CITY OF SAN MATEO
CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 4 Section Name: {{section.name}} Account Number: 10-1511 File ID: {{item.tracking_number}} TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: City Clerk's Office
MEETING DATE: October 21, 2024
SUBJECT:
Legal Advertising Services – Bid Rejection
RECOMMENDATION:
Reject all proposals received for the City's Legal Advertising Services.
BACKGROUND:
The San Mateo Daily Journal newspaper has served as the Official City Newspaper for publication of legal notices since 2018. Section 9.07 of the San Mateo City Charter specifies that the Council shall periodically call for bids from all newspapers adjudicated to be newspapers of general circulation within the City, or if none, within the County of San Mateo, for the publication of all ordinances and other legal notices. In addition, the same section of the Charter specifies that the contract “shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder” and that “the council may designate the requirements for award of contract” to become the City’s official city newspaper.
The agreement with the San Mateo Daily Journal expired on December 5, 2023 and the City entered into a short-term agreement for services rendered for 2023-2024 on August 15, 2024. On September 6, 2024, the City invited adjudicated newspapers of general circulation to submit proposals for Legal Advertising Services. Two newspapers submitted proposals: The San Mateo Daily Journal and the San Mateo County Times.
The Request for Proposals included specific information regarding the rate for number of lines per column inch and average word count per column inch. Additional information requested included publishing schedule, deadlines for publication, submittal process, and similar engagements with other government agencies. The proposals were evaluated based on cost, adjudication, potential conflicts of interest, experience, and any proposed changes to the standard City contract for services.
Staff recommends that the City Council reject both bids as the information submitted by each requires further clarification.
For instance, clarification is needed on which newspaper one bidder will use to publish the notices, word count and pricing, as well as evidence of the San Mateo Superior Court’s Judgement and Order designating the paper that is applying as a Newspaper of General Circulation. Rejecting the bids will also allow staff to seek the Council’s input on designating any requirements for the award of the contract.
BUDGET IMPACT:
There is no budgetary impact for the rejection of bids.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This bid rejection is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).)
CITY OF SAN MATEO
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met. The Request for Bids was published on the City’s Bids webpage beginning on September 6, 2024. Newspapers in circulation in San Mateo were also contacted by email to announce the request for bids.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 - Bid Results
STAFF CONTACT
Erin Fellers, Management Analyst I
[email protected]
(650) 522-7066