SR-305-001-04
Council Meeting: February 14, 2006 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Award of Professional Services Agreement to Cultural + Planning Group
for Development of Community Cultural Plan
INTRODUCTION
This report recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate
and execute a professional services agreement with the Cultural + Planning Group in
the amount of $90,000 to produce a community cultural plan that will establish Santa
Monica’s priorities in terms of the arts and culture, as well as the methods for achieving
these objectives. Cultural + Planning Group, a Los Angeles based firm with extensive
national experience in the development of cultural plans, was selected through a
competitive process.
DISCUSSION
A community cultural plan engages a wide cross section of the community in taking
stock of available cultural assets, needs, opportunities, and resources, and establishing
a collective vision for the future. Santa Monica last undertook a cultural planning
process in 1997. Since then a majority of that early plan’s recommendations have been
implemented, the community has grown and evolved tremendously, and the demand for
local cultural programming has increased. In recent surveys, community members have
identified expanded cultural opportunities as a priority.
With this in mind, both Council and residents identified development of a new
community cultural plan as a high priority during the FY 2005-06 City budget process,
and funding for this project was included in the City Budget adopted by Council on June
21, 2005. In September 2005, staff issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a
consultant or consultant team to develop a community cultural plan. The RFP was
distributed nationally to more than fifteen firms and individual consultants with expertise
in cultural and arts planning. Five companies submitted proposals for this project which
were reviewed by a panel made up of staff from the Community and Cultural Services,
Resource Management, and Planning and Community Development Departments.
Three finalists were interviewed in December 2005.
The panel unanimously recommended the Cultural + Planning Group be awarded this
project based on the overall quality and comprehensive nature of their proposal, the
firm’s clear understanding of the project and the qualifications and experience of lead
project staff and sub-consultants. The key personnel on this project have developed
innovative and successful plans for communities throughout the country, including most
recently in Pasadena, San Antonio and San Diego. Along with their national expertise,
they bring to the project a clear understanding of the specific issues confronting
California and Los Angeles County as all of the principals are based in California.
BUDGET/FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funds for the community cultural plan are available in the following accounts:
01560.555060 $75,000
32621.555060 $15,000
$90,000
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute a contract with the Cultural + Planning Group in the amount of $90,000 to
develop a cultural plan for Santa Monica.
Prepared by: Barbara Stinchfield, Director, Community and Cultural Services
Jessica Cusick, Manager, Cultural Affairs Division
Reference Contract No. 8559 (CCS)
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