CITY OF PACIFICA
COUNCIL AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
12/11/2023
1 SUBJECT:
Resolution Approving the Professional Services Agreement between the City of Pacifica and Townsend Public Affiars to Provide Grant Writing and Grant Administration Services to the Various Departments in the City of Pacifica
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approve a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a consulting services agreement with Townsend Public Affairs for grant writing and grant administration services at the not-toexceed cost of $60,000.
STAFF CONTACT:
Tara Schiff, Economic Development Manager
(650)501-6007
[email protected]
Yulia Carter, Assistant City Manager
(650) 501-6004
[email protected]
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
The City Council identified "Fiscal Sustainability" in the FY 2022-23 goals. Grant funding can provide an opportunity for the City to implement approved projects with money outside of general funds. The City Manager's Office recognized the potential of hiring a grant writing consultant to pursue grant funding and issued an RFP in 2022.
In April 2022, California Consulting was retained to assist in providing grant funding services to obtain funding for the City's most critical infrastructure and other needs in executing the City Council's goal of Fiscal Sustainability. The City Manager initially executed a six-month agreement with California Consulting Inc. to provide full grant-funding services, which included unlimited grant research and matching, submission, and management compliance services.
Upon the expiration of the initial six-month engagement in September 2022, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 62-2022 authorizing a 12-month extension of services with California Consulting, Inc. for an additional not to exceed amount of $60,000.
As part of their services, CA Consulting helped submit applications for seven grants and the City was awarded a One Bay Area OBAG 3 Grant for $900,000 from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and a Solar App+ grant for $40,000 from the Department of Energy. Both of these grant applications were largely prepared by the city staff. There are currently four other grants in progress for submittal. There are currently four other grants in progress for submittal.
The extension provided staff with extra time to evaluate the overall success of the grant program and the extent of staff time commitment required at all levels of the organization. After careful consideration of services and deliverables provided under this agreement, and considering that the agreement expired in September 2023, the City issued a request for proposals (RFP) to assess and evaluate the market for grant writing services.
Pacifica City Council 2
December 11, 2023
The RFP was released on October 6, 2023 with a deadline of October 30, 2023 to submit proposals. The City received four (4) qualified proposals. A selection committee of five staff members reviewed the proposals in accordance with government procurement policies. Each committee member completed a scorecard evaluating each consulting firm and proposal based on their capabilities and qualifications, quality of proposal and approach to services, cost and overall fit to provide the grant services to the City.
After tallying the score cards, Townsend Public Affairs received the highest score, thus the Review Committee recommends that the City enter into a professional agreement with this consultant.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
As an alternative action, the Council may choose not to approve the Contract with Townsend Public Affairs and may choose to re-open the RFP. This would cause a delay in the grant writing services, which would affect the City's potential opportunities for grant funding.
RELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND WORK PLAN:
Approval of the Grant Writing Contract with Public Affairs company is consistent with the following Council adopted Goals:
• Organizational and Fiscal Stability: This project will ensure that the City is well prepared for grant opportunities.
• Stewardship of City Infrastructure, streets and facilities. This project will help fund the repair of City infrastructure ( the damaged rock revetment) and will stabilize the bluff that supports the road and its infrastructure.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total annual cost for this Contract with Townsend Public Affairs is not to exceed $60,000.
This cost is consistent with the cost of providing these services with the current provider, therefore, no budget amendment is needed at this time, as this cost is already included in the FY 2023-24 Budget. The attached resolution provides the City Manager with the authority to execute an optional extension of this agreement for two additional years upon satisfactory performance. If such extension is granted, the cost (adjusted by CPI subject to negotiation) will be included in the future year’s base budget.
ORIGINATED BY:
City Manager's Office
ATTACHMENT LIST:
AGREEMENT FOR CONSULTANT SERVICES_grant writing (PDF)
Pacifica City Council 3
December 11, 2023
RESOLUTION NO. ________
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PACIFICA APPROVING
CONSULTANT SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND TOWNSEND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS, TO PROVE FULL-SERVICE GRANT MANAGEMENT
WHEREAS, the City has identified various critical infrastructure and operational needs that are not fully funded in the adopted Capital Improvement Program.
WHEREAS, the City does not have the capacity to provide full-service grant management in-house and has been utilizing CA Consulting services for these purpose since 2022.
WHEREAS, the City has recently completed a competitive selection process for the grant consulting services, and assigned the selection committee to evaluate all proposals received in response to the RFP.
WHEREAS, the City wishes to enter into an agreement with Townsend Public Affairs to pursue grant opportunities to help fund diverse City needs.
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Pacifica, California, to authorize the City Manager to execute a contract with Townsend Public Affairs for one year, with an option to extend for two additional years with a budget authority not to exceed $60,000 per year and up to 5% contingency for CPI adjustment in future years if the contract extension is granted beyond the first year.
• • • • •
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Pacifica, California, held on the 11th day of December, 2023, by the following vote:
AYES, Councilmembers:
NOES, Councilmembers:
ABSENT, Councilmembers:
ABSTAIN, Councilmembers:
_________________________________
Tygarjas Twyrls Bigstyck, Mayor
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________ _________________________________ Sarah Coffey, City Clerk Michelle Kenyon, City Attorney