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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/19/2006, C6 - REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR COMMUNITY INFORMATION AND OUTREACH SERVICES FOR THE WATER CONSERVATION, S council "'° ° 9/19/06 j, acEnba nepont C I TY OF SAN LU IS O B I S P O FROM: John Moss, Utilities Directo Prepared By: Ron Munds, tilities Conservation Coordinatorl9 — SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR COMM-UNITY INFORMATION AND OUTREACH SERVICES FOR THE WATER CONSERVATION, SOLID WASTE REDUCTION, ENERGY AND STORM WATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PROGRAMS. CAO RECOMMENDATION Approve the request for proposals (RFP) for Community Information and Outreach Services, and authorize contract award by the CAO, if the selected proposal is within the approved budget of $67,500 for a one-year contract. DISCUSSION The Utilities Department is requesting approval to seek professional assistance and oversight of a. community information and outreach program for the City's water conservation, storm water pollution prevention, energy and solid waste programs. With the assistance of marketing/advertising professionals, staff plans to continue and expand the community information program, designed to reach diverse audiences in the community and to encourage evaluation and feedback on the City's projects and programs. In the Request for Proposals, staff has stressed the requirement to use creativity, innovation, and current technology to share objective and factual information with the community. The term of the contract is for one year with the option to extend for two additional one year periods upon appropriate performance and CAO approval. It has been staff's experience over the last seventeen years that a multiple year contract.offers the level of continuity necessary to implement an effective public information and outreach program within the community. The option to extend the contract in the future would be contingent upon the Council approving the funding as part of the 2007-2009 Financial Plan. Our proposed 2006-2007 budget is $67,500, including direct advertising costs, and combining all programs. Programs Included in the Community Outreach Storm Water Pollution Prevention The focus of the outreach for the Storm Water Pollution Prevention program is to provide information regarding water quality and pollution prevention as it relates to businesses and residents.. As a Phase II, Clean Water Act community, the City is required to implement a public education information program. The selected contractor will assist in meeting this requirement. This component is estimated at$7,500 per year. Council Agenda Report-RFP for Community Information and Outreach Services Page 2 Water Conservation Water conservation has been and will continue to be a significant ongoing component of the City's water management strategy. The goal of theinformation and outreach efforts would be to encourage the efficient and non-wasteful use of water thereby keeping water use at or below the City's per capita water planning figure of 145 gallons per person per day. Extra emphasis will be given to efficient irrigation practices during the term of the contract. Solid Waste Reduction to Meet AB 939 Goal In order to meet the standards of AB 939, the City is required to continue to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill by 50%. In addition to the programs in place (recycling and green waste), an ongoing public information and education program is necessary to continue to attain the mandated goal. Energy With direction from the City Council, the Utilities Conservation Office's public information program has included energy conservation tips and information for the past five years. This component of the program has provided the community useful information and is recommended to continue as part of the overall program during the 2005-2007 Financial Plan period. The combined total costs for the information and outreach efforts for the Water Conservation, Solid Waste Reduction and Energy programs are estimated to $60,000 per year. Project Components and Work Scope There are two broad work components to be addressed by the selected contractor: 1. To build community involvement and knowledge of the City's conservation projects and programs by identifying appropriate ways to reach specific target audiences. 2. To establish ongoing evaluation and reporting on the City's conservation programs and outreach activities. Evaluation and Selection Process The proposal RFP closing date is scheduled for October 20, 2006. After a review of the proposals based on the evaluation criteria set forth in the RFP, finalists will be invited for a follow-up presentation/interview before a review committee composed of staff from the City's Utilities Department and the Administrative Office. Based on the results of the written proposal, oral presentation, and reference checks, a contractor will be recommended to the CAO for contract award. It is anticipated that contract award will be made by November 10, 2006. Prospective Proposers In addition to publishing a formal notice requesting proposals, the RFP will be mailed to a limited number of firms specializing in this type of service. A list of prospective bidders is Council Agenda Report RFP for Community Information and Outreach Services Page 3 attached. FISCAL IMPACT. The budget for this project is $67;500 for the contract term. This amount includes $7,500 from the approved 2006-2007 Storm Water Pollution Prevention contract services budget and$60,000 from the approved Utilities Conservation Office contract services operating budget. ALTERNATIVES 1. Extend the current agreement with Barnett, Cox and Associates.. This is not recommended as it is a good fiscal and management practice to seek proposals to ensure the City is receiving competitive services at a reasonable cost. 2. Award contract by Council approval. The standard "practice is for the CAO to award a contract of this size, however, as with all contract awards, the Council may request that the recommendation of award return to the Council for approval. ATTACHMENT Bidders list ON FILE IN THE COUNCIL OFFICE Request for proposals for Community Information and Outreach Services c� PROPOSERS LIST ATTACHMENT Community Information and Outreach Services—SPECIFICATION NO.90665 Barnett, Cox &Associates TJA Advertising 748 Pismo Street 75 Zaca Lane San Luis Obispo, CA. 93401 San Luis Obispo, CA. 93401. Highway 101 Communications Lombardi Associates 846 Higuera St. 520 Higuera Street San Luis Obispo, CA. 93401 San Luis Obispo,CA. 93401 Verdin Marketing Ink Green Car Group 1920 Broad St. 4590 Spanish Oaks San Luis Obispo,CA. 93401 San Luis Obispo, CA. 93401 Pandora and Company 20/20 Design Group 350 Mitchell Drive 1422 Monterey St. Los Osos, CA. 93402 San Luis Obispo,CA. 93401 Web Feet Integrated Marketing AdMinds 265 South St. 560 Higuera St.,#A San Luis Obispo, CA. 93401 San Luis Obispo,CA. 93401 Design to Print 1693 Partridge San Luis Obispo,CA. 93401