City Council Agenda Report
November 4, 2025
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: Ozzie Ramos, Deputy City Manager
Mario Mera, Engineering Division Manager
Run Chen, P.E., Principal Civil Engineer
Furkan Cetinkale, Associate Engineer
Nathan Garcia, Assistant Engineer
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 25-51 BUDGET AMENDMENT – ON-CALL CITYWIDE GRANT MANAGEMENT SERVICES, ENGINEERS REPORT NO. 25-24
Background:
Annually, the City’s Engineering Division oversees its Capital Improvement Program which encompasses over $100 million in infrastructure improvements. To support infrastructure enhancements, the City relies on various restricted and grant funding sources to ensure the City can fund these vital improvements.
To ensure the City can apply for, be awarded with, and oversee the management of these various restricted and grant funding sources, staff has identified the need for grant management services. These services will supplement the work staff is doing to secure public infrastructure improvements, seek new funding sources, and manage the post-award compliance requirements set forth by various granting agencies.
On June 3, 2025, the City released Request for Proposal (“RFP”) No. 25-818 to solicit proposals for On-Call Grant Management Services with the intent to develop a shortlist of qualified firms.
Services requested included grant research efforts, grant writing/applications, and post-award compliance. A total of 16 proposals were received and scored by an evaluation committee comprised of City staff based on the criteria set forth in the RFP document..
City Council November 4, 2025
Resolution No. 25-51 – Grant Management Services –
Budget Amendment
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The top three highest scoring firms were selected for placement on the City’s shortlist:
Shortlisted Firms
1 Advanced Avant-Garde Corporation
2 Southstar Engineering & Consulting, Inc.
3 Blais & Associates, LLC
Staff is seeking approval to enter into individual agreements with the selected firms in an amount not-to-exceed $150,000 annually, per firm. The firms shall provide the above services on an “on- call” basis for various task orders throughout the minimum three-year term.
Fiscal Impact:
Funding to support the grant management services was not included in the Fiscal Year 2025/26 budget, requiring an amendment to the budget. Resolution No. 25-51 includes an appropriation in the amount of $50,000 from the City’s General Fund to support the grant research and application efforts. Post-award compliance services will be incorporated into future capital improvement project budgets at the time of award. The agreements with the selected firms will be for an amount not-to-exceed $150,000 annually. Individual Task Orders for specific on-call services will be issued under the agreements, with appropriate funding allocations identified and included at the time of Task Order authorization.
Citizens Advised:
N/A
Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
The recommended actions will further the City’s Strategic Plan Goal 2: Invest in Street Infrastructure.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommend City Council
a.adopt Resolution No. 25-51, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWALK AUTHORIZING AN AMENDMENT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2025/26
ADOPTED BUDGET TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR ON-CALL CITYWIDE GRANT MANAGEMENT SERVICES, in the amount of $50,000; and
b.approve agreements with Advanced Avant-Garde Corporation, Southstar Engineering & Consulting, Inc., and Blais & Associates, LLC to provide on-call grant management services for a term of three years from the date of execution, in an amount not-to-exceed $150,000 annually; and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreements, as well as any extensions or amendments, provided there is funding in the budget and it is within City Council November 4, 2025
Resolution No. 25-51 – Grant Management Services –
Budget Amendment
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the City Manager’s signing authority, on behalf of the City, in a form approved by the City Attorney.
Attachments:
Resolution No. 25-51