead design process for stakeholders (product owners, SMEs, business strategists, etc.) • Clients include Futurestep, Hay Group, Lominger, Global Novations, Chevron, Johnson & Johnson, 7 Habits, Cemex, Fonterra and Genentech
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL - ART DIRECTOR 01/03 - 01/12
• Graphic design for advertising, logos, presentations, brochures and magazines • Data visualizations, interactive components, information models and diagrams • Projects include JW Marriott, Marriott Resorts, Renaissance and Marriott Brand Family CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE - SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER 08/11 - 06/12 • Design and management of creative assets, vendor relations, pre-press • Some Claremont McKenna projects: admissions brochures, alumni magazine, logo development
EDUCATION
REED COLLEGE - PORTLAND, OR
• Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Literature
SKILLS
• Adobe Creative Suite • Data Design and • Strategy, Development, • Brand Development Infographics Blended Media
• Creative Workflow and • Implementation, • User stories, UX, Agile Management Engineering, Production Information Architecture • Microsoft Office Suite • Wireframes, Storyboards
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KALEE CUMMINGS
TRIPEPI SMITH - SENIOR BUSINESS ANALYST 07/24 - PRESENT • Produce and oversee development of comprehensive content and strategies, including social media, email, press releases, website content, graphics and more, to achieve communication goals • Lead Strategy and operations for Media Intelligence services practice area TRIPEPI SMITH - BUSINESS ANALYST 12/22 - 07/24
TRIPEPI SMITH - JUNIOR BUSINESS ANALYST 07/21 - 12/22
SOURCE NONPROFIT CONSULTING - CONSULTANT 08/17-05/21
• Researched and compiled data to create deliverables including a comprehensive recommendation guide to streamline donor management and retention, marketing strategy for expanded services and campaigr strategy
• Lead internal marketing initializes, utilizing Photoshop and HTML to create a year-end report displaying impact
JOLYN CLOTHING - E-COMMERCE INTERN 06/19 - 09/19
• Developed SEO Meta descriptions to optimize product listing pages and merchandise product • Performed web content updates within Shopify and Amazon Seller Central to expand e-commerce streams POLICY LAB - STUDENT RESEARCHER 01/19 - 05/19
• Researched and analyzed over 170 foreign policy speeches to project the foreign policy agenda related to migration in the 2020 midterm elections and synthesized research into a memo for the Brookings Institution • Mapped populations of immigrants, identified migration integration initiatives of Mayors Migration Council cities and synthesized research and data visualizations into a memo for the City of Los Angeles YASZA CREATIVE AGENCY - DIGITAL MARKETING INTERN 06/18 - 08/18 • Managed and curated daily content for social media platforms of four YASZA-affiliated companies based upon analytics using Hootsuite software and Instagram business tools • Edited webpage content
• Directed video coverage of sales packages and services to be integrated into the social media platforms and websites of two companies, generating over 6,700 added views to promotional material
EDUCATION
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE - CLAREMONT, CA
• Bachelor of Arts in Government | Sequence in Data Science
CERTIFICATIONS
• Google Ads Display Certification .. ...03/23
....
• Sprout Social Platform Certification. ..03/22
......
• Meltwater ...•... 21-22
Social Listening with Explore: Advanced,
Meltwater Boolean: Advanced
• Hootsuite Social Marketing ... ..07/21
SOFTWARE
• Adobe Photoshop • Hootsuite • Sprout Social
• Canva • Microsoft Office Suite
• STATA, R, Python
• Google Suite • Shopifv
• WordPress, CivicPlus,
Granicus Vision
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COPY OF LICENSE
Secretary of State
Certificate of Status
1, SHIRLEY N. WEBER, PH.D., Califomia Secretary of State, hereby certify:
Entity Name: TRIPFPI SMITH & ASROCIATFS INC
Entity No.: 2414874
Registration Date: 05/06/2002
Entity Type: Stock Coporaton - CA - General
Formed in: CALIFORNIA
Status: Actre
The above referenced entity is active on the Secretary of State's records and is authorized to exerase all is powers, rights and privileges in California.
This certificate relates to the status of the ently on the Secretary of State's records as of the date of this certificate and does not reflect documents that are pending review or other events that may impact status.
No information is available from this office regarding the financel condition, status of licenses, if any. business activities or practices of the enlity
THE IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I execule this certificate and affix the Great Seal of the State of California this day of June 11. 2024.
(3773
SHIRLEY N. WEBER, PM.D.
