July 11, 2023
Library and Community Services
DATE: July 11, 2023
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
LaShonda White, Interim Library and Community
Services Director
Denée Evans, Transportation Services Project Manager
Subject:
Contract with CivicWell to Provide Two Transportation
Sustainability Specialists
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The contract amount of $62,000 for the two positions is included in the approved fiscal year (FY) 2023-24
Transportation ECIA budget account (11785051-400201-
2A109).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
City staff is seeking City Council approval to enter a
contract with CivicWell to hire two (2) specialists to
provide support for the transportation division’s evolving demands for service and efforts to increase community
awareness and utilization of the various city Micromobility programs.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE a service agreement with CivicWell to provide
two Transportation Sustainability Specialists, for an
amount not to exceed $62,000, for the term of September 12, 2023, to December 31, 2024 – Community Services
Department (LaShonda White 510-620-6828/ Denée
Evans 510-621-1718).
AGENDA
REPORT
July 11, 2023
DISCUSSION:
The City is seeking professional services to assist the minimally staffed Transportation Division with conducting assessments, implementing planning or action projects, and engaging volunteers. They will also provide community education, outreach, and marketing of the various Micromobility programs (R-Transit, Richmond Moves Shuttle service, City Car Share, and City eBike Share) to increase the ease and use of local clientele. CivicWell administers the CivicSpark program as a part of the federal AmeriCorps program. The CivicSpark Program provides capacity building services to local organizations through project implementation activities performed by the CivicWell team, CivicWell staff and CivicSpark Fellows.
The Evolving Role of Transportation
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that transportation is the largest contributor of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and accounts for approximately 30 percent of total U.S. GHGs, making it the largest contributor. The role of Transportation within local government has vastly shifted from being a small portion of the overarching goals of public works to incorporating principles such as Mobility as a Service (MaaS), with a strong focus on implementing programs that encourage ridesharing to decrease single occupancy vehicle miles traveled, and managing programs that encourage the transition to transportation electrification.
Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is a type of service that, through a joint digital channel, enables users to plan, book, and pay for multiple types of mobility services. The concept describes a shift away from personally owned modes of transportation and towards mobility provided as a service. This is enabled by combining transportation services from public and private transportation providers through a unified gateway that creates and manages the trip, which users can pay for with a single account. The key concept behind MaaS is to offer travelers mobility solutions based on their travel needs.
Transportation Staff Capacity
Richmond Transportation does not currently have the staff or capacity to address the project goals that will be discussed in this report. By engaging Civic Spark Fellows that have expressed an interest in transportation electrification and/or clean mobility programs, we can help the City improve its promotion of existing mobility and electrification programs and thereby increase the use and access to those programs and services.
To-date, one Project Manager has been responsible for developing and managing the sustainable Micromobility programs and transportation infrastructure electrification that exist today. The programs include, electric bike share, electric car share, the popular Richmond Moves electric on demand shuttle service, and the numerous publicly- accessible electric vehicle charging stations located throughout the City. The Project Manager has been solely responsible for all community outreach, and marketing while
July 11, 2023
applying for and administering grant funds and the contract administration that has resulted in the development and financial sustainability of the programs.
The Richmond Transportation Division has received recognition for its efforts in transportation electrification. It has recently been awarded several grants for city-wide expansion for all the electric Micromobility programs and services that it manages. As such, additional staff are required to properly steward this increased demand for services.
Adding two Civic Spark Fellows will provide the staff support to manage and market the various city multimodal, environmentally friendly, and local travel programs. Fellows will have an opportunity to assist with the development and adoption of a city electrification plan, to learn firsthand about transportation demand management, to engage with the public to provide program outreach and education, to encourage electric vehicle ownership, and to highlight the benefits of rideshare. All of which will ultimately help the City of Richmond’s contribution to reaching California’s mandated zero emission goals.
City staff is requesting City Council approval to enter into a service agreement with Civic Spark to provide two Transportation Sustainability Specialists for an amount not to exceed $62,000 for the term of September 12, 2023, to December 31, 2024. An additional fee of $500 to establish a new CivicWell membership is not required as the City has a previously established membership.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – FY 2023-24 CivicSpark Service Agreement with Richmond Transportation
Attachment 2 – Insurance Provisions_Type 2