Agenda

Return

C. 82

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	David Twa, County Administrator
Date:	July 9, 2019

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Extend Federal Legislative Advocacy Contract with Alcalde & Fay

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 07/09/2019

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

ABSENT:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor

Contact:	Julie DiMaggio Enea (925) 335-1077
cc:	CAO-Legislation Deputy

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: July 9, 2019
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the County Administrator, or designee, to execute a contract amendment with Alcalde & Fay, effective June 30, 2019, to extend the term through June 30, 2020 and increase the payment limit by $104,296 to a new payment limit of $792,438 for continued federal advocacy services, subject to approval as to form by County Counsel.

FISCAL IMPACT:

County General Funds have been budgeted for these services.

BACKGROUND:

Alcalde & Fay, minority-controlled/employee-owned firm, is the County’s current federal representative. Paul Schlesinger, the County’s point person at Alcalde & Fay, has established the County’s presence in Washington, D.C. and developed excellent relationships with staff of our congressional delegation. The result has been a very positive “return on investment” for the County for its appropriation and authorization requests.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

The Legislation Committee, last August, directed staff to undertake a procurement process early in 2019 for the state and federal advocacy services for the period FY 2019/20 through FY 2021/22. Pursuant to this

direction, CAO issued a Request for Qualifications on March 27, 2019 for the federal legislative advocacy services, to which three firms responded:

1. Alcalde & Fay (incumbent firm)
2. Federal Advocates Inc.
3. Smith Dawson & Andrews

A County Selection Committee of five interviewed the firms, evaluated, rated and ranked the proposals, and recommended to the Legislation Committee on May 13, 2019 that the contract be awarded to Federal Advocates Inc. The Legislation Committee did not achieve consensus on the recommendation, and the recommendation was forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for consideration without Committee endorsement.

The Board of Supervisors considered the matter on June 11, 2019 and decided to reject the recommendation from the County Selection Committee, extend the current contract with Alcalde and Fay for one year through June 30, 2020, and direct the Legislation Committee to develop performance measurements to be incorporated into a new or amended contract upon Board approval. The County Administrator's Office was directed to seek the input of County departments to prioritize federal legislative initiatives and inform the development of performance metrics for federal legislative advocacy.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

The recommendation carries out the Board's direction of June 11, 2019. Should the Board decide not to approve the recommendation, the County will not have advocates in Washington D.C. after June 30, 2019.