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Home My WebLink About25E - AGMT - FEDERAL LIAISON SRVSREQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: JULY 1, 2013 TITLE: REJECTION OF BIDS FOR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LIAISON SERVICES (RFP 12-075) CITY R RECOMMENDED ACTION CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: APPROVED ? As Recommended ? As Amended ? Ordinance on Vt Reading ? Ordinance on 2nd Reading ? Implementing Resolution ? Set Public Hearing For CONTINUED TO FILE NUMBER (1) Reject all bids for federal government liaison services Request For Proposals (RFP) 12-075. (2) Request Mayor and Council to direct the Legislative Council Committee to define the selection process for federal government liaison services, and authorize the City Manager to conduct the selection process as defined by the Legislative Council Committee. (3) Authorize the City Manager to retain federal government liaison services on an "as needed basis" at an hourly rate or on a month to month basis until a permanent federal lobbyist has been retained. DISCUSSION At the April 1, 2013 City Council meeting, staff recommended that Council execute an agreement with Holland & Knight (Exhibit 1) for federal government liaison services based upon RFP 12-075. The City Council took action by continuing the agenda item for 30 days. On May 6, 2013, the City Council took additional action and continued this item for 60 days. At the Legislative Council Committee meeting on June 20, 2013, committee members recommended that all proposals/bids for RFP 12-075 be rejected and that a new selection process for federal government liaison services be established. The Legislative Council Committee members will make recommendations to the Mayor and Council to obtain a defined selection process that will clarify the interests of the City Council in obtaining federal government liaison services. 25E-1 Rejection of Bids For Federal Government Liaison Services July 1, 2013 Page 2 FISCAL IMPACT Funds are available in the City Manager's Office account (no. 01104012-62300). APPROVED AS TO FUNDS AND ACCOUNTS: Francisco Gutierrez Executive Director Finance & Mgmt. Services Agency IV" Exhibit 1 - April 1, 2013 Request for Council Action 25E-2 Exhibit 1 REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: APRIL 1, 2013 TITLE: AGREEMENT FOR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LIAISON SERVICES WITH HOLLAND & KNIGHT OF WASHINGTON, D.C. Cfr"ANAGER RECOMMENDED ACTION CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: APPROVED ? As Recommended ? As Amended ? Ordinance on 151 Reading ? Ordinance on 2r° Reading ? Implementing Resolution ? Set Public Hearing For CONTINUED TO J-- 6 -13 , %-/ - FILE NUMBER Authorize the City Manager and the Clerk of the Council to execute an agreement for government liaison services with Holland & Knight, based on the terms set forth in the attached draft agreement, in an annual amount not to exceed $84,000 for a 1 year term, with the option, at the City's discretion, of up to four one-year renewals, subject to non-substantive changes approved by the City Manager and City Attorney. DISCUSSION Local government agencies rely upon the expertise of federal government consultants to represent their respective government agencies in Washington D.C. This service typically includes the review and monitoring of federal executive proposals and legislation, as well as administrative rules and regulations that may affect the City. Federal government liaison services are also essential in identifying funding opportunities and grant applications and other special programs for which the City may qualify. In the past year, the City has benefited from these services as we secured congressional support on grant applications submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor for a Workforce Innovation Grant and a H1- B Bridge to Engineering Grant; the latter was awarded $5 million over five years. In September 2012, staff was directed to prepare a Request for Proposals (RFP) for federal government liaison services. RFP 12-075 for Federal Government Liaison Services was released on November 21, 2012. Pursuant to the City's Standard Operating Procedures for RFP's, RFP 12- 075 was posted on the City's website and it was released to 50 consulting firms specializing in federal government liaison services. The 50 consulting firms were randomly selected from a list of 250 of the top consulting firms in the nation. Of the 50 firms solicited seven submitted proposals. 25E-3 Holland & Knight Agreement April 1, 2013 Page 2 All seven proposals complied with the basic requirements of the RFP and therefore each firm was notified that their respective proposals qualified to be included in the interview rating panel process. On January 17, 2013, a three-member rating panel consisting of representatives from the Public Works Agency, Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Agency, and the Community Development Agency convened to review each of the proposals and rate them in accordance with the following criteria as set forth in RFP 12-075: 1. Responsiveness to the RFP 2. Implementation Plan 3. Experience of the Firm/Personnel 4. Cost of Proposal Proposals were rated individually by each panel member on the basis of a possible 100 points. Each proposal received a total score by adding points assigned by each of the three panelists, for a possible total of 300 points. At the conclusion of the meeting, the rating panel selected the top three proposals based upon the final scores: Consultant Firm Final Score Rankin Proposal Holland & Knight 261 1 The Ferguson Group 257 2 Patton Boggs 256 3 The top tier consultant firms were invited to participate in the oral interview process to allow staff to further assess their respective proposals. On February 26, 2013, the top tier consultant firms were interviewed by an oral interview selection panel consisting of the City's Acting Chief of Police, the Executive Director of Public Works, and the Executive Director of Government Relations for the Orange County Transportation Authority. Each consultant firm was allotted one-hour to give a presentation outlining their services and to answer questions from the selection panel members. The selection panel ranked the interviews and proposals based upon the following criteria detailed in the RFP: 1. Overall qualifications of proposed team and experience in the required areas. 2. Demonstrated prior experience with similar operations in the public/private sectors. 3. Project management acumen including ability to effectively work together with city staff, customers and stakeholders. 4. Oral communication/interpersonal skills. Similar to the rating panel process, proposals were rated individually by each oral interview selection panel member on the basis of a possible 100 points. Subsequently, each panel members' individual scores were tallied and totaled according to each proposal, for a total possible 25E-4 Holland & Knight Agreement April 1, 2013 Page 3 300 points. At the conclusion of the meeting, the rating panel scored the proposals in the top tier based upon the final scores: Consultant Firm Final Score Rankin Pro osal Holland & Knight 286 1 The Ferguson Group 275 2 Patton Boggs 273 3 Holland & Knight scored highest in the initial interview rating panel process and highest in the oral interview process. Based on the oral interview panel's assessment staff believes that Holland & Knight's proposal and oral interview demonstrated a level of knowledge, professionalism, and competency that exceeded all other proposals. Therefore, the selection panel recommends that the City execute an agreement with Holland & Knight to represent the City's interest in Washington D.C. FISCAL IMPACT Funds are available in the Public Works Administrative Services account (no. 10117601-62300) and General Fund Legislative Affairs (no. 01104012-62300). APPROVED AS TO FUNDS AND ACCOUNTS: r /) , ,'W') I- I- i-Raul Godinez Executive Director ,J Public Works Agency Francisco Gutierrez Executive Director Finance & Mgmt. Services Agency 25E-5 25E-6