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Agenda Report
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October 6, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Department of Transportation
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT
AGREEMENT WITH ARELLANO ASSOCIATES TO PROVIDE
COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FOR SIX NEAR
TERM SR 710 PROJECTS FUNDED THROUGH MEASURE R
MOBILITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (MIP) FUNDS FOR A TOTAL
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $970,000
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Find that the 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); and
2. Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with Arellano Associates, as the result of a competitive selection process, as specified by Section 4.08.047 of the Pasadena Municipal Code, for professional communication and public engagement services for six near term SR 710 Projects funded through Measure R Mobility Improvement Project (MIP) funds in the amount not to exceed $970,000 which includes the base contract amount of $929,964 and a contingency amount of $40,036 for any necessary change orders subject to City Manager approval.
Competitive price bidding is not required pursuant to City Charter Section 1002(F) (contracts for professional or unique services).
BACKGROUND:
In September of 2022, the City submitted a letter to Metro providing a list of City Council-approved projects for consideration for Measure R MIP funds in lieu of the California Boulevard Grade Separation Project. Subsequently, the Department of Transportation (DOT) is initiating the design of several large-scale multi-year, multimodal infrastructure projects that will require significant and sustained public outreach through the conceptual design, preliminary engineering, final design and construction phases of the projects. Given the MEETING OF10/06/2025AGENDA ITEM NO.7
Multimodal Communication and Public Engagement Support Services October 6, 2025
volume of work and the highly specialized nature of public engagement for large scale transportation projects, these services cannot be effectively performed in- house; therefore, the Department seeks to procure a qualified communications and engagement firm through a Multimodal Communication and Public Engagement (MCPE) Support Services contract to ensure meaningful community input and consensus-building. The City sought a single firm to undertake the MCPE work to establish a consistent communication source across all six projects, thereby minimizing potential confusion of residents or businesses as part of the public engagement process. This centralized approach provides both a branding advantage and cost-effectiveness compared to contracting separate outreach services for each individual project. The MCPE services would consolidate the outreach effort under one outreach consultant to support six projects, consisting of the following three main projects:
• Columbia Street Improvement Project;
• Greenways Project; and
Pasadena Avenue and St. John Avenue Roadway Network Project; and three smaller traffic operation focused projects:
Traffic Signal Improvements at Orange Grove Boulevard and Holly Street, and at Orange Grove Boulevard and Colorado Boulevard;
• Multimodal Improvements on San Rafael Avenue at Linda Vista Avenue and at Colorado Boulevard; and
Orange Grove Mobility Improvement Program.
The MCPE support services will provide robust community engagement throughout the entire lifecycle of each of the six projects, from concept development to final construction. This engagement will include forming and facilitating community advisory committees, conducting forty-five public and community stakeholder meetings, door-to- door canvassing, and administering community surveys. Additionally, the MCPE services will provide support for the project websites, marketing, and engagement materials. The purpose of MCPE services is to ensure that the Pasadena community's vision guides the direction of each project phase.
On May 20, 2025, the DOT issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) on OpenGov seeking consultant services for professional communication and public engagement services.
Through the procurement system 345 Pasadena based firms received notification of the RFP. Sixty-four firms downloaded the RFP. Eight proposals were submitted by the due date of June 30, 2025. Four of the prime consultant firms that provided submittals were local firms, and five of the prime consultant firms that submitted proposals were small or micro-businesses. Of the eight proposals submitted, two firms Ngozichukwu Mordi and the Social Impact Firm were not scored as their proposals did not meet the minimum requirements to perform the MCPE services.
An inter-departmental evaluation committee from DOT and the Office of the City Manager Communications and Marketing Section evaluated the proposals based on the criteria identified in the RFP. The scoring criteria included: project understanding, Multimodal Communication and Public Engagement Support Services October 6, 2025
experience and references, project approach, staffing of project/ability to perform, cost proposal, local Pasadena business, and small or micro-business.
Below is the list of proposers and overall scores, on a scale from 0 to 100.
