CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: April 8, 2026 CONSENT CALENDAR
SUBJECT: AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT NO. 26P043 WITH
THE RAMSAY GROUP FOR ON-CALL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
FROM: Scott C. Stiles, City Manager
BY: Housing and Community Development
SUMMARY:
This action will award a professional services agreement with The Ramsay Group for on- call Community Development Block Grant program administration services for an amount not to exceed $274,267 for an initial three-year term.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve Professional Services Agreement No. 26P043 with The Ramsay Group to provide on-call Community Development Block Grant program administration services in an amount not to exceed $274,267 for an initial three-year term commencing on July 1, 2026, and continuing through June 30, 2029, with two one- year extension options at the City’s sole discretion;
2. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all necessary documents.
BUSINESS PRINCIPAL DISCLOSURE:
According to the Public Integrity Disclosure form (Attachment B), The Ramsay Group is a Sole Proprietorship registered in the state of California.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Palm Springs is a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) entitlement jurisdiction and receives an annual allocation of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program funds. These funds support a range of eligible community development activities, including housing, infrastructure, and services that benefit low- and moderate-income residents.
City Council Staff Report
April 8, 2026 -- Page 2
Award Professional Services Agreement No. 26P043
The City currently maintains a professional services agreement with The Ramsay Group for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program administration consulting services. The agreement was originally approved by the City Council on February 27, 2020, for a three-year term beginning March 24, 2020, with two one-year extension options. Through subsequent amendments, the agreement was extended through March 23, 2025, with total compensation not to exceed $435,000. Most recently, City Council approved Amendment No. 4, extending the term through December 31, 2025, with an optional extension, authorized by City staff, through June 30, 2026, for a revised total contract amount not to exceed $543,750.
As the agreement has reached the end of its allowable term, this action will replace the existing contract through a competitive procurement conducted under Request for Proposals 26-25 to ensure continuity in the administration and compliance of the City’s CDBG program.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
On December 22, 2025, the Procurement and Contracting Department issued Request for Proposals 26-25 (RFP 26-25) for on-call CDBG program administrative services based on the specifications provided by the Housing and Community Development Department.
RFP 26-25 was advertised in the local newspaper, published on the PlanetBids website with notification to 425 registered vendors, and 500 vendors through Bid Broadcast. This outreach resulted in 10 attendees at the Pre-Proposal Conference on January 7, 2026, and the submission of 12 proposals.
The following firms submitted proposals for consideration by the February 5, 2026, deadline:
Advanced Business Software – Plano, TX (Non-Responsive) Baker Tilly Advisory Group – Chicago, IL (Non-Responsive) California Consulting – El Segundo, CA (Non-Responsive) Civitas LLC – Mount Pleasant, SC
CohnReznick Advisory LLC – Los Angeles, CA
Eide Bailly LLP – Riverside, CA
Housing and Community Development Associates LLC (Non-Responsive) Michael Baker International – Santa Ana, CA
MNS Engineers, Inc. – Santa Barbara, CA
MVN & Associates LLC – Rancho Cucamonga, CA
The Ramsay Group – Calabasas, CA
Wildan Engineering – Anaheim, CA
An evaluation committee consisting of City staff from the Department of Housing and Community Development reviewed and scored the proposals received against the criteria published in the Request for Proposals. Criteria included the firm’s experience, references, staff’s experience, and demonstrated understanding of the overall project and requested scope of work.
City Council Staff Report
April 8, 2026 -- Page 3
Award Professional Services Agreement No. 26P043
The Ramsay Group is a national consulting firm specializing in federal housing and community development program administration, with nearly 30 years of collective experience supporting U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) entitlement jurisdictions. The firm has assisted more than 60 cities nationwide in administering Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships, Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and related federal programs, and has prepared more than 100 HUD required planning documents.
The Ramsay Group provides comprehensive services including preparation of Consolidated Plans, Annual Action Plans, and Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Reports (CAPERs); management of HUD reporting systems such as IDIS (Integrated Disbursement and Information System) and HEROS (HUD Environmental Review Online System); environmental review compliance; labor standards administration; subrecipient monitoring; and public engagement. The firm also has experience managing Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) processes, providing regulatory training, and delivering technical assistance to ensure compliance with HUD regulations, including 24 CFR Part 570 and Part 58.
The Ramsay Group has provided continuous technical assistance and program administration services to the City of Palm Springs since 2015. Services have included full CDBG program management, preparation of Annual Action Plans, Consolidated Plans, and CAPERs, IDIS and HEROS system support, coordination of public hearings with the Housing and Community Development Citizen Advisory Committee (HCDA) and City Council, environmental review documentation, and timely submission of required HUD reports. The Ramsay Group has also assisted the City with federal compliance requirements including Davis Bacon labor standards, Section 3 requirements, and subrecipient monitoring, contributing to successful HUD monitoring reviews and clean audits with no findings.
The proposed project team will be led by Darrell Stamps, MPA, Managing Partner, who will serve as Project Director and Principal in Charge. Mr. Stamps brings nearly three decades of experience supporting HUD entitlement communities and has overseen the preparation of more than 100 Consolidated Plans, Annual Action Plans, and CAPERs.
He will provide overall project leadership, serve as the primary liaison with the City and HUD, and oversee quality control and regulatory compliance.
The team also includes Sanya Vitale, Director of Government Services and Senior CDBG Administrator, who will serve as Compliance Lead. Ms. Vitale brings more than 25 years of experience administering federal housing and community development grants including CDBG, ICDBG, and NAHASDA programs. She will oversee compliance related functions including Davis Bacon labor standards administration, subrecipient monitoring, risk assessments, CAPER preparation, and NOFA processes. In 2024, Ms. Vitale received HUD’s Outstanding CDBG Administrator Award recognizing her contributions to federal grant management and program integrity.
City Council Staff Report
April 8, 2026 -- Page 4
Award Professional Services Agreement No. 26P043
The Ramsay Group’s administrative staff will support program implementation through IDIS management, data tracking, and reporting to ensure timely and accurate submissions. The firm proposes to work closely with City staff through regular coordination meetings, cloud-based project management tools, and ongoing communication to support efficient program administration. The Ramsay Group will also coordinate with City departments, nonprofit housing providers, public service organizations, and community-based organizations to support outreach, public participation, and effective implementation of CDBG funded activities.
Based on its extensive experience administering HUD funded programs, familiarity with the City’s existing program, and demonstrated record of regulatory compliance and timely reporting, The Ramsay Group is well qualified to continue supporting the City of Palm Springs in the administration of its CDBG program and related HUD funded activities.
Based on the review of the proposals and scoring, staff recommend approval of professional services agreements with the highest scoring firm, The Ramsay Group, for an amount not to exceed $274,267 for an initial three-year term commencing on July 1, 2026, and continuing through June 30, 2029, with two one-year extension options at the City sole discretion.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
The requested City Council action is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. The requested action is to approve contracts for the above-mentioned services, and is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15378(b), in that a “Project” does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funds for this activity are budgeted in the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget. Additional funds will be included in the Fiscal Year 2028 and 2029 Budget.
REVIEWED BY:
Department Director: Jay Virata
Procurement & Contracting Manager: Tabitha Richards
Assistant City Manager: Flinn Fagg
City Manager: Scott Stiles
City Council Staff Report
April 8, 2026 -- Page 5
Award Professional Services Agreement No. 26P043
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Professional Services Agreement 26P043
B. Public Integrity Disclosure Form