SR-11-27-2012-3LID /� Q
City of City Council Report
Santa Monica
City Council Meeting: November 27, 2012
Agenda Item: 3L.
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Kathryn Vernez, Deputy City Manager
Subject: Amendment to Professional Services Agreement # 2206 with Fairbank,
Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates for Bi- Annual Resident Survey for FY
2012 -13
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute a first modification to professional services agreement #2206 in the amount of
$30,495 with Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3), a California public
opinion research firm, to conduct the bi- annual resident survey for FY 2012 -13. This will
result in an agreement for conducting two bi- annual resident surveys in the amount of
$60,990.
Executive Summary
The City of Santa Monica contracts with a public opinion research firm to conduct its bi-
annual resident survey. Staff recommends extending the existing contract with FM3 for
an additional survey period at a cost of $30,495, increasing the total contract amount to
$60,990 for conducting two bi- annual resident surveys.
Background
The City of Santa Monica conducts a bi- annual telephone survey of Santa Monica
residents to assess attitudes about City services and to identify changes in attitudes
compared to similar studies conducted in previous years. A competitive Request for
Quote /Proposals was issued in October, 2010. Proposals were evaluated by staff from
the City Manager's Office, Finance, and Community and Cultural Services, and
interviews were conducted with five finalists. FM3 was selected based on strength of
presentation, qualifications, experience, methodology, strategy and plan to accomplish
survey goals.
While FM3 had provided public opinion research polling for separate contract services
totaling $62,195, the 2011 survey was the first time the firm prepared the resident
survey. The firm's other contracts were entered into in January 2008 to conduct
research on the modernization of the Utility Users Tax and June 2010 to determine
needs and priorities, and examine the viability of a ballot measure to provide additional
funding to maintain City services. With the amendment, the total amount authorized to
FM3 for public opinion research will be $123,185 over the 4 year period.
Discussion
The 2011 Santa Monica Resident Survey included a number of 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 new
issues, meet the operational needs of the departments for more in -depth information,
and to establish new benchmarks on key services. The survey instrument was
redesigned to include new quality of life and satisfaction indices while maintaining
benchmark indicators for City department programs and services. The results guided
staff in identifying service priorities and developing work plans. The benefits of
continuing to use using FM3 for the FY 2012/2013 survey are:
• Tracking relevant questions from previous surveys and providing analysis that
places new findings in context with historical data;
• In -depth knowledge of the survey to continue to address the new issues of
concern to the City;
• Maintaining the breadth of the survey's reach to include additional departments,
programs, services and policies;
• Utilizing the new analytical tool 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 by key
questions, which offers an ongoing reference for City staff throughout the period
between surveys;
• Bringing a vast background of historical and current knowledge of the City, its
residents and businesses that has been accumulated from past research
conducted among City residents /voters on a variety of issues and for successful
ballot measure campaigns.
The amendment would maintain the 2011 price of $30,495, and includes a $2,000 value
for increasing oversampling of cell -phone users. This is the same price as obtained
through the initial competitive process.
Contractor /Consultant Selection
In October 2010, the City issued a request for quote /proposals to conduct the FY2010-
11 resident survey. The request was posted on the City's on -line bidding site. Twenty -
three proposals were received. The proposals were evaluated by staff from the City
Manager's Office, Finance, and Community and Cultural Services. The evaluations
focused on: qualifications; structure of client team and experience; strategy and plan to
accomplish the goals for conducting the survey; and reasonableness of the fee
including the value /service for the proposed cost. Interviews were conducted with five
finalists. FM3 was selected based on strength of presentation, qualifications,
experience, methodology, strategy and plan to accomplish survey goals. Based on the
performance of the 2011 survey, staff recommends a modification to professional
services agreement #2206 in the amount of $30,495 with FM3 for preparation of the
2012/13 resident survey.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The professional serviced agreement modification to be awarded to Fairbank, Maslin,
Maullin, Metz & Associates is $30,495, for a modified professional service agreement
total of $60,990 for conducting two resident surveys. Funds are included in the
FY2011 -13 budget at account 01207.578671.
Prepared by: Kathryn Vernez, Deputy City Manager, Special projects
Approved:
Kathryn V rnez
Deputy City Manager
Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
Reference Agreement
No. 9668
(CCS).