TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to enter into an agreement with Suzanne P. Lawrence, dba Advisor Business Solutions, of Long Beach, CA, for culturally relevant communications and marketing services for the Black Infant Health Public Awareness Campaign, in an amount of $175,000 for the period of October 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021, with the option to renew for an additional one-year period, at the discretion of the City Manager. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into an agreement with Suzanne P. Lawrence, dba Advisor Business Solutions (ABS), of Long Beach, CA, for culturally relevant communications and marketing services for the Black Infant Health (BIH) Public Awareness Campaign.
On October 13, 2020, the City Council authorized an agreement with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), to accept and expend grant funding in the amount of $1,000,000, for the BIH Public Awareness Campaign (Campaign), for the period of September 1, 2020 through June 30, 2022. An important aspect of the Campaign is outreach and education, requiring the services of a specialist in communications, marketing, and app development, targeting the specific community identified in the grant.
In collaboration with the Northern California grantee, Fresno County Public Health Department, and the approval of CDPH, the Campaign will include pregnancy education, gestational calendars, meditation and stress reduction strategies, as well as breastfeeding information specifically tailored to Black women. The campaign will span across all 17 BIH programs, including five Southern California counties: Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego. A consultant is needed to provide branding, website development, social media, and an app to expeditiously comply with these grant requirements. In addition, ABS will build a Black Health Equity Collaborative website to share culturally-tailored COVID-19 resources.
With more than 20 years of strategic marketing experience, ABS has been identified as uniquely qualified to provide these services. ABS’ demonstrated expertise in strategic marketing communications, digital strategies, graphic design, and multicultural marketing and media campaigns for government agencies satisfies the requirements of the CDPH grant. These requirements include outreach to targeted minority populations.
City Charter Section 1801 requires that contracts for City purchases be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder after a competitive bid process but allows for awards without a competitive bid process, if accompanied by a Resolution adopted by the City Council. Due to the unique features of the BIH grant, a competitive procurement is not feasible and, therefore, no useful purpose would be served by advertising for bids.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Amy R. Webber and Business Services Bureau Manager Tara Mortensen on March 25, 2021 and by Revenue Management Officer Geraldine Alejo on March 26, 2021.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on April 6, 2021, to ensure timely implementation of the media campaign.
FISCAL IMPACT
The agreement amount will not exceed $175,000 for the period of October 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. Of this amount, $125,000 is currently budgeted in the Health Fund Group in the Health and Human Services Department. The remaining $50,000 is funded with CARES Act funding appropriated in the General Fund Group in the Health and Human Services Department. This recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
[Enter Body Here]
Respectfully Submitted,
KELLY COLOPY
DIRECTOR
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER