Title
a. Authorize an increase in the Agreement with Ballard Spahr LLP for federal legislative advocacy services in the amount of $125,000, for a total amount not to exceed $673,232, with a term of January 29, 2018, to June 30, 2025; and
b. Authorize an increase in the Agreement with Nossaman LLP for state legislative advocacy and grant funding services in the amount of $228,000, for a total amount not to exceed $1,643,124, with a term of August 1, 2017, to June 30, 2025.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Authorize an increase in the Agreement with Ballard Spahr LLP for federal legislative advocacy services in the amount of $125,000, for a total amount not to exceed $673,232, with a term of January 29, 2018, to June 30, 2025; and
b. Authorize an increase in the Agreement with Nossaman LLP for state legislative advocacy and grant funding services in the amount of $228,000, for a total amount not to exceed $1,643,124, with a term of August 1, 2017, to June 30, 2025.
SUMMARY:
On June 22, 2021, the Board approved Amendment No. 4 to the Agreement with Ballard Spahr LLP and Amendment No. 6 to the Agreement with Nossaman LLP to increase funding for the Agreements, extend the terms of the Agreements, and to authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer to extend the Agreements for up to three (3) additional one (1) year periods under the same scope of work and payment provisions included in the amended Agreements subject to budget approval. The requested action is to increase the “not to exceed” dollar amounts on the Agreements and extend the term for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25.
DISCUSSION:
Monterey County maintains a long-standing and successful Legislative Program, ensuring that County interests are well represented in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento. The Strategic Grant Services Program concentrates funding efforts on the County’s highest priority needs, and projects which require a high level of collaboration among County departments and community partners. The Board of Supervisors annually approves priorities for these programs. The programs operate under the ongoing guidance of the Board’s Legislative Committee (Supervisor Askew and Supervisor Alejo). The County Administrative Office - Intergovernmental and Legislative Affairs Division manages the programs and contracts with federal (Ballard Spahr LLP) and state (Nossaman LLP) legislative advocacy and grant and funding advocacy firms to aid in their execution.
The Board entered into an Agreement with Nossaman LLP in August 2017 to provide federal and state legislative advocacy services and grant and funding advocacy services. The federal legislative advocacy services portion of the Agreement was amended out in January 2019, and moved to the firm Ballard Spahr LLP, when the County’s federal legislative lobbyist left Nossaman and moved to Ballard Spahr.
The Agreements have been amended several times to extend the terms and increase payment provisions in response to workload. The County’s state and federal legislative advocacy efforts have significantly increased since about 2017 as the Board has become more involved in state and federal legislative and policy activities, and as the legislative advocacy team has become increasingly involved in making County requests to state and federal officials in response to emergencies (i.e., COVID-19, wildfire, winter storms, floods) and submission of federal earmark requests.
Recognizing the increased workload, on June 22, 2021, the Board approved Amendment No. 4 to the Ballard Spahr LLP Agreement to increase the annual dollar amount of the Agreement to $125,000 for FY 2021-22. The Board similarly approved Amendment No. 6 to the Agreement with Nossaman LLP to increase the annual dollar amount of the Agreement to $228,000 ($144,000 for state legislative advocacy services and $84,000 for grant and funding advocacy services) for FY 2021-22. The Board action also authorized the Contracts/Purchasing Officer to extend the Agreements for up to three (3) additional one (1) year periods under the same scope of work and payment provisions included in the amended Agreements subject to budget approval.
The requested action is to increase the “term” and “not to exceed” dollar amounts on the Agreements for FY 2024-25.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The County Administrative Office - Intergovernmental and Legislative Affairs Division staffs and coordinates the activities of the Board of Supervisors Legislative Committee and executes the Board’s Legislative Program and Strategic Grant Services Program with the assistance of Ballard Spahr LLP and Nossaman LLP.
FINANCING:
Monterey County’s Legislative Program and Strategic Grant Services Program are funded in County Administrative Office-Department 1050, Intergovernmental & Legislative Affairs Division-Unit 8054. Full funding for the Ballard Spahr LLP and Nossaman LLP Agreements is included in the Board’s approved FY 2024-25 Budget.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
These Agreements support the work of the Board of Supervisors Legislative Committee, Legislative Program, and Strategic Grant Services Program - which encompass all the Board’s Strategic Initiatives.
ü Economic Development
ü Administration
ü Health & Human Services
ü Infrastructure
ü Public Safety
Prepared by: Annette D’Adamo, Legislative Program Manager, ext. 3045
Approved by: Nicholas E. Chiulos, Chief Assistant CAO, ext. 5145
Attachments: Ballard Spahr LLP Amendment No. 7; Nossaman LLP Amendment No. 9