City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: April 23, 2024
Agenda Item: 5.B
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Heather Averick, Director, Housing and Human Services Department Subject: Award a Contract for Aging and Disability Strategic Planning Consulting Services to Elizabeth Anderson Consulting
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Award RFP #400 to Elizabeth Anderson Consulting for consulting services in connection with establishing a citywide aging and disability strategic plan for the Housing and Human Services Department; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Elizabeth Anderson Consulting in an amount not to exceed $155,000 for two years with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Summary
In November 2023, the City of Santa Monica was awarded a grant from the California Department of Aging Local Aging & Disability Action Planning (LADAP) grant program.
LADAP funds will be used to create a citywide age- and disability-friendly action plan.
The Housing and Human Services Department released a Request for Proposal (RFP) on February 14, 2024, to procure an expert consultant to begin the LADAP planning process and create the LADAP action plan. Five proposals were submitted by the March 8, 2024, closing date. Staff recommends approval of an agreement with Elizabeth Anderson Consulting in an amount not to exceed $155,000. 2 of 6
Discussion
As a LADAP grantee, the City is using these grant funds to create local age- and disability-friendly action plans to improve the City’s livability and address the current, emerging, and future needs of the City’s older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers. The goals of the LADAP grant program align with California’s Master Plan for Aging (MPA) (Attachment A), a “blueprint” for state government, local government, the private sector, and philanthropy to prepare the state for the coming demographic changes and to continue California’s leadership in aging, disability, and equity.
As highlighted in the MPA, the population is aging across the nation and older adults are expected to be one of the largest age groups in the state of California by 2030. The number of people with disabilities is also increasing in the wake of the pandemic as a “mass disabling event” (The Century Foundation) (Attachment B). Older adults and people with disabilities also face unique vulnerabilities that highlight the need to conduct a targeted assessment and community outreach campaign to gain a deeper understanding of existing and emerging needs experienced amongst this growing community.
With LADAP funds in hand, the City is embarking on a planning process to improve coordination across City departments and within the community, to comprehensively address community needs and adequately plan for Santa Monicans who are aging or who have a disability - particularly those who are the most vulnerable within our community. The City’s planned approach to apply an equity lens and center cultural competency, community engagement, and disability inclusion throughout the LADAP planning process will result in a roadmap with actionable steps to address the social determinants of health and achieve more equitable outcomes and life experiences for older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers.
Santa Monica City Council priorities, adopted in March 2023, include: Cultivate Economic Recovery & Expand Community & Cultural Offerings for various groups including seniors; Addressing Homelessness which includes addressing the behavioral health needs of vulnerable populations; and advancing racial equity and social diversity 3 of 6
to increase equitable outcomes for all populations as part of the Racial Justice, Equity & Social Diversity priority. The LADAP Action Plan that would be created by Elizabeth Anderson Consulting if awarded can be leveraged to advance these Council priorities within the aging and disability communities in Santa Monica, as well as other crossdepartmental initiatives, by helping quantify the need for senior or accessible housing in Santa Monica, elevating effective homelessness prevention strategies for older adults and people with disabilities, and identifying barriers that drive inequitable outcomes for older adults and people with disabilities in Santa Monica.
Ultimately, the City will utilize the LADAP Action Plan to guide future budget recommendations and identify further areas of alignment to promote the health and wellbeing to support Santa Monicans to age in place, and ensure community livability for those of all ages and abilities.
In February 2024, the City issued an RFP to procure an expert consultant to help lead LADAP planning alongside inter-departmental City staff, City Commissions, and community-based partners.
Vendor Selection
Bidder Recommendation
Best Qualified Firm Elizabeth Anderson Consulting
Evaluation Criteria Proposed work plan ability to accomplish project goals; previous experience with strategic planning and/or community engagement and/or other projects focused on aging and
disability; proposer’s unique expertise in aging and disability; local experience; efficiency in cost proposal; proposer’s work samples and references for similar engagements.
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.190
RFP Data
Posting Date: 2/14/2024 # of Vendors Downloaded: 35
Closing Date: 3/8/2024 # of Submittals Received: 5
Posted On: City’s online bidding site, OpenGov, which sent notifications to over 6,700 registered vendors
Additional
Outreach:
In addition to over 6,700 vendors registered in the City’s OpenGov platform, notification about the open bid was sent to Housing and Human Services Department’s robust email
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distribution list, which includes over 330 representatives from agencies funded by the Human Services Grants Program, the Human Services Commission, Disabilities Commission, Virginia Avenue Park & Police Activities League Boards, Cradle to Career collaborative, Early Childhood Task Force collaborative, Westside Cities Councils of Government, the Westside
Coalition, and neighborhood associations.
Submittals Received
Elizabeth Anderson Consulting
Global Urban Strategies
Leone Solutions Group
Maroon Society
SDSU Research Foundation: Social Policy Institute/Center for Excellence in Aging & Longevity
Justification to Award
An evaluation panel of representatives from the Housing and Human Services Department; Santa Monica Fire Department; Department of Transportation; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion team within the City Manager’s Office; and a representative from both the Human Services Commission and Disabilities Commission reviewed and ranked all proposals using the criteria set out in the RFP. There were a total of six members on the evaluation panel. Scores were averaged to generate the highest scoring proposal. Based on the panelist reviews and criteria set forth in SMMC
2.24.190, Elizabeth Anderson Consulting is being recommended based on their experience managing similar projects and previous experience working with the City of Santa Monica; their unique position within local aging and disability networks; their demonstrated understanding of issues impacting older adults and people with disabilities in Santa Monica; and a proposed workplan that is realistic, will accomplish project objectives, and is sensitive to equity, cultural competency, and disability inclusion. Additionally, Elizabeth Anderson Consulting received an aggregated score of 95 out of 100 points by the evaluation panel - the highest scoring proposal by more than 5 points.
Past Council Actions
Date Description
February 27, 2024 (Attachment C) City Council authorized acceptance of LADAP grant funds as part of the 2023-24 Mid-Year
Budget Update.
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Environmental Review
The award agreement is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines. The award agreement is covered by the common-sense exemption which states that CEQA does not apply, “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” The award agreement is administrative in nature and provide the City with consulting services for establishing an aging and disability strategic plan.
Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that the agreement would not result in adverse physical impacts on the environment, and as such, is exempt from CEQA.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve funding from the Miscellaneous Grant Fund to award a contractual services agreement with Elizabeth Anderson Consulting for consulting services in connection with establishing a citywide aging and disability strategic plan.
FY 2023-24 Request
Amount
Account Number Total Contract Amount
$155,000 20420001.556090 $155,000
Prepared By: Alana Riemermann, Senior Human Services Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Attachment A: California Master Plan for Aging
B. Attachment B: The Century Foundation - Economic Justice is Disability Justice C. Attachment C: 2023-24 Mid-Year Budget Update Staff Report D. Attachment D: Executed Oaks Initiative Form
E. Attachment E: Executed Levine Disclosure Form
F. California Master Plan for Aging (PDF File of Attachment A Website) 6 of 6
G. The Century Foundation - Economic Justice is Disability Justice (PDF File of Attachment B Website)