NIA Decretary of Stato
Certificate No.: 218733632
certification Venification Search avallable at biztileOnline.sos. ca go o verify the issuance of this Certificate, use the Certificate No above with the Secretary of Stat Tripepi Smith & Associates
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COST PROPOSALS
Cost Proposal 1: Communications Evaluation Services
Should the City determine Tripepi Smith is the most qualified and responsive vendor, but has a budget number it must hit, then we remain open to collaborating with staff to narrow our scope or refine our understanding of the scope needs, and we will modify our pricing accordingly.
Summary of Proposed Services
Tripepi Smith recommends the Express Communications Assessment (the mid-range option among Tripepi Smith's Communications Assessment offerings), for a Fixed Fee of $28,740. We invoice 30% at kickoff, 30% at draft delivery, and 40% at final delivery or 30 days after draft delivery (whichever occurs first).
Cost Breakdown
Service Hourly Rate (or Cost for Initial Cost for Optional Cost for Optional Total Cost for 3 other Fee Year (Year 1) Year (Year 2) Year (Year 3) Years Structure)
Service 1: Express $28,740 Flat Fee* $28,740 N/A N/A $28,740* Communications
Assessment
Total Costs for $28,740*
Services
*Note that this pricing assumes interviews and presentations are conducted virtually. Any travel time/expenses will be invoiced on a T&M basis.
Cost Proposal 2: General Communications and Marketing Support Services
Summary of Proposed Services
The City of Lancaster values community engagement and wishes to enhance its effectiveness through strategic, consistent communications. Tripepi Smith can deliver upon the City's requested scope through our unique mix of service offerings, which include social media management; web and social media strategy, optimization (SEO) and metrics; web hosting/ support; full-service graphic design; brand/logo development; content creation; photography; videography; event production and technical support; animation and motion graphics; and more.
Cost Breakdown - Option A (Time & Materials)
Option A for General Communications and Marketing Support Services maximizes flexibility for the City by offering our full suite of services through Tripepi Smith's hourly rates. (See 2024-2025 Hourly Rates chart below.) With Option A offering maximum flexibility for the City's dynamic needs, Tripepi Smith defers to the City on the cost per year and is noting those costs as "TBD" in the chart below.
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Service Hourly Rate (or Cost for Initial Cost for Optional Cost for Optional Total Cost for 3 other Fee Year (Year 1) Year (Year 2) Year (Year 3) Years Structure)
General Comms See 2024-2025 TBD TBD TBD TBD
and Marketing Hourly Rates
Support (T&M) below
Total Costs for TBD
Services
Cost Breakdown - Option B (Retainer)
Through Option B, the City can achieve/sustain outreach momentum through recurring deliverables at a set monthly cost. We recommend the following services as part of this Retainer engagement: social media management (10 posts/week), monthly metric & analytic report (1 report/month), media intelligence (leveraging meltwater), press release/news article creation (up to 4 articles/month), quarterly strategy meetings (1 virtual meeting/quarter), project management (2 check-in calls/month) and on-call strategic communications advice.
Tripepi Smith recommends an extra layer of budget for unpredictable needs, which we can address on a Time & Materials (T&M) basis. We only begin extraneous work with your written consent.
Service Hourly Rate (or Cost for Initial Cost for Optional Cost for Optional Total Cost for 3 other Fee Year (Year 1) Year (Year 2) Year (Year 3) Years Structure)
General Comms $11,950/month* $143,400/year* $150,570/year* $158,099/year* $452,069* and Marketing (fixed fee)
Support (Retainer)
Total Costs for $452,069*
Services
The City may want to add an extra budget for any T&M needs. Please also note that the year-over-year projections assume a 5% CPI increase. This increase may be subject to change if the CPI ever exceeds 5%, as per our annual increase requirement.
As-Needed Services
Tripepi Smith will apply the following standard hourly rates and related fees for any authorized as-needed (Time & Materials) work. Such work must be clearly authorized in writing before proceeding. 2024-25 Hourly Rates Standard Reduced Retainer
Principal $370 $295
Director $255 $215
Art/Creative Director $255 $215
Senior Business Analyst $195 $165
Business Analyst $140 $115
Junior Business Analyst $115 $95
Senior Videographer/Animator $195 $165
Senior Photographer $170 $145
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2024-25 Hourly Rates Standard Reduced Retainer
Videographer/Photographer $130 $110
Junior Videographer/Photographer $110 $95
Senior Graphic Designer $185 $155
Graphic Designer $130 $110
Junior Graphic Designer $110 $95
Web Developer $195 $175
Junior Web Developer $110 $95
Drone Operator $195 $170
Council Chamber A/V Operator $110 $95
Additional Cost Considerations
Tripepi Smith has related service fees that may come up during our engagement that we want to tell you about.
