To:   HONORABLE MAYOR AND                   From:   Carl W. Mosher

                        CITY COUNCIL

 

SUBJECT:     APPROVAL OF A SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE CONSULTANT AGREEMENT WITH FAIRBANK, MASLIN, MAULLIN & ASSOCIATES

 

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

Approve a second amendment to the agreement with Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates (FMM&A) for market research services to evaluate the effectiveness of outreach efforts and improve service delivery for the Environmental Services Department (ESD), increasing the agreement by $42,000 from $81,630 to an amount not to exceed $123,630, and extending the term of the agreement for 12 months from June 30, 2003 through June 30, 2004.  Funding for this contract is included in the 2003-2004 Operating Budget.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

The Marketing Communications Unit of the Environmental Services Department is responsible for implementing public education campaigns that support San Jose’s residential, commercial, and civic programs in solid waste management and recycling; water supply, conservation and recycling; water pollution prevention; and other environmental protection activities.

 

 

ANALYSIS

 

This amended agreement will enable ESD to conduct a customer satisfaction survey or focus group for the City’s new Construction, Demolition and Diversion Deposit (CDDD) Program originally scheduled for FY 2002-03.  A CDDD survey was planned for FY 02-03 and due to urgent requirements, the funds were used to perform three focus groups for the business recycling program.  The CDDD survey has now been postponed to FY 03-04.  The CDDD survey will be used to study the effectiveness of the brochure/application that participants use to get their deposits back after completing a construction project.  It will also help us determine on what needs to be done to make the program more effective and increase participation.  The survey will focus on questions that would reveal facts about what motivates participants to fill out the required paperwork completely, which would then enable the permit office to return their deposit.

 

The Integrated Waste Management (IWM) Commercial program conducts a customer satisfaction survey every two years to determine how to improve the program and increase recycling in the commercial sector.  The program is considering some changes to the program to make it more effective.  The survey would focus on these changes and assess the effects on customers before implementation.  It would provide facts necessary to determine implementation of program changes.

 

Prior to entering into an agreement, ESD mailed Request for Proposals (RFP) to 172 market research firms in California and posted the RFP announcement on the Internet.  Nine firms submitted proposals in response to the Request for Proposal (RFP).  Eight reviewers, including six ESD staff members, and two outside reviewers (one from the City Manager’s Office and the other from the Santa Clara Valley Water District), independently rated each proposal with regard to twenty-two different criteria, relating mainly to the firm’s market research capabilities, minority group inclusion capabilities, project budget and staffing strengths.

 

To serve ESD market research needs in the most expedient way, staff divided the ten RFP tasks for conducting surveys and focus groups among the three highest ranking proposers: Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates, GLS Research, and Evans/McDonough Company, Inc.  These tasks became the basis for scope of services for these three market consultant agreements executed by the City Manager in 2001.  FMM&A has conducted several public opinion surveys for ESD over the past seven years and has provided excellent market research support.

 

In response to the Mayor’s Budget memo, this amendment will be the last for this agreement.  A Request for Proposal process will be conducted in the FY 2003-04 for future survey services.

 

 

PUBLIC OUTREACH

 

Not applicable.

 

 

COORDINATION

 

This memorandum has been coordinated with the City Manager's Budget Office, City Attorney’s Office, Risk Management, and Planning, Building and Code Enforcement Department.

 

 

COST IMPLICATIONS

 

The cost of this amendment will increase the compensation by $42,000 from $81,630 to $123,630.  Funding for this agreement is included in the Environmental Services Department Proposed 2003-2004 Operating Budget.  Funding will be from the Integrated Waste Management Fund.

 

This recommendation applies to both General Principles and Expenditure Controls as defined in the Council approved Budget Strategy memo.  All survey and focus group activities support vital city core services such as the collection of garbage and recycling, wastewater treatment, urban runoff, water supply, and protection of natural and energy resources.  Survey and focus group data are used to shape and improve City environmental programs.  These programs not only serve to protect our natural environment, but also serve to protect public health and safety.  All surveys related to these core services also go through a pre-approval process through the Budget Office prior to implementation, and prior to any expenditure within this contract or through the use of purchase orders.  This ensures that all surveys serve a critical issue.  This amendment will allow the firm to do follow-up Investing in Results surveys.

 

 

BUDGET REFERENCE

 

 

Fund #

Appn #

Appn. Name

RC #

Total Appn.

Amt. for contract

2003-2004 Proposed Operating Budget Page

Last Budget Action

423

TBD

Non-Personal Equipment

100186

3,922,147

42,000

835

N/A

        

* This contract will be funded by the 2003-2004 Operating Budget.  The 2003-2004 Operating Budget is expected to be approved by the City Council on June 17, 2003 and the implementing appropriation ordinance is scheduled to be adopted on June 24, 2003.

 

 

CEQA  

 

Not a project.

 

 

CARL W. MOSHER

Director, Environmental Services Department