of0
^^^
0T
•N *
r?^© 2:
(Q 0<Q 0
^^ -0^ 0^ ^rio
Agenda Report
June 3, 2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Department of the City Manager
ISUBJECT: AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO CONTRACT FOR
MARKETING, BRANDING AND PUBLIC RELATION SERVICES WITH
ECHO FACTORY
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Find that the proposed action is not a "project" pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") and State CEQA Guidelines Sections 15060(c)(3) and 15378, and therefore is not subject to environmental review; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract as the result of the competitive selection process specified by Section 4.08.047 of the Pasadena Municipal Code (P.M.C), with Echo Factory in an amount not to exceed a grand total of $108,000 or 1 year, whichever occurs first. Authorize the City Manager to extend the contract for up to two additional one-year periods, if needed.
r
BACKGROUND:
The City of Pasadena's Economic Development Division (EconDev) sought qualified consultants to provide marketing, communication, and public relations services to help EconDev strengthen its relationship with targeted local, regional, and national audiences. The City must effectively communicate and market a consistent message to elevate Pasadena's profile and clearly convey its value proposition to diverse stakeholders, including private industries, local businesses, and community partners.
EconDev will strategically promote the benefits of working, investing, and doing business in Pasadena. EconDev will focus on priority groups outlined in its 5-year Strategic Plan, which include deep tech, the cultural and entertainment sectors, and small businesses. An important project featured in the Strategic Plan is to develop a robust marketing campaign on behalf of the life science and "deep tech" industries. With Echo Factory's support, EconDev will have refreshed marketing materials, new !
MEETING OF 06/03/2024AGENDA ITEM NO.3
Contract Award for Marketing, Communication and Public Relations Services June 3, 2024
brochures, social media templates and posts, taglines, and elevator pitches that effectively showcases the city's assets, a content calendar, and an updated communications strategy.
A Request for Proposals (RFP) was posted on OpenGov on 5/7/2024 and 46 users who subscribe to project updates were notified of the RFP opportunity, and 54 vendors downloaded the RFP. By the 5/19/2024 deadline, the City received a total of 13 proposals in response to the RFP. The proposals submitted were independently reviewed and evaluated by EconDev staff. The RFP was evaluated with weighted criteria as outlined below:
CriteriaWeight
Proposed Solution40%
Consultant Experience and Work Sample20%
Proposed Schedule and Timeline10%
Cost Details10%
Cost/Price Proposals10%
Local Pasadena Business5%
Small or Micro-Business5%
TOTAL100%
Per the evaluation procedures and criteria stated in the RFP, proposals were scored and ranked as set forth in Attachment A to this report. Echo Factory's proposal received the highest score and as a result, staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City to enter into a contract with Echo Factory to provide Marketing, Communication and Public Relations services.
Echo Factory's team brings over 15 years of experience supporting companies in tech, aerospace, engineering, software, and energy sectors with their marketing, advertising, media, public relations, photography needs and more. Echo Factory has led projects that help businesses and organizations grow while fostering innovation. Their expertise includes leading the Pasadena's Friday Coffee Meetup, being an organizer for the American Immigration Lawyers Association's (AILA) Pasadena chapter to bring Al- focused events to the city, and leading marketing projects for Huntington Health and Motiv Space Systems. Echo Factory's work method centers on generating measurable success for clients, addressing complex challenges, creating strategic and innovative solutions, and consistently delivering projects on time and within budget. They have a proven track record and have effectively demonstrated in their RFP response that their proposed solution will meet the marketing, branding and public relations needs of the City.
Contract Award for Marketing, Communication and Public Relations Services June 3, 2024
The total budget for this service is as follows:
Discover and strategy$6,000
Branding and messaging$18,000
Audience testing and strategy development$5,000
Content strategy and media plan$5,000
Campaign development$19,000
On going content marketing$20,000
On going PR and event marketing$35,000
TOTAL$108,000
COUNCIL POLICY CONSIDERATION:
The proposed action is consistent with the City Council's Strategic Plan Goal to maintain fiscal responsibility and stability and support and promote the quality of life and local economy.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
The action proposed herein is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with Section 21065 of CEQA and State CEQA Guidelines Sections 15060(c)(3) and 15378. CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) excludes from environmental review those activities that are not a "project" as defined in Section 15378. Section 15378's definition of "project" includes only those actions that have the potential for resulting in either a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. The proposed action consists of a contract and appropriation of funds for strategic planning services. No direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment would result.
Contract Award for Marketing, Communication and Public Relations Sen/ices June 3, 2024
FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost of this action will be an amount not to exceed $108,000 for the one-year term.
Funding for this action will utilize existing budget appropriations in the General Fund (101).
Respectfully submitted,
&
[/
DAVID A. KLUG
Economic Development Director
Department of the City Manager
Prepared by:
DEBORAH M. MEMBRENO
Project Manager
Department of the City Manager
Approved by:
^<jJ)<^
'MARQUEZ
City Manager
Attachments: (1)
Attachment A - Evaluation Criteria