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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2b: Contract Extension to Ferguson Group for Federal Legislative Advocacy Services v~�otAFO RIc9�r I.e..p Y Au,u.[Sr 1903 CO y%° STAFF REPORT „..alry of i Office of the City Manager DATE: November 1, 2011 TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Donald Penman, City Manager By: Linda Garcia, Com unications, Marketing and Special Projects Manager SUBJECT: ONE-YEAR EXTENSION IN THE AMOUNT OF $65,000.00 TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF ARCADIA AND THE FERGUSON GROUP FOR FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY SERVICES Recommendation: Approve SUMMARY The City of Arcadia has utilized the services of The Ferguson Group since 1996 for the purpose of obtaining federal funding for City projects. The current Professional Services Agreement with The Ferguson Group expires on December 31, 2011. Based on the City's positive experience with the company and the desire to use their services in the future, staff is recommending that the City Council approve a one-year extension (Amendment No. 9) to the Professional Services Agreement between the City of Arcadia and The Ferguson Group. BACKGROUND The depressed economic situation the country has been in for some time now has created serious challenges for cities in terms of paying for capital expenditures, whether they be infrastructure or equipment related. Over the years, Arcadia's ability to bring to fruition certain infrastructure and facility improvements, as well as to be able to purchase certain equipment, has been aided significantly by the use of federal funds obtained with the assistance of The Ferguson Group. Money has been received for law enforcement purposes, for the Ruth and Charles Gilb Arcadia Historical Museum, and the most significant and ongoing funding has been for traffic, street and water system improvements. Since the City first retained The Ferguson Group, millions of dollars have been secured through our federal lobbying efforts. Mayor and City Council — PSA Extension for The Ferguson Group November 1, 2011 Page 2 DISCUSSION Although it has become increasingly more difficult to obtain federal funding for local projects, staff believes it is worthwhile to continue the City's partnership with The Ferguson Group due to their ongoing assistance with our water and transportation projects as well as for their expertise and guidance in sourcing potential funding opportunities for these and other projects. Obtaining federal funds in the coming years promises to be quite challenging due to a number of factors, including the 2012 Presidential election and the political environment in Congress. Members of The Ferguson Group's team are very knowledgeable about the funding process and the type of money that is available; their familiarity, excellent reputation and experience with the Members of Congress and the Washington political community has been, and will continue to be, quite helpful. While the future is impossible to predict, and frankly staff does not expect much in the next couple of years, it is important for the City to explore all feasible funding opportunities and to do so in a manner that optimizes our chances of success in a very competitive environment. Maintaining our relationship with The Ferguson Group, and through them with Congressional leaders, Arcadia is better positioned to take advantage of any opportunities that may arise in the near or long-term future. Accordingly, staff is asking the City Council to authorize a one-year extension to the City's Professional Services Agreement with The Ferguson Group. FISCAL IMPACT The Ferguson Group has agreed to maintain the current annual fee of 65,000.00. This retainer includes unlimited hours of monthly service and overhead expenses. As in the past, the cost will be shared among the General Fund (35%), the Water Fund (50%) and the Redevelopment Agency (15%). Funds are included in the 2011-2012 operating budget and in the 2012-2013 draft budget. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute a one-year extension in the amount of $65,000.00 to the Professional Services Agreement between the City of Arcadia and The Ferguson Group for federal legislative advocacy services.