Annual Increase
TS will increase the hourly rates and retainer fees for all resources by 5% or the national CPI index-whichever is higher-each year on the anniversary of the contract, starting on the first anniversary of any contract when the contract duration is longer than one year. Otherwise, new rates will be negotiated with each new contract.
Retainer Discount
When a client's retainer exceeds $7,150 per month, they gain access to our reduced retainer rates.
Travel Costs
Travel costs must be pre-authorized and then will be reimbursed by the client for any requested travel to complete a requested scope of work. Travel costs may include airfare, lodging, car rentals and gas. Additionally, when client work requires that we be onsite, we will invoice for a resource's travel time at 50% of the resource's hourly rate.
Equipment Costs
The following rates apply to Tripepi Smith services that require equipment:
Half Day (Under 4 Hours) Full Day (4+ Hours)
Video $400 $600
Drone $500 - Flat Fee
MEVO $400 - Flat Fee
Service Fees
We prefer that clients pay service providers directly to avoid unnecessary administrative costs. You should also know that we have no economic interest in service providers, unless otherwise specified in this proposal. If a client asks us to pay for a service provider bill, we will apply a 10% agency fee to the reimbursement expense.
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Exclusive Access
Tripepi Smith has access to entities that may be relevant to our engagement. These partnerships allow Tripepi Smith to offer clients extra media reach or additional services at partner pricing.
CLink government professionals in California to discover and share resources, policies, sample work products, best Local Information Network of Knowledge (LINK): www.LocalinfoNetwork.com - A community forum for local practices and more.
PUBLICCEO government executives through a daily podcast, job board, video podcast and more. PublicCEO: www.PublicCEO.com - Digital news about public affairs, reaching over 17,500 California CBJi Civic Business Journal: www.CivicBusinessJournal.com - Digital interest stories on the people, companies and solutions that make local government in California more effective.
IZ FlashVote FlashVote: www.FlashVote.com - Statistically valid surveying that helps leaders make decisions. • Disclaimer: Tripepi Smith President Ryder Todd Smith is an investor in FlashVote.
P TRIPPI SMITH service, combining local government access with communications to advance talent quests and build culture Tripepi Smith Talent Solutions: www.TSTalentSolutions.com - A multiaceted recruitment consultancy warriors.
(O) Meltwater: www.TripepiSmith.com/Media-Intelligence - An enterprise-class, comprehensive media monitoring solution that is best combined with Tripepi Smith's analytics team.
Payment Terms
At Tripepi Smith, we bill on either a Retainer, Fixed Fee or Time & Materials basis, with each billing type following its own payment schedule. Regardless, terms are Net 30 days.
Fixed Fee work is billed upon defined milestones.
T&M work is billed in 15-min increments (i.e. 4.0, 1.25, 6.5, 0.75 hrs) at the end of the month in which work is done.
Retainer work is billed on the 15th of each month.
Authorized Signature
Pader to Grith
Ryder Todd Smith
Co-Founder & President, Tripepi Smith & Associates, Inc.
October 21, 2024
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EXCEPTIONS TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
AGREEMENT
As TS does not own automobiles, we request the requirement for Commercial Automobile Liability be updated to: "Automobile coverage shall be at least as broad as Insurance Services Office Automobile Liability form CA 0001 covering any auto (Code 1), or if Consultant has no owned autos, hired (code 8) and non-owned autos (Code 9)."
SIGNATURE SHEET
No. Beneate cartfen that the proposal a bmited comples weth at terms ard condon as set tortin fee y verator tertfies that Pus fire has ho saliness pe person relationship with any oder raanes eren that could be carsitiet a sinfit if interest, or potrolli confict of insist te the Cry of Lesseter l aty and all work or sonicas to be performed an a mer
with the City
The Vendor hereby certifes that it has
• Raad nach and every clause of this RfP and addenda, indudiny Addendum .. • Induded all costs necessary lo complete the spacified port on ki proposed price. • Arred ther
1. I we mate no daim agamt the Lity laund spe
ison if the Agreement Moore
antlopated by it, the Vender agrees te anem alt riks lecident the ista i Tura put antinuine thal I hereby certay that i am authored to sem as a Reprisentative for the Firm Name after Tripepi Smidh and Aesociates, lo
Address TO Bee 12102 trise CA 92619
Fed ID No: DIR I (M applicable)
Name forinti Ryder Todd Sonich
Name (ripal:
Telephone: (626) 536-2173
ryderig tripepiscuish com Ortober 22. 2024
Date:
*To receive consideration for ward, this signature sheet must be returned with the Presoul.
