SR 05-23-2023 5H
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: May 23, 2023
Agenda Item: 5.H
1 of 6
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Danielle Noble, Acting Director, Community Services Department, Community
Recreation
Subject: Award RFP #346 to Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM) for Park
Ambassador services at Palisades, Reed and Tongva Parks
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section
15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
2. Award RFP #346 to Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM) for Park Ambassador
services at Palisades, Reed and Tongva Parks.
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with DTSM,
in the amount not to exceed $8,257,945 for five years with future year funding
contingent on Council budget approval.
Executive Summary
The City invited proposals from qualified entities interested in providing contractual
services for park ambassadors at various City-owned and City-maintained parks. Staff
recommends entering into an agreement with Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM) to
provide park ambassador services at Reed, Tongva and Palisades Park at an annual
cost of $1,494,480.
The goal of the City of Santa Monica park ambassador program is to enhance the visitor
experience in some of Santa Monica’s most visited parks. Ambassadors are visible,
mobile, and responsive hospitality and customer service professionals. They are
friendly, personable, approachable, knowledgeable, and trained to handle situations
5.H
Packet Pg. 456
2 of 6
involving conflict. Ambassadors greet and welcome visitors, advise visitors of park rules
and local laws related to appropriate behavior, as well as provide directions and other
hospitality services as needed. They are the eyes and ears of the parks – reporting
problems to the appropriate authorities, ensuring that parks are safe, inviting places for
all. After reviewing proposals submitted to the City, staff recommends contracting with
DTSM due to their proposed deployment schedule, staffing and training model, and
level of experience providing such services.
Discussion
DTSM Park Ambassador Program
DTSM launched its hospitality and maintenance ambassador program in 2009 following
the establishment of the Downtown Santa Monica Property-Based Assessment District
(PBAD) in which property owners voted to fund supplemental and enhanced services to
benefit the downtown area through a special assessment. Ambassadors are uniformed
concierge trained to assist those seeking information about Santa Monica, report
maintenance or other public safety issues to the appropriate parties and provide a
welcoming presence for all visitors to the area.
The City has invested in a variety of site- specific strategies to help all people feel
welcome and safe in public spaces, including City parks. As part of that effort, in late
2016 the City partnered with DTSM to provide park ambassador services in Palisades
and Tongva Park, which began on January 1, 2017. In June 2019 Council approved the
expansion of ambassador services to Reed Park for a six-month pilot program. The pilot
program was deemed successful and ambassador services continue at all three park
locations.
Ambassadors have received excellent reviews and ratings from visitors, residents, and
businesses for their customer service, responsiveness, and knowledge of businesses,
services, and amenities. Tongva Park, Palisades Park, and Reed Park have been
impacted by the regional increases in homelessness, greater use by street performers,
and reported illegal activity and anti-social behavior. DTSM’s ambassador program
5.H
Packet Pg. 457
3 of 6
provides hospitality services and restroom monitoring at both Palisades and Tongva
parks, and hospitality services, restroom monitoring and outreach/quality of life services
at Reed Park. Hospitality ambassadors help maintain a welcoming and safe
environment by engaging visitors; offering directions, recommendations, escorts, and
other customer service assistance; providing visual and audio observation to public
landscape staff; monitoring and reporting anti-social behaviors; and providing minor
maintenance assistance when needed. In addition, restroom ambassadors are
stationed near the public restrooms in all three parks to discourage anti-social
behaviors, conduct intermittent restroom cleanings, and check and stock restroom
supplies. Outreach/quality of life ambassadors stationed in Reed Park possess
California Guard card and advanced mental health training. These ambassadors focus
on social service outreach discourage antisocial behaviors and track public safety
incidents in an incident management system.
DTSM contracts with Block by Block for operation of the ambassador program as an
extension of the Downtown Ambassador program. Since 2009, Block by Block has
provided the management, staffing and support to the Downtown Santa Monica
Hospitality and Maintenance Ambassadors. Their management team provides the
guidance to frontline personnel every day, thereby allowing DTSM staff to focus on the
bigger picture needs of serving the stakeholders of Downtown.
Ambassadors maintain a close working relationship with the Santa Monica Police
Department (SMPD), receive regular training from SMPD, and communicate frequently
with SMPD and parks personnel on the behaviors and conditions that they encounter
and observe. The ambassadors are trained on the applicable provisions of the Santa
Monica Municipal Code pertaining to the use of public space, constantly monitor for
criminal behavior, illegal vending, and other illegal activity, advise park users if an
infraction is taking place and alert SMPD if they witness any illegal or dangerous
activity. Ambassadors may not enforce municipal codes. However, they often work in
concert with local service providers and SMPD’s Homeless Liaison Program (HLP)
Team to offer service referrals when appropriate and maintain close communication and
5.H
Packet Pg. 458
4 of 6
coordination with patrol officers and Public Safety Officers who also regularly visit the
park.
Staff solicited proposals for ambassador services at Palisades, Reed, Tongva and
Memorial parks. Over the past year there has been an increase in complaints about the
misuse and vandalism of the outdoor restrooms at Memorial Park. Due to staffing and
budget cuts, the Memorial Park gym, fitness room, and indoor restrooms do not open
until 12 p.m. during the week. Tennis, pickleball, playground, and field users must use
the outdoor restrooms in the morning. Given the positive changes that occurred by
adding restroom ambassadors to Palisades, Tongva, and Reed parks, the RFP asked
respondents to propose deploying restroom ambassadors within Memorial Park.
