City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 10/28/13 Item Number: C-10
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Approval of a Professional Services Agreement with
Walk ‘n Rollers to Develop and Implement the Citywide Non-Infrastructure Safe
Route To School (SRTS) Program and to Serve as the Limited-Term SRTS
Coordinator in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $440,000.
Contact Person/Dept.: John Rivera/PW Phone Number: 310-253-5616
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [ ] Attachments: []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: Meetings and Agendas – City Council (10/22/2013); (E-mail) LA
County and Culver City Bicycle Coalitions (10/23/2013); (E-mail) Bicycle and Pedestrian
Listserv (10/23/2013)
Department Approval:
Charles D. Herbertson (10/16/13)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (10/21/13)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (10/22/13)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (10/22/13)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council approve a professional services agreement with
Walk ’n Rollers to develop and implement the Citywide Non-Infrastructure Safe
Route to School Program and to serve as the limited term Safe Routes to School
Coordinator.
BACKGROUND:
In November 2010, the City Council adopted the City’s first Bicycle and Pedestrian
Master Plan (BPMP). The BPMP recommended a variety of physical projects as
well as education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation programs to make
the City more bicycle and pedestrian-friendly. Specifically, the BPMP recommended
implementing child/school based education programs and pursuing Safe Routes to
School grants to implement those programs.
On July 11, 2011, the City Council approved the submission of an application
requesting $500,000 for a citywide non-infrastructure Safe Routes to School project
under Cycle 3 of the federal Safe Routes to School (SRTS) grant program. This
grant application did not propose any physical changes to the street. Instead, it
proposed a comprehensive, four-year program covering the City’s K-8 schools and
focusing on the “Four E’s”: 1) Education; 2) Enforcement; 3) Encouragement; and 4)
Evaluation. Through these elements, the program was designed to promote walking
and biking to school and thereby address issues such as childhood obesity, traffic
congestion, and air quality. City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
The grant application included funding for additional traffic enforcement, safety
assemblies, events, workshops (including promotion of those events), prizes and
giveaways, equipment, and before and after evaluation. The grant also included
$240,000 to hire a consulting Safe Routes to School Coordinator and $20,000 to pay
for City staff time to oversee the project.
The City was notified that it received the grant in October 2011. Prior to moving
forward, the City had to wait until the California Department of Transportation
(Caltrans) amended the project into the Federal Statewide Transportation
Improvement Program (FSTIP), which occurred in July 2012. At that point, the City
was able to request authorization to proceed, which it did in November 2012.
Caltrans reviewed the City’s request and provided it with a formal clearance to
proceed with work documentation (“E-76” Document) in late December 2012.
On April 8, 2013, the City Council authorized release of a Request for Proposals
(RFP) for the Safe Routes to School Coordinator.
DISCUSSION:
In July 2013, the RFP was released following the City’s standard bidding procedures
and sending direct e-mail notices to approximately twenty (20) professionals, firms
and advocacy organizations involved in bicycle, walking, and Safe Routes to School
activities. The RFP solicited proposals for the SRTS Coordinator position. The
SRTS Coordinator will be charged with delivering the comprehensive SRTS program
outlined in the City’s original grant application. The SRTS Coordinator is also
responsible for undertaking the day-to-day implementation of the program, under
staff supervision. The SRTS Coordinator’s activities include: assisting the City and
the schools in coordinating programs and events, both at the local school level and
on a district-wide level, collecting data, preparing/submitting required reports, and
encouraging/coordinating volunteerism to support the programs.
Staff created a review committee made up of representatives from the Culver City
Unified School District, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authority, the City of West Hollywood and Culver City’s Public Works Department to
review and evaluate each proposal and function as the interview panel. Four (4)
proposals were received, and all four proposing teams were interviewed and
evaluated using the following criteria:
• Responsiveness to the RFP and the completeness of the information
provided; understanding of the approach, activities, and methodology
necessary to complete the required services.
• Extent and quality of the proposer’s experience and accomplishments in
similar programs; familiarity with Federal Safe Routes to School Program City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
procedures; ability to lead a multi-disciplinary program team, and the
proposed Program Team’s specific knowledge and experience in managing
and coordinating successful community-based and school-based programs,
and working with government agencies and coordinating entities.
• Quality of staff for work to be done, and capability of developing innovative or
advanced programs.
• Familiarity with state and federal procedures, and capacity to meet the federal
and state requirements for financial management and accounting required for
a federal project.
After the evaluation of each proposal and interviewing the proposers, and in
consultation with the review committee, staff is recommending awarding the
professional services agreement to the Walk ’n Rollers team. Walk ’n Rollers
proposal was responsive to all aspects of the RFP and demonstrated an
understanding of the approach, activities, and methodology necessary to provide all
the required services. Walk ’n Rollers is currently working with the six targeted
schools and/or parents of students at these schools, to develop similar grass-root
SRTS programs. They have demonstrated the experience and successful
accomplishments in similar programs. Walk ’n Roller team’s possesses specific
knowledge and experience in managing and coordinating successful multi-discipline,
community-based and school-based programs, and working with government
agencies and coordinating entities. The Walk ’n Rollers team has familiarity with
SRTS procedures, as well as the successful securing of other grant funding to
provide complimentary bicycle and pedestrian safety education and encouragement.
Their proposal clearly contains the understanding that this this is a limited-term
agreement and embraced the concept that sustainability after the cessation of grant
funding was an ultimate program goal.
In addition to the above, the Walk ’n Roller proposal provided for delivering all the
required services at the lowest rate of the four proposers, with the highest number of
hours devoted to the project.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The SRTS Non-Infrastructure grant is for $500,000 over four years. Of this total,
$240,000 are set aside to fund the SRTS Coordinator activities, and $200,000 have
been designated to pay for services, materials and equipment to accomplish the
grant program “Four-E’s” goals. The grant does not require a local matching
contribution. There will be some staff time associated with overseeing the SRTS
Coordinator and the development and implementation of the Citywide SRTS
program. The grant will reimburse up to $20,000 of staff time spent on the project,
but additional staff time beyond this amount, if any, is not reimbursable. Finally, City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
there is also $40,000 in the grant budget to cover the costs of additional traffic
enforcement to support the SRTS program.
MOTIONS:
That the City Council:
1) Approve a professional services agreement with Walk ’n Rollers for an
amount not-to-exceed $440,000; and
2) Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and,
3) Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.