CALIFORNIA LEVINE ACT STATEMENT
LIVINE ACT ORSCLOSUR
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A by is emiture on the dement ICOMPANY NAMI represents in want feet onel " Гайной, спінтрі Wenty in error,il or apmall who and rate he careta
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APPROVED AS TO IORM
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APPENDIX: WORK SAMPLES
Work Samples - City of Palmdale
cry oi Palmote - Governmen.
September 31
PALMDALF (pare espanot, We hope everyone had as muen fun as we did at Paimale s State of the City was great seeing what is in store for Palmdate in ine future and hearing from our Caly Radershib http:://www.youtube.coms/waschhiCOjDPEHsXWD you mistol, no scelles The entre treat is com on our voo uce bage at See more
Now Available on
YouTube!
AUTO MALL DINE & DRIVE
BUDGET AT A GLANCE
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH
SERVE YOU
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
KALEIDOSCOPE FESTIVAL
PAIMDALE
FALL |2024
See more editions of the Palmdale Magazine:
www.cityofpalmdaleca.gov/503/Communications
See more social media posts: visit
www.cityofpalmdaleca.gov and click on City's social
media icons
Posted on October 10 202%
Palmdale City Leaders Appalled at Release of Convicted Raplst to Nearby Community
Hubbart will be housed in the neighboring community of Juniper Hills pet the Los Angeles PALMDALE, CA - The City of Patmale has been informed that convicted serial rapist Christopher Antelope Valley's commonts fell' on deaf eats Superise Court's decision Palmdale City leaders are furlaus and frustrated as residents of the this matter to say that i am outraged is an understatement," sald Mayor Austin Bishop "The *This decision is unacceptable and a slap in the face to every person who voiced their opinion on placed outside of the Antelope Valley, it was clear there was nevr any intention to listen to our entire process was a sham. from the initial decision made in Santa Clara to the hoaring being series of at least 40 rapes and other sor crimes arid placing him in cur community endangers our voices Christopher Hubbart has been convicted in Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties for:
residents*
victims. He was previousy housed in the same vicinity in 2014, only to be swiftly reincarcerated Hubbart, also known as the Pillowcase Rapist, Used piliowcases to muffle the screams of his for violating the forms of his release. It is clear that this process has nat worked in the past, and yet, the Los Angeles Superior Court's decision blatantly tums its back or the people of the Antelope Valley.
third sexually violent predator to be placed in the area "voiced Mayor Pro Tem Richard Loo "The *Our cammunity's opinions. beliets and well-being are being completely ignored as this is the for citizens never tave to face the consequences. The court, in its ruling, appears to have ignored: Lus Angeles Superior Court's decision reinforces the notion that the people who make the rules that this Violent sexual predator violated parole and was teturned to prison. Now, the judge has ruled that this repeat offender is released into our community, putting our women at great tak the Antelope Vallly will not forget this come election time This should never have been a discussion he should have remained incarcerited. The beople of The City is filled with indignation by the Los Angeles Superior Courty decision, which will directly endanger the women and families in Juniper Hills and the greater Antelope Valley.
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Work Samples - City of Duarte
PUMPKIN
CARVING CONTEST
(comedia e
d,
PRESS RELEASE
Happy Red C, CITY COUNCE MIRTINC
BUS SHUTTLES TO
Ribbon REPLACE TRAINS City or FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BETWEEN September 5, 2024
Week MONROVIA AND
Cataber 23 07.1850 APU/CITRUS FOR CONTACT
SIX WEEKENDS Andres Rangel, Assistant to the City Manager/ Public Information Officer
Whit bic,ly/32R3v21 [email protected]
Duante (626) 386-6869
ShakeOut. Celebrate Duarte's 67th Anniversary at the City Don't
Picnic!
Freak Out.