However, at this time funding has not been identified for ambassadors at Memorial
Park. Therefore, staff is recommending continued services in Palisades, Tongva and
Reed only. Should additional funding be identified, ambassador services may be
deployed to Memorial Park.
DTSM’s proposed program budget for the first full year is $557,939 for services at
Palisades, $378,602 for services at Tongva Park and $557,939 for services at Reed
Park, with an annual total program cost of $1,494,480. DTSM would pay staff at or
above the City’s living wage standard, with annual escalation of up to 5% to cover
increased operational costs such as changes to insurance or wages.
Staff recommends entering a contract with DTSM for five years. A services agreement
to contract ambassador services with DTSM is required because the parks are located
outside of DTSM’s assessment district boundaries and the services would be paid for
entirely by the City. Preparing for a maximum annual increase of 5% to fees, the not to
exceed amount for the total five-year contract is $8,257,945.
Board Action
DTSM, Inc. Board of Directors directed staff to enter into an agreement with the City of
Santa Monica to provide parks attendant services at their April 11th Board meeting.
5.H
Packet Pg. 459
5 of 6
Vendor Selection
Bidder Recommendation
Best Qualified Firm Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.
Evaluation Criteria
Bids evaluated on their experience, references, staffing and
deployment schedule and cost.
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.180
RFPs Received
Downtown Santa
Monica, Inc.
Alltech Industries
Inc.
RFP Data
Posted On Posted On
Advertised In
(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
02/13/2023 City's Online
Bidding Site Santa Monica Daily Press 2 03/17/2023
Justification to Award
Based on the evaluation criteria listed above and the criteria in SMMC 2.24.180, staff
recommends Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. as the best qualified firm to provide Park
Ambassador services based on previous experience working with the City, their ability
to deliver quality services, the proposed schedule deployment, their compliance with all
City specifications, and fair pricing.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
Attachment A 2023 Signed Oaks Initiative Form
Environmental Review
This contract for ambassador services is exempt from the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the
CEQA Guidelines, which states that CEQA does not apply, where it can be seen with
certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant
5.H
Packet Pg. 460
6 of 6
effect on the environment. The ambassador services is an administrative program that
provide visitor support services to the City, and would not result in physical effects.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve funding from the General Fund to award a Services
Agreement with DTSM for park ambassador services. Funding, which is within the
maintenance of effort budget amount, will be included in the FY 2023-25 Proposed
Biennial Budget.
Agreement Request
FY 2023-24
Budget
Request
Amount
Future Years
Amount Account # Total Contract
Amount
$936,541 $4,238,438 01800004.550010 $5,174,979
$557,939 $2,525,027 01800004.550250 (Reed) $3,082,966
$1,494,480 $6,763,465 Total $8,257,945
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Prepared By: Jeanette Gant, Community Recreation Manager
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Oaks Initiative Disclosure Form
B. Written Comments
5.H
Packet Pg. 461
5.H.a
Packet Pg. 462 Attachment: Oaks Initiative Disclosure Form (5722 : Award Bid for Park Ambassador Services)
Board Directory
(Effective April 3rd, 2023)
Name(s) of person of entities receiving public benefit:
n/a
Name(s) of trustees, directors, partners, and officers:
Board Chair Eric Sedman
Treasurer Barry Snell
Vice Chair Michele Aronson
Vice Chair Peter Trinh
Vice Chair Joshua Gilman
Vice Chair Julia Ladd
Board Member Anuj Gupta
Board Member Ericka Lesley
Board Member Leo Pustilnikov
Board members Luke Cain
Board members Bruce Fairty
Board members Lucian Tudor
Board members Lora Vrastil
Name(s) of person with more than a 10% equity, participations, revenue interest:
n/a
5.H.a
Packet Pg. 463 Attachment: Oaks Initiative Disclosure Form (5722 : Award Bid for Park Ambassador Services)
1
Xavier Mota
From:Ellen Hannan <elhasm@gmail.com>
Sent:Wednesday, May 17, 2023 3:03 PM
To:Council Mailbox; councilmtgitems; Clerk Mailbox
Subject:Consent item H Downtown Inc
EXTERNAL
Please pull item H for discussion of the Ambassador Program for Reed Park. Is this band aid approach the best the City
can offer the residents of the area Lincoln. This has resulted in unknown deaths at St Monica's property and 1231
Lincoln Blvd.
The SMPD Chief of Police has no answer for this matter. Chief Batista has not read the West Hollywood Vacant Building
Ordinance so he is unaware of the highest standards in present day code enforcement. His officers patrol daily and
remove the same individuals daily
.
City manager David White has made no progress in promoting a new vacant building ordinance. I suggest he copy the
West Hollywood Ordinance and submit it to all his department heads for review and feedback. This is a multi
department problem. I expect he should have a group meeting and to council a written plan by Jul 15. Without a
deadline this will not be done.
Commission like Housing, Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Landmarks as well as the Planning Department and City
Attorney Office need to have input.
Of course the Neighborhood Associations, Landlord Association and general public have a right to input BEFORE an
ordinance is presented in a final form for adoption by the City Council.
Please give this matter your urgent attention. I don't need another dead body on a vacant site on my block of 1200 9th
St.
Ellen Hannan
1218 9th St #6
Santa Monica CA 90401
ITEM 5.H.
MAY 23, 2023
ITEM 5.H.
MAY 23, 2023
5.H.b
Packet Pg. 464 Attachment: Written Comments (5722 : Award Bid for Park Ambassador Services)