Title
CONTRACT K-1718-104: A CONTRACT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AND HAHN PUBLIC IN THE AMOUNT OF $89,900 FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION MATERIALS AND RESEARCH RELATED TO A STORMWATER UTILITY.
body
BACKGROUND: The City of Norman is the only large city in the state of Oklahoma with no stormwater utility or specific source of funding for the stormwater management and capital needs identified in the 2009 Stormwater Master Plan. To address these needs, the City Council placed an initiative on the ballot in August 2016. After voters failed to approve that initiative, the City Council provided four educational workshops to better educate residents about the City’s stormwater needs. A Stormwater Citizen Committee was appointed by the City Council and began bi-monthly meetings in May 2017 for the purpose of researching and identifying the City’s stormwater needs and providing the City Council with a recommendation for how those needs could be funded. Throughout the process, members of the City Council as well as members of the Stormwater Citizens Committee have discussed the need for more in-depth public education to inform residents about the complexities of the stormwater needs and to obtain input from residents and businesses in the community as to the recommendations of the citizens committee. Following a Request for Proposal process followed by defining scope and fees, the City of Norman is ready to begin the research and input process, followed by the development of a strategic communication program.
DISCUSSION: The Communications Division of the City Manager’s Office received four proposals outlining communication strategy development services as well as research services to gain input from the community. A Selection Committee was formed consisting of Steve Lewis-City Manager; Shawn O’Leary-Public Works Director, Claudia Deakins-Chief Communication Officer; Terry Floyd-Development Coordinator, Amanda Nairn-Stormwater Citizen Committee Co-Chair; and Andy Sherrer-Stormwater Citizen Committee Co-Chair.
Each proposal was scored independently by each member of the selection committee using criteria listed in the Request for Proposal (RFP-1718-35). The proposals were received, and two of the submitting consultant firms were interviewed on Wednesday, January 17, 2018. At the end of the process, the Selection Committee chose Hahn Public as the most qualified because of their experience, composition of the team, and the approach to the project.
Additionally, Hahn Public presented their team qualifications and experience as well as the overview of their approach to the project to the members of the City Council at Council’s January 30, 2018 Study Session.
An essential element to the development of a successful Communications Strategy will be input from residents. Under its contract with the City, Hahn Public will conduct focus groups and a survey to gain input from the community before developing a strategic communication plan. They will conduct a follow-up survey to gauge the effectiveness of the public education program and the readiness of the community to respond to a vote for stormwater funding options.
In FYE 2018, $20,000 was budgeted in the Public Works Stormwater Division for Other Professional Services (010-5022-431.40-99); and $35,000 was re-allocated to City Manager Services and Maintenance Excess (010-1010-413.40-97). These allocations will be transferred to Consultant-Research (010-1093-413.40-01), which along with the $35,000 already budgeted in this account, will fund the consultant services. If approved, the research process to obtain input from the community will begin immediately.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of Contract K-1718-104 with Hahn Public in the amount of $89,900 for the communication and research services for the City of Norman.