Agenda Item #12.3
For Council Meeting of July 11, 2023
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: LON PETERSON, DIRECTOR
COMMUNICATIONS, ENGAGEMENT AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT SUBJECT: APPROVAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT NUMBER F002619 FOR FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY SERVICES WITH HROD, INC. DBA MMO PARTNERS AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Communications & Intergovernmental Relations Office that the Council, by resolution, approve a Professional Services Agreement Number F002619 with HROD, Inc. dba MMO Partners of Washington, D.C., for a five-year contract with an annual rate of compensation of $117,600 for a total amount not to exceed $588,000, for federal legislative advocacy efforts, including policy development and funding for the Council’s federal legislative priorities.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City conducted a public Request for Proposal for Federal Legislative Advocacy Services to enter into a Professional Services Agreement with a qualified contractor. After a national search, the City received two applications and ultimately a review board selected MMO Partners as the qualified contractor.
MMO Partners is currently the contractor performing Federal Legislative Advocacy services on behalf of the Council and City.
On April 16, 2018, the City signed an agreement with HROD, Inc. dba MMO Partners to serve in an intergovernmental relations capacity working with the City and federal agencies to ensure that the City maximizes its capabilities to secure federal funding and other federal resource opportunities. The Council since 2018 has extended the contract with MMO Partners on five separate occasions. Each iteration of the amendment was to provide an additional one-year term to the services outlined in the Professional Services Agreement.
The City wishes to award a new five-year contract to MMO Partners. The new contract would increase compensation to $117,600 for a total not-to-exceed amount of $580,000 and to extend the time of performance to September 30, 2028.
BACKGROUND
The City requires continued assistance with federal legislative advocacy, including identifying the federal agencies and funding strategies that match the City’s funding needs and a robust and strategic legislative platform.
Earlier this year, the City conducted a search for a new consultant following Council Policy 600-01 regarding the Selection of Professional Services. A Request for Proposal was created for federal legislative advocacy services. The Request for Proposal was open on February 27, 2023. Applicants had until April 3, 2023 to submit an application online via PlanetBids.
The City received two applications from the RFP process. A review board was formed and conducted an analysis and scoring of both applications. After a thorough review, MMO Partners was selected by the review board to receive a five-year contract.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
The Council approved a First Amendment on December 18, 2018, a Second Amendment on August 27, 2019, a Third Amendment on October 13, 2020, and a Fourth Amendment on September 14, 2021, and a Fourth Amendment on August 23, 2022 to extend the term of the current contract by one-year with each amendment.
On February 1, 2021, the Council, working with MMO Partners, adopted its first ever federal legislative platform. On January 25, 2022, the Council adopted its second federal legislative platform. On January 24, 2023, the Council adopted its third federal legislative platform working closely with MMO Partners to develop the platform.
ANALYSIS
MMO Partners has been able to assist the City in executing the Council’s federal advocacy priorities in Washington, D.C. In addition, MMO Partners has been crucial in setting up meetings with and navigate various federal agencies and elected officials such as Department of Justice, Bureau of Reclamation, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Economic Development Administration (EDA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Forest Service, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, and the Department of Transportation (DOT) among others. MMO Partners routinely communicates with our federal legislative delegation on behalf of the City to communicate the City’s priorities and needs.
MMO Partners has helped secure federal earmarks for the City, such as the just over one million dollars for an Emergency Operations Center and critical funding for the inRESPONSE team. MMO Partners also was instrumental in assisting the City in applying for an Environmental Infrastructure request with the Water Resources Development Act. The City’s WRDA request was included in the final version of the bill, totaling $19,400,000 for water and wastewater infrastructure that the City will be able to apply for that funding. Further, MMO Partners has organized successful visits to the nation’s capital for the City’s advocacy efforts surrounding policy areas and funding opportunities.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budget for this item has been included in FY 2023-24.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution/Exhibit A - Professional Services Agreement with HROD, Inc. dba MMO Partners No. F002619
PRESENTER
Scott Alonso, Government Affairs Officer
APPROVAL OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH HROD, INC. DBA MMO PARTNERS PAGE 3 OF 3