DATE: December 4, 2018
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Jean M. Rousseau, County Administrative Officer
SUBJECT: Agreement for Federal Legislative Advocacy Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with Carpi & Clay, Inc., for Federal Legislative Advocacy Services in Washington D.C., effective January 1, 2019, not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base contract and two optional one-year extensions, total not to exceed $394,824.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will provide for Federal legislative advocacy services for the County of Fresno with Carpi & Clay, Inc. at an annual cost of $76,200 for Year 1 including expenses. For Years 2 and 3 of the agreement for Federal legislative advocacy services, the annual compensation amount would increase by 3 percent to $78,480. For Years 4 and 5 of the agreement for Federal legislative advocacy services, the annual compensation amount would increase by 3 percent to $80,832. The current agreement with Alcalde & Fay for Federal Legislative advocacy services is set to expire on December 31, 2018. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board could:
1) Forego Federal legislative advocacy services; or
2) Consider a bid submitted by another firm with less experience in representing California Counties
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The proposed agreement has an annual compensation amount of $76,200 for Year 1 including expenses. For Years 2 and 3 of the proposed agreement, the annual compensation amount would increase by 3 percent to $78,480, including expenses. For Years 4 and 5 of the proposed agreement, the annual compensation amount would increase by 3 percent to $80,832, including expenses. Funding for Federal legislative advocacy services is included in the FY 2018-19 Adopted Budget, Interest and Miscellaneous Expenditures Org 2540, and will be included in future requested budgets.
DISCUSSION:
On August 16, 2018, the County of Fresno on behalf of the County Administrative Office issued Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 19-008 for Federal Legislative Advocacy Services to three hundred and thirty seven (337) vendors registered in Public Purchase. The response period closed on September 17, 2018 and five vendors responded: Alcalde & Fay; Carpi & Clay, Inc.; CJ Lake, LLC; The Ferguson Group; and Thorn Run Partners.
An evaluation panel composed of representatives from the Probation Department, Department of Social Services, Department of Public Works and Planning, County Library, and the County Administrative Office evaluated each proposal solely based on the requirements of the RFP. Each evaluator individually reviewed each proposal on its own merit based on bidder-provided data, capability, and qualifications. The evaluation panel narrowed their recommendations to Carpi & Clay and Thorn Run Partners, and conducted telephonic interviews with these two bidders.
The evaluation panel recommended the proposal submitted by Carpi & Clay, Inc. as the number one selection to provide Federal legislative advocacy services under the terms of the RFP. The recommendation for award is based on: a complete and responsive bid, experience and expertise of Fresno County needs and issues based on similar agreements with other Central Valley counties, their knowledge of Fresno County Federal Advocacy needs, and their strong working relationships with the California State Association of Counties and the National Association of Counties. In addition, Carpi & Clay, Inc. submitted a reasonable and adequate cost proposal. The evaluators concluded that Carpi & Clay had the expertise, experience, and knowledge that would best benefit the County in meeting the RFP requirements. Overall, the evaluators concluded that the proposal from Carpi & Clay, Inc. better met the RFP requirements than the proposals received from Alcalde & Fay; CJ Lake, LLC; The Ferguson Group; and Thorn Run Partners.
It should be noted that due to the low dollar amount of the contract and the low risk associated with the work to be completed by Carpi & Clay, Inc., the proposed agreement deviates from the County’s new standard contract language for Commercial General Liability in that it maintains the general liability amounts at the current required contract levels of one million dollars per occurrence and an annual aggregate of two million dollars (the new standard contract language is two million and four million, respectively). These limits are consistent with the Commercial General Liability requirements included in the State legislative advocacy services contract approved by your Board on September 25, 2018. Risk Management has been apprised of the modifications to the Commercial General Liability insurance requirements and has no concerns with the change.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #30, September 25, 2018
BAI #30, May 19, 2015
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Federal Legislative Advocacy Services Agreement
CAO ANALYST:
Jeannie Z. Figueroa