SR-07-23-2013-3ECity Council Meeting: July 23, 2013
Agenda Item: 3—f.
To: Mayor and City Council
From: David Martin, Director of Planning & Community Development
Subject: Professional Services Agreement Modification for No Net New Trips TDM
Toolkit Grant Program
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute a first modification to Professional Services Agreement #2473 in the amount of
$69,900 with Murakawa Communications, a California -based company, to complete
outreach, marketing and implementation of the No Net New Trips (NNNT) TDM Toolkit
Program grant as a sole source vendor. This would result in a two -year amended
agreement ending June 30, 2014, with a new total amount not to exceed $139,800.
Executive Summary
Assistance with community outreach, marketing, event planning, and program
implementation is required to implement the residential "I'm a Local" and visitor "Where
the Locals Go" outreach programs, as well as facilitate a residential vanpool program.
Staff recommends a modification to the Murakawa Communications' agreement in the
amount of $69,900 so staff can continue implementation of the grant's trip reduction
programs city -wide.
Background
In January, 2012, the City received a Metro grant for the NNNT TDM Toolkit as a result
of a grant application submitted by Planning and Community Development staff. Phase
one of the NNNT TDM Toolkit provides incentives to assist the community to alter their
travel behavior by subsidizing vanpool programs and transit passes. Residents and
employees in Santa Monica will receive subsidies to stop driving alone and carpool,
vanpool, walk, bicycle or use transit. This program also provides marketing outreach in
the form of meetings and events. Phase two is a comprehensive Santa Monica specific
web -based transportation portal. Both phases of the NNNT TDM Toolkit support the
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Land Use and Circulation Element's goal of No Net New P.M. Peak Hour Trips.
In March, 2012, the City solicited a request for proposals (RFP) to obtain proposals from
qualified firms to develop an implementation plan and coordinate one event for phase
one of the NNNT TDM Toolkit. The bid was sent to well - qualified consulting teams.
Four bids were received and evaluated by a panel of City staff based on the criteria in
the RFP. The criteria set forth in the RFP included experience completing similar
projects, experience working in similar urban areas, experience conducting TDM
outreach, and positive references from previously completed projects. Staff selected
Murakawa Communications to complete develop an implementation plan for the NNNT
TDM Toolkit Grant. Murakawa Communications was selected based on their proven
experience completing similar projects in similar urban areas.
The references for projects completed by Murakawa Communications were all positive
and indicated a strong ability to complete the required tasks. As compared to other
firms, the Murakawa Communications team had the most experience, the best
references, and was identified as having a successful track record for producing the
requirements of the grant. Staff felt that the team's qualifications were best suited to
complete the work within the available budget and schedule.
Murakawa has unique expertise and understanding of applying Transportation Demand
Management (TDM) strategies and policies to reduce travel demand of single
occupancy vehicles in Santa Monica. Under City staff direction, Murakawa developed
the key aspects of the NNNT TDM Toolkit program implementation plan. Over the past
year, Murakawa conducted reconnaissance of various travel patterns to formulate the
programs needed to market trip reduction programs in support of the Land Use and
Circulation Element. Work to -date has included a detailed evaluation of the target
audiences including identifying existing commute modes, development of detailed
outreach pilot programs for employees, visitors and residents, implementation of the
phase one of the employee subsidy pilot program and one public outreach event in the
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Bergamot area. The task of developing an implementation plan, as required in the
original scope of work took substantially more time to formulate. This resulted in an
implementation plan that requires additional outreach events.
Since completing the implementation plan, staff determined the need for assistance to
implement the "Where the Locals Go" and the "I'm a Local" identified in the
implementation plan. The project manager has a clear understanding of all required
tasks and deliverables so activities are properly implemented, documented and all work
is completed to the highest sustainable transportation standards.
Discussion
The "No Net New Trips" program is an outreach and subsidy program designed to
reduce trips city -wide, promote ridesharing, active transportation, and develop a Santa
Monica web portal with multi -modal transportation information for residents, business,
employees and visitors. Since beginning this program, Murakawa Communications has
identified potential target groups, developed a program for each target group, developed
a marketing plan and an implementation plan, and successfully produced an employee
(trip reduction) outreach program in the Bergamot area.
The original professional services agreement focused primarily on developing the
implementation plan for the NNNT TDM Toolkit program, which took extensive research
and planning to formulate a city -wide plan. The amount of the original contract did not
include a scope or budget for detailed implementation of two additional programs -
"Where the Locals Go" and "I'm a Local ". "Where the Locals Go" is a program created
to encourage visitors to the City's hotels to use transit to get around the City rather than
driving in a vehicle. This program will provide information cards to guests in hotels
when they valet their cars and at the concierge desks. The "I'm a Local" program is a
program that provides rolling carts to residents to encourage them to walk and use
transit when shopping or running errands.
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Staff is recommending a contract modification in the amount of $69,900 to continue both
trip reduction program efforts and reduce the demand for parking city -wide.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The professional service agreement modification to be awarded to Murakawa
Communications is $69,900, for an amended agreement total not to exceed $139,800.
Funds are available in the FY 2013 -14 Capital Improvement Program budget at account
0208014.589000.
Prepared by: Judi Masuda, Transportation Demand Program Manager
Approved:
David -'A Ma for
Planning and Community Development
Department
M
Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
Reference:
Agreement No. 9773
(CCS)