Agenda

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C. 50

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Julia R. Bueren, Public Works Director/Chief Engineer
Date:	December 20, 2016

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

APPROVE a contract with Smith, Watts & Company, LLC, for legislative advocacy and monitoring services, Countywide

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 12/20/2016

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor

ABSENT:

Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Steve Kowalewski, (925) 313-2225

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: December 20, 2016
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Public Works Director, or designee, to execute a contract with Smith, Watts & Company, LLC (dba Smith, Watts & Hartmann), in an amount not to exceed $165,000, to provide legislative advocacy and monitoring services, for the period of January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2019, Countywide.

FISCAL IMPACT:

100% Local Road Funds.

BACKGROUND:

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

Smith,Watts & Company is the County's current legislative advocate in Sacramento for transportation and related matters. Mark Watts has developed a solid working relationship with the Public Works Department and the Department of Conservation and Development. Smith, Watts & Company has provided these services on retainer to the County since 2005. It is the recommendation of the Public Works Department that Smith, Watts & Company continue to be retained for legislative monitoring and advocacy for the 2017-2019 calendar years.

The firm's services to the County include, but are not limited to, the following:

* Assisting the County in developing and implementing an effective state advocacy strategy and annual legislative program to influence state laws and policies as they relate to roads and transportation.

* Research, monitor, and provide information to the County on such matters as state bills and laws, congressional hearings, reports and testimony, funding opportunities and availability, state regulations, guidelines, directives and other administrative policies, and technical memoranda and reports impacting County operations.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If this contract is not approved, Public Works will not have legislative monitoring and advocacy in Sacramento for the 2017-2019 calendar years and will be left at a great disadvantage in the areas of growth management, infrastructure finance, transportation finance, planning and zoning (including transportation planning), public works contracting, community development, energy restructuring and associated administrative issues in relation to the State legislative, state executive and regulatory agencies.