City Council Meeting: September
8, 2009
Agenda Item: 1-B
To: Mayor and City Council
From:
Subject: Contract with Community Partners, Fiscal
Manager for Sustainable Works
Recommended
Action
Staff recommends that the City
Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a professional
services agreement with Community Partners, fiscal manager for Sustainable
Works, for the Sustainable Works Community and Business Greening Programs that
raise awareness and increase participation among residents and businesses in
the Sustainable City Plan in the amount of $245,500. Community partners will receive $22,095 of
the total contract amount for providing administrative oversight, and
Sustainable Works will receive the balance of $223,405 for implementation of
the programs.
Executive
Summary
Council has allocated funds annually since March 1998 for outreach programs
to engage the community in the Sustainable City Plan. The non-profit organization that provides
these programs is Sustainable Works. Sustainable Works is a project of
Community Partners who provides fiscal management for the organization.
To date, Sustainable Works has engaged more than 135
The 2009-10 budget includes $245,500 for residential and
community sustainability programs. The
total amount of the contract with Community Partners is not to exceed $245,500.
The term of the contract will be for one year from July 1, 2009 through June
30, 2010, with an option to renew each year for an additional four years.
Background
On
March 24, 1998, City Council authorized funds for the creation and
implementation of the Santa Monica Green Team Program, a residential
environmental outreach program, on a pilot basis for a period of 19 months. The
City contracted with the Green Team Project in May 1998 to develop a Santa
Monica-specific guidebook, informational binder and supplementary materials and
to hire, train and oversee local staff persons to implement the pilot program.
Based
on the success of the pilot program, Council authorized funding for
continuation of the Green Team Program on November 23, 1999, and again on
September 26, 2000. Also on September 26, 2000, Council authorized the
creation of the Santa Monica Business Greening Program to work with local
businesses to help the City meet its Sustainable City Plan goals.
In
September 2002, Council authorized the City Manager to enter into an agreement
with Los Angeles-based non-profit organization Community Partners to take over
the fiscal management of the Green Team, which changed its name to Sustainable
Works, for its specific work with the City.
Community
Partners is a non-profit organization that acts as a non-profit incubator,
assisting individuals and organizations (project partners) to develop the
resources and structure necessary to become independent non-profit
organizations. Community Partners provides its project partners, including
Sustainable Works, with a tax-exempt non-profit designation, financial and
administrative support and technical assistance with budgeting, financing and
grant writing.
Discussion
The proposed professional services agreement
with Community Partners, fiscal manager for Sustainable Works, for the
Sustainable Works Community and Business Greening Programs will provide for the
continued implementation of programs that raise awareness and increase
participation among residents and businesses in the Sustainable City Plan.
To date, Sustainable Works has engaged more
than 135
An RFP
was developed and released in July 2009 for community sustainability programs
directed at residents, businesses and community college students. Sustainable
Works was the only respondent to the RFP. Sustainable Works is uniquely
qualified to continue providing these programs because the curriculum and
program materials for the Sustainable Works Community and Business Greening
Programs were developed by Sustainable Works especially for
The
activities of the Sustainable Works Community and Business Greening Programs
for FY2009-10 will receive a City grant of $245,500. As fiscal manager,
Community Partners will oversee the processing and tracking of the grant and
all cash and non-cash revenues, accounts payable and receivable, negotiation of
leases and contracts, and disbursement of program funds including grants and
salaries for staffing and implementation of the Community and Business Greening
Programs. Community Partners will receive $22,095 from the total grant as
an administrative fee to complete this work. Sustainable Works will receive the
remaining $223,405 of the grant funds and will be responsible for continued
implementation of the Community and Business Greening Programs. The greening programs are intended to achieve
environmental benefits throughout the city in the form of reductions in energy,
water, fuel and materials use, reductions in waste generation and disposal,
reductions in air pollutants and CO2 emissions, and reduction in the use of
toxic and hazardous materials. These
goals are achieved by providing residents, students and businesses with
information, concrete tools and techniques, training, and implementation
assistance in green practices that can be implemented in the home, at school
and in the office, and through comprehensive assessments of business facilities
and operational practices to identify environmental and cost savings
opportunities. The scope of services and budget breakdown for the contract is
provided below.
|
Residential Greening Program: ·
Green Living Workshops—150 residential
participants |
$57,000 |
|
Student Greening Program: ·
Sustainable Crews—300 student participants |
$51,500 |
|
Business Greening Programs: ·
Business Greening Program—20 business
participants ·
City Division Greening—1 city division ·
Green Business Certification – 20
business participants |
$90,500 |
|
Additional Outreach Support: ·
Sustainable Quality Awards Facilitation ·
Zero Waste Event Consultation and Support ·
Tabling and presentations at various
community events |
$24,405 |
|
Subtotal for Sustainable Works Scope of Work: |
$223,405 |
|
Community Partners Administrative Fees: |
$22,095 |
|
TOTAL Not To Exceed: |
$245,500 |
The
City’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment staff will continue to manage
the contract and provide oversight of program implementation.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
Funds
in the amount of $245,500 are available in the Fiscal Year 2009-10 adopted budget
in account number 01226.555060. Funding
for additional years will be included in the department’s proposed budget
request and will be contingent upon Council approval.
Prepared by:
|
Approved: |
|
Forwarded
to Council: |
|
|
|
|
|
Director,
Office of Sustainability and the Environment |
|
P. City Manager |