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December 5, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Department of Public Works
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH EVAN BROOKS ASSOCIATES, INC. (OBA: EVAN BROOKS ASSOCIATES)
FOR GRANT EXPLORATION AND WRITING SERVICES FOR AN
AMOUNT NOT-TO-EXCEED $450,000 FOR UP TO THREE YEARS
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Find that the proposed action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 (b){3), the General Rule that CEQA only applies to projects that may have an effect on the environment;
2. Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract, as the result of a competitive selection process, as specified by Section 4.08.047 of the Pasadena Municipal Code, with Evan Brooks Associates, Inc. dba Evan Brooks Associations (Evan Brooks) for Grant Exploration and Writing Services for an amount not-to-exceed $150,000 for a period of one-year, whichever occurs first. Competitive price bidding is not required pursuant to the City Charter Section 1002(F), contracts for professional or unique services; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to extend the contract for up to two additional one-year options, each in an amount not-to-exceed $150,000. at the discretion of the City Manager. The maximum contract term is three years and a total not-to-exceed contract value of $450,000.
BACKGROUND:
The United States government implemented the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which increased the amount of federal funding available for capital projects in the state and municipal jurisdictions. To maximize the City's applications, the Departments of Public MEETING OF 12/05/2022 AGENDA llEM NO. ~,.,.-6-,.,.-,.,.-- Contract Award for Grant Exploration and Writing Services December 5, 2022
Works, Transportation, and Parks, Recreation, and Community Services sought to obtain grant writing and research services.
On August 31, 2022, the Department of Public Works published a Request for Proposal (RFP) titled Grant Exploration and Writing Services on PlanetBids which generated notices to 540 vendors registered for these particular services. A total of twenty prospective vendors downloaded the RFP, one of which was local. Four proposals were received by the due date, one of which was local.
The proposals were evaluated by City employees from the Departments of Public Works, Transportation, and Parks, Recreation, and Community Services. The evaluation criteria was as follows:
Criteria Points
Approach 25
Project Staffing 25
Grant Acquisition Track Record 10
Funding Acquisition Track Record 14
References 10
Completeness of Response 5
Cost Proposal 1
Small or Micro-Business 5
Local Pasadena Business 5
Total 100
The table below provides the average total score received by each company:
Company Location Score
Evan Brooks Associates, Inc. Pasadena, CA 94.5
Engineering Solution Services Laguna Hills, CA 84.9
California Consulting El Segundo, CA 68.6
Mockingbird Analytics Los Angeles, CA 61.2
..
The proposal submitted by_Evan Brooks was rated highest on the basis of the firm's overall responsiveness to the. RFP. Based upon the scores liste.d c1bove, staff recommends award of the contract to Evan Brooks. Evan Brooks has provided - - professional services to the City since FY 2019. To date, their services have resulted in a total of $225,507 in awarded funds from Pasadena.
The initial contract term specified in the RFP is for one-year with an option for two additional one-year terms, exercised at the discretion of the City Manager based upon performance and availability of City funds.
Contract Award for Grant Exploration and Writing Services December 5, 2022
COUNCIL POLICY CONSIDERATION:
This proposed action is consistent with the City Council's goals to maintain fiscal responsibility and stability, as well as to ensure public safety.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
CEQA excludes from environmental analysis those actions that are not "projects" as defined by State CEQA Guidelines Section 15378. That section excludes from the definition of "project" the creation of government funding mechanisms and fiscal activities which do not yet commit the lead agency to any specific project, and also excludes organizational or administrative governmental activities that do not result in physical changes to the environment. The actions proposed herein are budgetary and part of the City's normal administrative process as it takes early steps to prepare for the possibility of undertaking a project, and therefore they are not yet "projects" as defined by CEQA. As the City becomes more certain it will undertake one of the projects, and before it commits itself to the project, the appropriate environmental analysis will be conducted and brought to the appropriate City body for approval.
Contract Award tor Grant Exploration and Writing Services December 5, 2022
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total cost of this contractwill be $150,000 and the total cost of this action will be for $450,000. Funding will be addressed by the utilization of existing budgeted appropriations consisting of $75,000 from the Public Works Department (10122067- 811400), $15,000 from the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department (10118001-811400), and $60,000 from the Department of Transportation (101).
Phylli~ Hallowell V
Management Analyst V
Approved by:
MIGUEi.:AROUEZ
City Manager
Respectfully submitted,
u-
Director of Public Works