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SR-6G (37) Wutmcf# 1290 ecs (p~ JUL 11t 198 EPWM CP DK F \EPWM\ADMIN\WPDOCS\STAFFRPT\ROGERSAS Council Meeting July 14, 1998 Santa Monica, California TO Mayor and City Council FROM City Staff SUBJECT Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute an Agreement with Rogers and Associates to Develop a Community Outreach Plan for the Sustainable City Program INTRODUCTION This report requests that City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Rogers and ASSOCiates to develop a community outreach plan to Increase community awareness of the Sustainable City Program (SCP) goals and ultimately Increase participation In each of ItS component programs BACKGROUND In September 1994, Council formally adopted the Santa MOnica Sustainable City Program (SCP) The City's Task Force on the EnVironment conceived the SCP as a way to comprehensively address environmental, economIc and social concerns withIn the City In December 1996 the Task Force conveyed to Council the Sustainable City Progress Report which assessed the City'S progress In Implementing the SCP The report notes that Increased community awareness and Involvement are critical to meeting the SCP goals and recommends that the City develop an outreach strategy to Increase indiVidual and 1 "G- JUL 11t 1998 group awareness of SCP goals and participation In Its component programs The City's current outreach efforts are largely done In-house on a piecemeal basIs for IndiVidual SCP component programs (recycling, water and energy conservation, toxic-use reduction, ete) with less than optImum coordination between them Development of a comprehensive outreach plan will provide research data to more effectively reach target audiences, provide a consistent look and theme for outreach efforts, and provide a means to measure the success of vanous outreach efforts DISCUSSION In March 1998 City staff Issued a Request For Qualifications to Identify firms expenenced In developing community outreach strategies A selection panel made up of CIty staff from the Environmental and Public Works Management Department and the City Manager's Office and two representatives from the Task Force on the Environment reviewed all submittals and selected three finalists, Rogers and Associates, SAE Communications, and Cowan Communication Arts, for further conSideration The finalists were Interviewed May 15, 1998 and Rogers and Associates was selected by the panel based on their expenence developing Similar plans and their demonstrated ablhty to deliver an effective strategy The scope of work to be performed by Rogers and Associates for Santa Monica IS as follows 1 Needs Assessment Rogers and Associates Will conduct a limited needs assessment to determine public awareness and understanding of the SCP and Its component 2 programs The needs assessment will Include a sCientifically valid random telephone survey of 150 Santa Monica resIdents, a phone or mall survey of City staff, one-an-one interviews with key city staff and elected officials, and a review of sustainable city outreach efforts In other cities 2 CampaIgn Identity Rogers and Associates will develop a SCP outreach campaign theme and visual elements appropnate for the audiences being targeted Careful attention will be paid to coordinating campaign theme graphics with the eXisting City logo and SCP pnnted materials 3 Community Outreach Plan Rogers and Associates will develop this plan based on the results of the needs assessment research and on Input from City staff, stakeholders and members of the Task Force on the Environment The outreach plan will contain specific goals for the SCP community outreach effort, Identify key audiences, outline strategies and tactiCS to reach these audiences, and provide measurement tools to evaluate the plan's effectiveness The outreach plan will also provide estimated budgets and time lines for recommended strategies and collateral matenals The scope of work will be performed over a four month penod beginning In August 1998 BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT The cost for the four month scope of work wIll not exceed $50,000 Funds for the project are available In EnVironmental Programs DIVIsion Account Number 31-500-662-00000- 2254-00000 These funds cover the development of the outreach plan and are not Intended to cover the costs to Implement the plan's recommendations Future 3 Implementation of the outreach plan recommendations will be funded from the Environmental Program DIvIsion's annual advertising budget RECOMMENDA lIONS It IS recommended that City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Rogers and Associates to develop a community outreach plan for the Sustainable City Program Prepared by Craig Perkins, Environmental and Public Works Management Director Dean Kubam, Environmental Programs Analyst 4