SR-11-25-2014-3K'dom City Council Report
City of
Santa Monica'
City Council Meeting: November 25, 2014
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Agenda Item: 3v- V-
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Debbie Lee, Communications & Public Affairs Officer
Subject: Execute a Professional Agreement with Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz &
Associates for the 2015 Bi- Annual Residents Survey
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute a professional services agreement in the amount of $34,995 with Fairbank,
Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3), a California public opinion research firm, to
conduct the bi- annual resident survey for FY 2014/15.
Executive Summary
The City of Santa Monica contracts with a public opinion research firm to conduct its bi-
annual resident survey. Staff recommends executing a new professional services
agreement FM3 for an additional survey period at the cost of $34,995, bringing the total
amount of the three contracts to $95,985 for conducting three bi- annual surveys.
Background
The City of Santa Monica conducts a bi- annual telephone surrey of Santa Monica
residents to assess attitudes about City services and to identify changes in attitudes
compared to similar studies conducted in previous years. After a competitive process in
October 2010, FM3 was selected to conduct the 2011 bi- annual resident survey. FM3
was selected based on strength of presentation, qualifications, experience,
methodology, strategy and plan to accomplish survey goals.
In addition to conducting the bi- annual resident survey in 2011, Council agreed to
modify the agreement for a second bi- annual survey in 2013, FM3 has provided public
opinion research polling for separate contract services in the past seven years totaling
$185,980. The firm's other contracts included research on the modernization of the
Utility Users Tax in January 2008, research to determine viability of a ballot measures to
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provide additional funding to maintain City services (Measure Y and YY) and two voter
surveys for potential ballot measures for the 2014 election (Measure H and HH).
Discussion
In both 2011 and 2013, the Santa Monica Resident Survey included questions asked in
previous resident surveys conducted by other public opinion research firms.
Comparisons were provided from previous years, where available, including 2002,
2005, 2007 and 2009 studies. Additional questions were also asked to address
emerging issues, meet operational needs of City departments for more in -depth
information, and to establish new benchmarks on key services. In 2013, the survey
instrument was redesigned to include new quality of life and satisfaction indices while
maintaining benchmark indicators for City department programs and services. Future
survey results would help identify service priorities and guide development of work
plans. The benefits of extending the contract with FM3 for the 2015 survey include:
• FM3 has broad experience in conducting resident satisfaction surveys for local
governments, particularly California cities that have a diverse community and
offer a wide array of services to residents;
• The need to track relevant questions from previous surveys and provide analysis
that places new findings in context with historical data;
• In -depth knowledge of the community to ensure the survey continues to address
new issues of concern to the City;
• Maintaining the range of the survey's reach to include additional departments,
programs, services and policies;
• Utilizing the existing analytical tools of the survey analysis — the importance and
satisfaction matrix, which offers a comparative measure of the importance and
satisfaction residents place on a variety of City services;
• Providing detailed analysis by demographic and geographic subgroupings
through key questions, which offers an ongoing reference for City staff through
the time period between surveys;
• A vast background of historical as well as current knowledge of the City, its
residents and businesses acquired from previous years of research among
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residents /voters on a variety of issues including successful ballot measure
campaigns.
Contractor /Consultant Selection
In October of 2010, the City issued a request for quote /proposal to conduct the 2011
resident survey. The request was posted on the City's online bidding site. Twenty -three
proposals were received and evaluated by staff from the City Manager's Office, Finance
and Community and Cultural Services. Interviews were conducted with five finalists and
FM3 was selected based on strength of presentation, qualifications, experience,
methodology, strategy, and plan to accomplish survey goals. Upon the completion of
the 2015 survey, staff recommends the City issue a new request for quote /proposals in
FY 2016/17 for the next bi- annual survey, scheduled to take place in January of 2017.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The professional services agreement to be awarded to Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz
& Associates is for the amount of $34,995. Funds are available in the FY 2014/15
budget in division 207. The agreement will be charged to account 012071.555060.
Prepared by: Debbie Lee, Communications & Public Affairs Officer
Approved:
Forwarded to Council:
Debbie Lee Rod Gould
Communications & Public Affairs Officer City Manager
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