Agenda Item #13.2
For Council Meeting of: April 9, 2024
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DONTE WATSON, DIRECTOR
RECREATION AND PARKS DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH APPLIED SURVEY RESEARCH, INC. FOR CHOICE GRANT PROGRAM EVALUATION SERVICES AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Recreation and Parks Department, Violence Prevention Partnership, that the Council, by resolution: 1) approve a Professional Services Agreement in the amount of $125,000 with Applied Survey Research, Inc., Watsonville, California, to provide evaluation services for the CHOICE Grant Program from July 1, 2024, through December 31, 2026; and 2) delegate authority to the City Manager to execute the Professional Services Agreement and any amendments thereto, subject to approval as to form by the City Attorney.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Violence Prevention Partnership (The Partnership) released a Request for Qualifications in January 2024, seeking a qualified organization to provide evaluation services for the CHOICE Grant Program. Utilizing a review team to rate submitted applications, Applied Survey Research, Inc. (ASR) was selected. ASR will thoroughly evaluate the performance of CHOICE funded programs using the Results Based Accountability (RBA) Framework; support the direction and priorities of The Partnership’s strategic plan; and highlight key areas where The Partnership will seek to make improvements with existing violence prevention efforts through a public health approach.
BACKGROUND
In 2004 the Santa Rosa voters passed Measure O Public Safety quarter cent sales tax and extended the measure for an additional 20 years in 2022, with a funding allocation of 40% for Police, 40% for Fire, and 20% for Gang Prevention and Intervention Services. A component of the gang prevention and intervention services is the CHOICE Grant Grogram which provides grant awards to community-based organizations to provide direct services targeting at-risk youth and families in Santa Rosa.
Since its inception in 2006, The Partnership’s CHOICE Grant Program has contracted with outside agencies to provide evaluation services to collect, analyze, and develop reports based on both the process and outcome measures captured during the grant cycle.
On January 9, 2024, The Partnership released a Request for Qualification (RFQ) for evaluation services of the CHOICE grant program. The City received three applications in response to the RFQ. On February 29, 2024, a three member review team met to discuss and select one consultant for this contract. The application review team selected ASR as consultant for the CHOICE evaluation services.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
Not applicable.
ANALYSIS
ASR is a nonprofit social research firm dedicated to conducting, analyzing, disseminating, and using community-based research to help people build better communities. Since 1980, their team of professionals have conducted studies and evaluations that have concentrated in working with diverse and vulnerable populations on key issues impacting their lives such as childcare, education, domestic violence, veterans’ services, community quality of life, child welfare services, homelessness, housing access, health care, and more. In addition to ASR’s years of experience, they are the current evaluator for The Partnership’s CHOICE Cycle XI Grant Program. The ASR project team dedicated to the CHOICE Grant Program evaluation has worked together on a myriad of community safety initiatives across the state.
ASR will be responsible for the following criteria under this contract:
1. Conducting analysis of CHOICE grant program participant data;
2. Analyzing programmatic and process data including in person meetings; interviews, and focus groups with partner agencies and stakeholders.
3. Identifying goals and outcomes for collective impact; and
4. Developing and presenting comprehensive qualitative and quantitative annual and final evaluation reports, findings, and recommendations.
Working closely with Partnership staff, ASR will assist CHOICE grantees with development of program performance measures and data collection tools. Additionally, ASR will work with Partnership staff to develop the evaluation plan and logic model for CHOICE Cycle XII.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have fiscal impact on the General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The proposed action is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) and 15378 in that there is no possibility that the implementation of this action may have significant effects on the environment, and no further environmental review is required.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution/Exhibit A – Professional Services Agreement
PRESENTER
Danielle Garduno, Violence Prevention Program Manager
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH APPLIED SURVEY RESEARCH, INC. FOR CHOICE GRANT PROGRAM EVALUATION SERVICES PAGE 3 OF 3