April 28, 2026
Economic Development
PORT
DATE: April 28, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Charles Gerard, Port Director
Danny Wan, Project Manager III
Lizeht Zepeda, Senior Business Assistance Officer
Kyle Lam, Management Analyst
Subject:
Contract with John C. Martin Associates, LLC for the Port Economic Impact Study
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed $112,900 expenditure is included within the approved fiscal year 2025-2026 Port Enterprise Fund budget (Account String: 40161080–400201).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Port of Richmond seeks to retain a qualified
consultant to prepare a comprehensive economic impact
study of Port activity. The study will quantify the
economic value generated by the Port’s maritime
operations, private and public terminals, non-maritime
tenants, and marina activity, and will provide data to
support planning, policy development, community
engagement, and future grant applications.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE a contract with John C. Martin Associates,
LLC to provide an economic impact study of Port of
Richmond activity, in an amount not to exceed $112,900, with a term ending June 30, 2027 - Economic
Development (Charles Gerard 510-620-6792).
AGENDA
REPORT
April 28, 2026
DISCUSSION:
Background
The Port of Richmond (Port) is a significant economic asset that supports international maritime cargo operations, industrial and commercial tenants, and marina activity.
Understanding and quantifying the Port’s economic contributions is critical for development of the Port’s strategic plan, as well as for planning, infrastructure investment, community engagement, and pursuing state and federal funding opportunities. To support these efforts, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to prepare a comprehensive economic impact study. The economic impact study is a component of the analysis to build the next step for the Port which is a strategic plan.
Request for Proposals (RFP) and Selection Process
On December 8, 2025, the City of Richmond released an RFP for consulting services to prepare an economic impact study for the Port of Richmond (Attachment 1). Proposals were due on January 23, 2026, and a total of seven proposals were received. A mandatory pre-proposal bid meeting was required and stated in the RFP; Zenith Economics, LLC and Charis Advisory Group who submitted RFPs but did not attend the mandatory meeting were excluded from consideration.
The following proposals were received:
Cambridge Systematics
Economic & Planning System, Inc. (EPS)
John C. Martin Associates, LLC
Miller3 Consulting
The Tioga Group, Inc.
Zenith Economics, LLC
Charis Advisory Group
An evaluation committee with subject matter experts comprised of Economic Development and Finance Department staff members reviewed the proposals based on the criteria outlined in the RFP. Following evaluation, John C. Martin Associates, LLC (Martin Associates) was identified as the top-ranked proposer based on qualifications, experience, and proposed approach (Attachment 2).
Economic Impact Study
The proposed economic impact study will be based on 2025 Port activity and is expected to take approximately four months to complete. The purpose of the study is to quantify the economic contributions of the Port’s maritime operations, non-maritime tenants, and marina activity.
The scope of work includes defining port participants and study parameters; collecting data through stakeholder interviews, Port records, and published economic sources; and preparing a comprehensive economic impact analysis. The study will estimate job, income, business revenue, and tax impacts, including direct, indirect, induced, and port
April 28, 2026
user effects. It will also evaluate total economic value and community benefits, including impacts to disadvantaged communities.
In addition, the consultant will develop a Port economic impact model that can be used to evaluate future scenarios such as changes in cargo volumes, terminal development, and infrastructure investments. An optional component of the study includes allocation of impacts by county, state legislative districts, and federal congressional districts.
About Martin Associates
John C. Martin Associates, LLC (Martin Associates) is a nationally recognized leader in maritime economic impact analysis, having conducted more than 900 studies for seaports throughout the United States and Canada. The firm has extensive experience with California and West Coast ports, including prior work for the Ports of Oakland, Redwood City, Stockton, Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Hueneme, and San Diego.
Martin Associates is also familiar with the Port of Richmond, having included the Port in its 2021 Pacific Maritime Association economic impact study. This familiarity with local operations, tenants, and cargo activity will support an efficient and comprehensive analysis.
The contract is not to exceed $112,900, which includes $63,700 for the base scope and $49,200 for an optional task or related additional services subject to Port Director approval (Attachment 3).
Recommendation and Next Steps
City staff recommend approval of a contract with Martin Associates to prepare an economic impact study for the Port of Richmond.
Following City Council approval, staff will finalize the contract and issue a notice to proceed. Martin Associates will initiate data collection, stakeholder outreach, and analysis. Upon completion, the consultant will deliver a final report and executive summary for use to guide Port planning, policy development, community engagement/outreach, and future grant applications.
SYNERGISTIC POLICIES:
This contract aligns with City Council Strategic Goal Area 2: Increase Revenue and Improve Economic Development, specifically Strategy 2.5 (Revitalization of the Port) and Strategy 2.5.d (Create a strategic plan).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Request for Proposal
Attachment 2 – Scoring Matrix
Attachment 3 – Contract with John C. Martin Associates, LLC