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City of San Leandro City Council Meeting Date: July 21, 2025 Agenda Number: 5.i. Agenda Section: CONSENT CALENDAR File Number: 25-359 File Type: Staff Report Adopt a Resolution to Approve and Authorize the City Manager to Execute Amendment No. 1 to the Consulting Services Agreement with Townsend Public Affairs for State Legislative Advocacy Services through June 30, 2027 for a Total Not to Exceed Amount of $96,000 per Fiscal Year SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommend that the City Council approve and authorize the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 1 to the existing consulting services agreement with Townsend Public Affairs (TPA) for state legislative advocacy and grant writing support services through June 30, 2027, in an amount not to exceed $96,000 each fiscal year . BACKGROUND In October 2013, the City Council authorized the creation of a City Council ad-hoc committee to provide guidance on the development of a state legislative platform as well as a process through which a consultant could be selected to provide state-level advocacy services on behalf of the City. Following a competitive request-for-proposals (RFP) process, on February 18, 2014, the the City entered into a one-year consulting services agreement with Townsend Public Affairs for state level advocacy services for $60,000. Based upon the City’s satisfaction with Townsend’s performance, that contract was extended by the City Council each subsequent year at the same rate. Several years ago, the City expanded the scope of services with TPA to also include grant writing support services, in the amount of $3,000 per month, for a grand total contract cost of $96,000 per year. Over the course of its contract with the City, Townsend Public Affairs and its current Vice President & Chief Advocacy Officer, Niccolo De Luca, have continued to provide highly effective services to the City on a wide range of legislative matters. Based upon TPA’s consistently responsive and quality services, Staff recommend that the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute the proposed Amendment Number 1 to the existing consulting services agreement with Townsend Public Affairs, at the same rate of $8,000 per month (including $5,000 per month for state legislative advocacy services and $3,000 per month for grant support), for a total not to exceed amount of $96,000 annually . Sufficient funds for the proposed contract extension have already been programmed into the City Council adopted FY 2025-27 biennial budget, resulting in no impacts to the General Fund . Legal Analysis The City Attorney has reviewed the content of this report and the proposed agreement, and they are approved as to form. Page 1 City of San Leandro Printed on 9/4/2025