September 8, 2026
Agenda Item No. 12
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 Harbor Management Community Outreach Services with JPW Communications, Inc.
ABSTRACT:
The City of Newport Beach (City) is working to address the recommendations outlined in the California State Lands Commission’s (SLC) Public Trust Lands Management Report (Report) on the City’s management of local public tidelands. Community outreach is a significant component of the City’s work plan and staff is requesting the City Council’s approval of a professional services agreement with JPW Communications, Inc. (JPW) to provide harbor management outreach and engagement services. JPW would assist staff in engaging harbor users and other stakeholders and gathering public input to inform the Harbor Commission’s review of the Report. The proposed agreement has a two-year term with the option to extend for two additional years for a total not-to-exceed amount of $195,342.
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; b) Authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute an On-Call Professional Services Agreement with JPW Communications, Inc. for Harbor Management Community Outreach Services for a total amount not-to-exceed $195,342; and c) Establish an additional contingency of $9,302 (5% of the cost) to cover the cost of unforeseen needs.
DISCUSSION:
The City manages approximately 1,000 public moorings and 1,200 residential piers in Newport Harbor as trustee of the State of California and must manage the granted tidelands consistent with the public trust doctrine.
In July 2024, the City Council adopted mooring-rate adjustments that grandfathered existing permittees at current rates subject to annual adjustments, allowed one private transfer within four years, and established current short-term license rates for new users. The SLC then asked the City to pause implementation while it reviewed harbor management.
In December 2025, the SLC issued its “Report on the City of Newport Beach’s Public Trust Land Management,” which discusses the City’s management of tidelands in Newport Harbor. The report identified several areas where the City needs to strengthen its practices to ensure fairness and compliance with its legal obligations as a trustee of State lands.
The Harbor Commission will conduct a comprehensive review of the Report and will develop recommendations for a legally compliant, transparent and strategic path forward. These recommendations will be sent to the City Council for review, adoption and implementation.
Before the City Council considers any new policies or changes to the fee structure, the City is committed to first:
Hosting a series of public meetings in 2026 and 2027.
Conducting new independent appraisals for various user groups, including residential piers, moorings and yacht clubs.
Gathering community input through surveys, workshops and public meetings.
Reporting back to the State Lands Commission on progress.
Bringing a comprehensive, community-informed policy package to the City Council in 2027 that addresses each issue at one time.
Request for Qualifications
To support these efforts, staff issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) in April 2026, to identify a consultant to assist with community outreach and engagement. The City’s qualification review team consisted of three staff members from the City Manager’s Office. Using a qualification-based selection process, 12 responses to the RFQ were evaluated by the review team independently. Evaluations were based on the firm’s understanding of the scope of work, experience and qualifications.
Firm Name
Total Weighted Score
Rank
Kearns & West
2640
1 JPW Communications, Inc.
2510
2 RockSpark Communications + Marketing
2470
3 Cornerstone Communications
2240
4 Communications LAB
2160
5 Axiom of Purpose
2050
6 The ACE Agency
1920
7 TRAFFIK LLC
1800
8 The Green Parade
1740
9 CQMS, Construction Quality Management Solutions, Inc. 1730
10 Nine27 LLC
1720
11 WeUsThem, Inc.
1450
12 As shown in the table above, Kearns & West received the highest overall ranking. However, following a review of the cost proposal and discussions with the firm, staff determined that the firm’s areas of expertise and proposed cost were not the best fit for this project. Therefore, staff recommends awarding the contract to JPW, which ranked second overall in the RFQ process.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The current adopted budget includes sufficient funding to cover the not-to-exceed amount of $195,342 for the proposed professional services agreement. It would be expensed to the Services Professional account in the City Manager’s Office, 01020201-811008.
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 JPW Communications, Inc.
Professional Services Agreement for On-Call Harbor Management Community Outreach Services with JPW Communications, Inc.
September 8, 2026
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