July 28, 2026
Agenda Item No. 20
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
Seimone Jurjis, City Manager - 949-644-3001, [email protected] PREPARED BY:
Lorig Harutunian, Management Analyst - 949-644-3028, [email protected] TITLE:
Professional Services Agreement for On-Call Police Station Strategic Communications with Westbound Communications Inc.
ABSTRACT:
The City of Newport Beach (City) issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) for services related to the future Newport Beach Police Department headquarters. These services support public transparency through the development and implementation of a comprehensive strategic communications program for the City’s new Police Department headquarters project. This includes providing clear, accurate and timely information to the public and stakeholders. Based on the results of the competitive selection process, staff recommends that the City enter into a professional services agreement (PSA) with Westbound Communications Inc. for a total not-to-exceed amount of $315,000. The proposed agreement has a two-year term with the option to extend for two additional one-year terms.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; and b) Approve an On-Call Professional Services Agreement with Westbound Communications Inc. for Police Station Strategic Communications for a total amount not-to-exceed amount of $315,000 and authorize the Mayor and the City Clerk to execute the agreement.
DISCUSSION:
The City is evaluating potential sites and logistical considerations for a new Police Department headquarters and solicited a consulting firm to support public outreach. The firm will help ensure the community receives clear and timely information by developing a strategic communications plan, leading community and stakeholder engagement, creating and managing digital messaging, and providing ongoing monitoring, analytics and reporting.
On April 16, 2026, the City posted an RFQ for on-call police station strategic communications and community outreach services. Ten consulting firms submitted their qualifications. The submittals were reviewed and ranked by a three-person selection committee from the City Manager’s Office. The written technical proposals were reviewed and ranked by the selection committee before the sealed cost bids were opened.
All firms met the minimum requirements to be evaluated and staff evaluated and ranked each firm’s proposal based on the following criteria:
Qualifications and experience for the firm
Qualifications and experience of key personnel
Method of approach/project approach
The results of the selection committee’s technical scores are summarized in the table below:
Proposer
Proposal Score
Overall Rank
Westbound Communications Inc.
2610
1 JPW Communications, Inc.
2480
2 Idea Hall
2410
3 RockSpark Communications + Marketing
2410
3 The ACE Agency
2090
5 Hawke Media
1820
6 Hashtag Pinpoint Corporation
1760
7 Nine27 LLC
1720
8 TRAFFIK LLC
1720
8 WeUsThem, Inc.
1450
10 Based on the results of the competitive selection process, it is recommended that the City enter into a professional services agreement with Westbound Communications Inc. for police station strategic communications services for two years, with an option to extend for two additional one-year terms, and a not-to-exceed contract amount of $315,000 FISCAL IMPACT:
The adopted Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget includes sufficient funding for this professional services agreement. This will be expensed to the Police Station project account in the CIP budget, 52101-980000-27F14, which is comprised of funding from the Facilities Financial Plan (FFP).
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
ATTACHMENT:
Attachment A – Professional Services Agreement with Westbound Communications Inc.
Professional Services Agreement for On-Call Police Station Strategic Communications with Westbound Communications Inc.
July 28, 2026
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