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11.

LEGISLATION COMMITTEE

Meeting Date:	05/13/2019
Subject: State and Federal Legislative Advocacy Contracts: Award Recommendations
Submitted For:	LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Department:	County Administrator
Referral No.:	2019-06
Referral Name:	Advocacy Contract Recommendations
Presenter:	L. DeLaney	Contact:	L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097

Information

Referral History:

The Legislation Committee directed CAO staff to conduct a procurement process for the State and Federal Advocacy Services contracts for the period FY 2019/20 through FY 21/22 with two single year options to renew to the successful responder.

Referral Update:

CAO staff prepared and distributed the Requests for Qualifications, which were issued on March 27, 2019 for the State Legislative Advocacy Services (Attachment B) and on April 1, 2019 for the Federal Legislative Advocacy Services (Attachment A).

The County received three (3) responses to the Federal Advocacy Services RFQ and three (3) responses to the State Advocacy Services RFQ.

Federal Advocacy Services RFQ Responders:

1. Alcalde & Fay (incumbents)
2. Federal Advocate Inc.
3. Smith Dawson & Andrews

State Advocacy Services RFQ Responders:

1. Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni LLP (incumbents)
2. Nossaman LLP
3. Quintana, Watts & Hartmann

Per the RFQ, a County Selection Committee (CSC) was convened to review and rate the responses. The CSC was composed of the following:

Supervisor Diane Burgis, District III, Chair of the Legislation Committee
Chief Assistant County Administrator Timothy Ewell
Employment and Human Services Director Kathy Gallagher
Health Services Administrator Joshua Sullivan
Water Agency Manager Ryan Hernandez

The CSC convened on May 1, 2019 to score the responses and select firms for interview. All three responders for the Federal Advocacy Services contract were interviewed via Skype. Two of the responding firms for the State Advocacy Services were invited to interview: Nielsen Merksamer and Nossaman LLP.

Upon conclusion of the interview process, the CSC recommended that contract awards be made to the following:

Federal Legislative Advocacy Services: Federal Advocates Inc.
State Legislative Advocacy Services: Nossaman LLP

Staff is conducting reference checks. Responders have been notified of the intent to award and have 5 days from notification to appeal the results to the County Administrator. The Board of Supervisors are anticipated to act on the award recommendation at their May 21, 2019 meeting.

The fee schedules proposed by the recommended contracts are higher than current retainer rates. Nossaman LLP is proposing a monthly retainer of $17,500 ($15,000 present rate). Federal Advocates Inc. is proposing a monthly retainer of $10,000 ($8,458 present rate).

Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):

Consider recommending to the Board of Supervisors the award of contracts to Nossaman LLP for state legislative advocacy services in the amount of $630,000 for the period of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2022 and Federal Advocates Inc. for federal legislative advocacy services in the amount of $360,000 for the period of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2022, and directing staff to schedule the contract award and authorization on the Board's consent calendar for its May 21, 2019 meeting.

Attachments
Attachment A
Attachment B