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Agenda Report
July 21, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Attorney / City Prosecutor's Department
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT
WITH WEST PUBLISHING CORPORATION FOR ONLINE LEGAL
RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS, AS WELL AS LEGAL BOOKS AND
FORMS FOR AN AMOUNT NOT-TO-EXCEED $591,158 OVER THREE
YEARS
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Find that this action proposed herein is not a "project" subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 21065 and within the meaning of Section 15378(b);
2. Authorize the City Attorney to enter into a contract, with West Publishing Corporation for online research, publications, as well as legal books and forms, in an amount not- to-exceed $591,158 over three years, including contingency amount of $53,745.
Competitive bidding is not required pursuant to City Charter Section 1002(F), contracts for professional or unique services; and
3. Grant the proposed contract an exemption from the competitive selection process pursuant to Pasadena Municipal Code Section 4.08.049(B), contracts for which the City's best interests are served.
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BACKGROUND:
Attorneys and support staff in the City Attorney's / City Prosecutor's Department conduct research primarily through online legal research services and print publication subscriptions. To have access to the most recent court decisions, laws, regulations, and forms, the City Council is requested to authorize the referenced three-year contract.
MEETING OF07/21/2025AGENDA ITEM NO. __20
Contract with West Publishing Corporation for Legal Research Resources July 21, 2025
The following presents a breakdown of funds to be expended on this contract including contingency:
SubscriptionsPublicationsTotal
Year 1$ 125,400.00$ 46,551.00 | $ 171,951.00
Year 2$ 129,168.00$ 49,850.00 | $ 179,018.00
Year 3$ 133,044.00 | $ 53,400.00$186,444.00
Contingency$ 38,762.00 | $ 14,983.00$53,745.00
Total$ 426,374.00 | $ 164,784.00$591,158.00
The Department has contracted with West Publishing Corporation for many years and this contract would ensure a continuity of service in the materials available to the Department. Additionally, staff believes West Publishing Corporation's existing online materials offer the most robust package for municipal law departments and prosecuting agencies. Finally, the proposed contract reflects a substantial discount on the materials provided, as negotiated by the Department.
COUNCIL POLICY CONSIDERATION:
This proposed action supports the City Council's goal of maintaining fiscal responsibility and stability.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
CEQA excludes, from environmental review, actions that are not "projects" as defined by CEQA Guidelines Section 21065 and within the meaning of Section 15378(b).
Sections 21065 and 15378(b) define a project as an action which may cause either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. Section 15378 excludes from the definition of "project" organizational or administrative governmental activities that do not result in physical changes to the environment. The actions proposed herein, authorizing the City Attorney to enter into a contract for online legal research services, is an administrative governmental activity that does not result in physical changes to the environment, and therefore is not a "project" as defined by CEQA. Since the action is not a project subject to CEQA, no environmental document is required.
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Contract with West Publishing Corporation for Legal Research Resources July 21, 2025
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total cost of this action will not exceed $591,158 during the three-year term.
Funding for this will be addressed by the utilization of existing budgeted appropriations, and future years will be subject to the City Council's approval of budgeted appropriations.
Respectfully submitted,
L^i^Mt^
MICHELE BEAL BAG
City Attorney / Cityosutor
Prepared by:
Ste phe n^e<l ng<—)
Senioi/Administrative Analyst
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