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APPROVE A MOTION FOR A FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE CONSULTING AND ADVOCACY SERVICES CONTRACT
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council authorize by motion, a professional services contract with Townsend Public Affairs of Washington, DC, to provide federal legislative consulting and advocacy services and represent the City of Stockton before the United States Government.
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Summary
Maintaining a strong presence in Washington, D.C. is important to the City of Stockton to ensure that we receive funding, advance beneficial legislation, and prevent adverse legislation or rulemaking. This is most effectively done through the use of consulting services to represent the City of Stockton in carrying out its legislative program and advocating its public policy positions, concerns, needs, and recommendations at the federal level.
The existing federal legislative advocacy contract will expire on December 31, 2024. In August 2024, City staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for federal legislative consulting and advocacy services and conducted a competitive review and interview process with the responsive advocacy firms. The RFP process is complete, and staff recommends that Townsend Public Affairs (TPA) represent the City of Stockton in our federal legislative efforts.
DISCUSSION
Background
The City of Stockton (“City”) has contracted with a federal legislative agency for more than 20 years. Some examples of the benefits provided through support of our federal advocates include significant infrastructure and public safety funding, reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program to save homeowners millions of dollars and forestall damaging stormwater and floodplain regulations, the award of an EPA Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan for $108 million, work with the US Army Corps of Engineers to expedite permitting of the Alexandria and Five Mile Slough Culvert Replacement project, and guidance on developing applications for Community Project Funding through House and Senate appropriations.
In 2012, the City adopted its first formal Federal Legislative Program. Prior to 2012, the City had not adopted formal legislative programs, and as a result, the City’s legislative priorities and the impacts of legislation were not entirely clear to our legislative delegations. Over the past decade, the Legislative Programs have provided a unified focus and served as documents that establish the principles, priorities, and positions of the City of Stockton related to federal legislative matters. Legislative Programs are reviewed on an annual basis, allowing legislative advocates to refocus efforts as needed in Washington, DC, and act strategically and timely for greater impact.
Present Situation
In 2021, the City entered into a federal legislative advocacy contract for a term of three years, after which the possibility of two negotiable one-year extensions was allowable. The three-year contract term will be completed on December 31, 2024, and the City has elected to not exercise an extension of the current contract. In August 2024, City staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) (#PUR 25-009) for Federal Legislative Consulting and Advocacy Services and then conducted a competitive review and selection process of the responsive federal firms. A total of four firms responded to the federal level RFP. The RFP process is complete, and staff recommends that Townsend Public Affairs represent the City in our federal legislative efforts.
Since its inception in 1998, Townsend Public Affairs (TPA) has earned the reputation as a Champion for Better Communities by providing the experience, resources, and relationships expected from a premiere legislative advocacy and grant writing firm, while also upholding the service-oriented tenets of personalized attention, maximum accessibility and passion for their mission. TPA’s strategic approach to advocacy and funding is tailored to meet the individual needs of each client by leveraging the breadth and depth of their team, as well as its vast network of relationships with key stakeholders and decision-makers.
As a firm that specializes in both federal legislative and grant funding, TPA utilizes a team of advocates to maximize funding success by working collaboratively to monitor funding programs, communicate with federal legislators and agency representatives, and compile program guidelines to ensure clients can pursue and secure federal funding with the highest likelihood of success for their local communities. TPA understands both the source and the implementation of federal funding, allowing for a more effective approach to funding advocacy. The firm’s ability to monitor and advocate for funding from the sources, as well as to leverage its team in Washington, DC, ensures that the City’s funding goals are being considered throughout the entirety of the legislative and funding processes.
TPA proposes a dedicated team of five staff to perform federal lobbying services for the City. Federal Advocacy Director Ben Goldeen has dedicated his career to serving the people of the San Joaquin Valley, with extensive experience working on behalf of local communities from Stockton to Bakersfield. Ben has in-depth knowledge of issues impacting Stockton, including transportation, housing, and water infrastructure, and he has worked extensively with local veterans’ service providers, economic development stakeholders, and public safety officials. Senior Associate Joseph Melo brings extensive experience managing legislative and funding activity, with expertise in policy areas including energy and commerce, technology, housing, and local government governance. Joseph helped secure several funding awards for violence reduction, youth employment, and economic development programs. Ben and Joseph will serve as Federal Legislative & Funding Advocates for the City, assisted in that role by Vice President Cori Takkinen and Senior Associate Sammy Maciel. Cori brings expertise in the public policy sectors of local governance, transportation, water resources, infrastructure, parks and recreation and economic development, along with grant writing experience. Sammy has experience managing legislative activity, including bill analysis, research, and drafting, particularly for federal funding opportunities. TPA President Christopher Townsend will serve as Senior Strategic Advisor, rounding out the team with his 42 years of demonstrated leadership and experience in public affairs, legislative advocacy and grant writing. Clients have described Townsend Public Affairs staff as being very responsive, demonstrating consistent engagement and a well-embedded approach to representation and advocacy.
The scope of work for the contract (Attachment A) includes advising the City in the annual development of a comprehensive federal legislative platform and a recommended government relations strategy, outlining the City’s top legislative program priorities, objectives and strategies, and then executing that program. Our advocates will monitor and review legislation and executive protocols under consideration, maintain an overview of legislative and executive agency activities, and provide regular reports and communication on key issues. Our TPA advocates will represent the City in Washington, DC, maintain a positive working relationship with the City’s delegations and facilitate communication with legislative, executive and other governmental officials, for the purpose of influencing legislative or administrative action. The TPA team will also coordinate and execute the City’s federal funding strategy by identifying funding activities and opportunities of significance to the City, such as capital improvement projects, advise and assist the City in the preparation of federal appropriations and community project funding requests, monitor and maintain an overview of legislative and executive agency activities impacting the City’s funding needs, and facilitate meetings with legislative committees and granting agencies.
The term for the federal advocacy contract is a three-year period, with the allowance of two additional one-year extensions. The contract has been established at an all-inclusive annual rate of $78,000, or $234,000 for the initial three-year term. This rate is consistent with the annual rate for currently contracted federal advocacy services.
Continued legislative advocacy is particularly important, given the changing landscape of both federal and state governments. The expertise and experience provided by Townsend Public Affairs will allow the City to create an even stronger presence in Washington, DC and pursue initiatives critical to Stockton. The firm will provide the City of Stockton with timely information, solid political networks, knowledge of key agency programs and staff, and familiarity with current issues. TPA will also provide inroads to funding opportunities and an understanding of how to best design and leverage projects for successful funding.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
There are sufficient funds for the initial six months of this calendar year contract in the General Fund Non-Departmental Special Services Account for FY 24/25. Consistent with past practice, additional funds for remaining years of the contract will be allocated in proposed budgets of successive years.
Attachment A - Townsend Public Affairs Agreement