KED RIBBON WER Join us at Encanto Park (Z51 Encanto Parkway), where we will celebrate October 17, 202a
Duarte's 67th anniversary during the City Picnic on Saturday, September 21 from 11 AM to 3 PM. There, enjoy live entertainment, special carnival rides and attractions, a classic and custom car show, boutique vendors, and a few anniversary surprises.
Work Samples - City of Indian Wells
See following pages attached.
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CCO INDIAN WELLS
CALIFORNIA
FINANCIAL
REVIEW
FY 2020
The City continues to monitor the effects of the pandemic and make fiscally sound decisions based on the massive impact of COVID-19. With a decrease in sales tax, transient occupancy tax (TOT) and the overall tourism industry, the City has adjusted planned expenditures and implemented savings reduction neasures to offset lost revenues. Long-term planning has prepared the City for economic downturns suck by June 30, 2021. as these. Currently, the City Council's goal is to break even or be cash flow positive in the general fund Yours in service,
Kevin
Kevin McCarthy, Finance Director
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TOTAL 2019-20 REVENUES & EXPENSES
revenues by $7.9 million (about 40%). Under the leadership of the Indian Wells City Manager, staff cut spending In a destination City like Indian Wells, it's not surprising that impacts to tourism reduced General Fund operating by nearly 16% during the last half of the fiscal year, significantly reducing the operating loss for the year. elimination of annual tennis naming rights contribution due to tennis agreements) extensions, reduction of Budget reductions include marketing and contribution efforts for tennis, Ironman, and pickleball events, and conferences, reduction of CVB contributions and a reduction of administrative costs. Community Development, Finance and Public Works professional services, citywide restriction on travel, meetings the City has followed several Financial Priorities to maintain fiscal responsibilities, including no cuts to Public Thankfully, Indian Wells was as well-prepared for an economic disaster as possible. Over the past several years, projects, and the payoff of City pension and other post-employment obligations. The City eliminated all pension Safety, no use of City reserves, a $2 million annual contribution to reserves over the last eight years for future downturn. liabilities and set aside money into reserves as part of a long-term strategy to plan for the next economic Today, Indian Wells has a capital reserve fund of $25 million, which is part of nearly $44 million in cash reserves hth moy hiscally Sund coly consin citricine ento door Ci podian Walls the prestige of being the FY 2019/20 PROJECTED REVENUES VS. EXPENSES
Revenue
$19.9M
$17.2M
Expected Surplus: $2.7 Million
FY 2019/20 ACTUAL REVENUES VS. EXPENSES
Revenue
$12.2M
$14.4M
the loss in revenue following COVID.19 and the cancellation of large-scal The City significantly reduced it's expenses for the FY 2019/20 year to offse events like the BNP Paribas Open, Coachella, and Stagecoach.
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Transient Occupancy Tax
(TOT)
24.6% Property Tax
21.7% Permits Fees & Fines
CCCCCI
6.7% Sales Tax
2.7% Investment Income
3.7% Other
2019/20 REVENUES
$12,179,868
2019/20 EXPENSES
$14,369,699
General Government 46.7%
Public Safety 25.9%
Public Works 18%
Community Development 1%
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THE HYPOTHETICAL TOURIST
$5,643,075 TOTAL TOURISM $ FOR FISCAL
YEAR ENDING IN JUNE 2020
$29.15
PER VISITOR
$3.61 $0 $25.55
SALES TAX
Generated by shopping and dining within City limits, Sales Tax generated $698,303 for FY ending in June 2020
ADMISSIONS TAX
Generated by admission to events, such as the BNP Paribas Open, Admissions Tax generated SO for FY ending in June 2020.
TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX
Generated by guests staying in our hotels, transient occupancy tax (T.O.T) generated $4,944,772 for FY ending in June 2020.
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CAPITAL RESERVES
The Capital Reserve Fund sets aside reserves for future capital replacements. This fund was created to accumulate funding for new infrastructure development and the ongoing rehabilitation of existing buildings, bridges, streets and other City assets.
CAPITAL RESERVES AS OF JUNE 30, 2020
Buildings
51,428,92
Bridges
$1,714,811
Medians &
Parkways
$1,364,643
Storm Drains
$689,410
THE CITY OF INDIAN
Traffic Signals WELLS DEDICATES
$569,702 NEARLY 75% OF ITS
CAPITAL RESERVES TO
City MAINTAING THE SAFETY
Technology AND AESTHETICS OF
$516,892
OUR CITY STREETS
City Streets
$18,810,786
City Vehicles
$115,353
Tripepi Smith & Associates 28