Firm
Arellano Associates
City
China Hills, CA
Total Score*
92 Allegra Consulting, Inc.Pasadena, CA87
Communications LABPasadena, CA82
VMA CommunicationsClaremont, CA79
Public Works PartnersPasadena, CA63
360 Total Concept ConsultingOakland, CA55
*Scores are rounded to nearest whole number
Based on the evaluation procedures and criteria specified in the RFP, the proposals were evaluated, scored, and ranked. Staff scheduled meetings with the top four firms for further discussions and clarification of their proposals (Allegra Consulting, Inc., Arellano Associates, Communications LAB, and VMA Communications). The results of the evaluation recommended that Arellano Associates be awarded the contract, as demonstrated by their overall total score.
Arrellano Associates is a recognized transportation consulting firm with over thirty years of expertise in outreach and strategic communication in Southern California. The firm is a certified Small Business Enterprise and is woman and minority owned. Arrellano Associates has significant experience in providing communication and engagement services for large transportation infrastructure projects similar in scope and size to the six City of Pasadena projects that will be supported as part of the MCPE services.
Notably, Arreltano Associates' experience with large complex transportation projects includes the City of Los Angeles' 710 North Mobility Improvement Program, City of Glendale's San Fernanda Road Multimodal Improvements Project, and County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works' Bicycle Master Plan Update. Arrellano Associates has previously worked with the City of Pasadena on projects including the California Environmental Quality Act and Local Mobility Analysis for Vehicle Miles Traveled and Vehicle Trips, and provided engagement support for the Union Street Protected Bike Lane Project. Arrellano Associates will not employ sub-consultants and will provide all required services.
Arrellano Associates demonstrated the highest competence in transportation project engagement, marketing, and communication support based on the evaluation criteria:
project understanding, experience and references, project approach, staffing of projecVability to perform, cost proposal, local Pasadena business, and small or micro- business. Therefore, staff recommends that the City enter into a contract for a total amount not to exceed $970,000 with Arrellano Associates.
Multimodal Communication and Public Engagement Support Services October 6, 2025
The proposed contract will be structured as follows:
MCPE Services $929,964
Contingency (approximately 5%) $40,036
Contract "Not to Exceed" Amount $970,000
The project is expected to begin in November 2025.
COUNCIL POLICY CONSIDERATION:
This project is consistent with the City Council's goal to support and promote the quality of life and local economy. This project by supporting six MIPs is also consistent with Mobility Element Policies:
1.2 Promote greater linkages between land uses and transit, as well as non-vehicular modes of transportation to reduce vehicular trip related emissions.
1.7 Design streets to achieve safe interaction for all modes of travel particularly for pedestrians and bicycle users.
1.11 Design Streets to reflect the mobility needs of the adjacent land use context to support healthy activities such as walking and bicycling.
1.12 Apply traffic management measures to manage vehicular speeds as a function of designated street type to ensure safe and orderly movement of all modes of travel.
1.17 Design streets to improve access to destinations by transit, bicycle and walking.
1.23 Improve public health by supporting walking and bicycling throughout the city.
2.5 Develop and maintain a comprehensive and integrated system of reduced stress bikeways and increase bicycle parking at destinations to promote bicycle riding as a mode of transportation.
2.8 Maintain existing and identify new opportunities for bicycle infrastructure.
Multimodal Communication and Public Engagement Support Services October 6, 2025
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" continuing administrative or maintenance activities, such as purchases for supplies and services. The actions proposed herein, authorizing the City Manager to enter into a contract for public communication and engagement services, is an administrative activity for the purchasing of services, 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.
Multimodal Communication and Public Engagement Support Services October 6, 2025
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total cost of this contract including contingency is $970,000. Funding for this action will be addressed by the existing budgeted appropriations in the Greenway (Bike Boulevard) Implementation (75126), Pasadena Ave and St John Ave Street Improvements (75127), Columbia Street Multimodal Improvements (75128), Orange Grove Blvd Mobility Improvement Program (75129), Traffic Signal Improvements at Orange Grove Blvd and Holly St, and at Orange Grove Blvd and Colorado Blvd (75130), and Multimodal Improvements on San Rafael Ave at Linda Vista Ave and at Colorado Blvd (75131) CIP Projects. There is no impact on the General Fund.
The following table represents the fiscal impact.
DescriptionCost
Multimodal Communication and Public Engagement (MCPE) Support Services | $929,964 Contingency$40,036
Total Fiscal Impact$970,000
Respectfully submitted,
JOAQUINT.SIQUES
Director, Department of Transportation
Prepared by:
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Scott Johnson
Senior Planner
Approved by:
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/IARQUEZ
City Manager