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File #: 25-359    Version: 1 Name: Townsend Public Affairs CSA extension
Type: Staff Report Status: Agenda Ready
In control: City Council
Meeting Date: 7/21/2025 Final action:
Enactment date: Enactment #: Reso 2025-098
Title: Adopt a Resolution to Approve and Authorize the City Manager to Execute Amendment No. 1 to the Consulting Services Agreement with Townsend Public Affairs for State Legislative Advocacy Services through June 30, 2027 for a Total Not to Exceed Amount of $96,000 per Fiscal Year
Attachments: 1. A - DRAFT Reso CSA Townsend Amendment 1, 2. B - CSA Townsend Amendment No 1 (2025)
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Title
Adopt a Resolution to Approve and Authorize the City Manager to Execute Amendment No. 1 to the Consulting Services Agreement with Townsend Public Affairs for State Legislative Advocacy Services through June 30, 2027 for a Total Not to Exceed Amount of $96,000 per Fiscal Year

Staffreport

SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommend that the City Council approve and authorize the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 1 to the existing consulting services agreement with Townsend Public Affairs (TPA) for state legislative advocacy and grant writing support services through June 30, 2027, in an amount not to exceed $96,000 each fiscal year.
BACKGROUND
In October 2013, the City Council authorized the creation of a City Council ad-hoc committee to provide guidance on the development of a state legislative platform as well as a process through which a consultant could be selected to provide state-level advocacy services on behalf of the City.
Following a competitive request-for-proposals (RFP) process, on February 18, 2014, the the City entered into a one-year consulting services agreement with Townsend Public Affairs for state level advocacy services for $60,000. Based upon the City's satisfaction with Townsend's performance, that contract was extended by the City Council each subsequent year at the same rate. Several years ago, the City expanded the scope of services with TPA to also include grant writing support services, in the amount of $3,000 per month, for a grand total contract cost of $96,000 per year.
Over the course of its contract with the City, Townsend Public Affairs and its current Vice President & Chief Advocacy Officer, Niccolo De Luca, have continued to provide highly effective services to the City on a wide range of legislative matters.
Based upon TPA's consistently responsive and quality services, Staff recommend that the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute the proposed Amendment Number 1 to the existing consulting services...

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