City of San Antonio - File #: 14-748

• File #: 14-748
• Type: Misc - Professional Services Agreements
• In control: City Council A Session
• On agenda: 4/10/2014
• Posting Language: An Ordinance authorizing the City Manager to execute the Third Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement for Federal Initiatives Program consolidating the City's and Port San Antonio's federal representation services with Patton Boggs, LLP, with the City paying an amount not to exceed $15,000 per month, not including travel related expenses, for a term to end on December 31, 2014. [Carlos Contreras, Assistant City Manager; Jeff Coyle, Director, Intergovernmental Relations]

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
4/10/2014	1	City Council A Session	adopted	Pass

DEPARTMENT: Intergovernmental Relations


DEPARTMENT HEAD: Jeff Coyle


COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide


SUBJECT:

Federal Consultant Contract Consolidation


SUMMARY:

An ordinance authorizing the City Manager to execute a consolidated federal representation services agreement in partnership with Port San Antonio for a contract with Patton Boggs, LLP to provide federal consulting services. The contract amount will not exceed $15,000 per month (City's share), not including travel related expenses for a term to end on December 31, 2014. Travel expenses shall receive prior City approval and not exceed $7,500 per calendar year.


BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

For 20 years, the City of San Antonio has retained consultants to represent its federal interests in Washington, D.C. For several years, the United States Congress has faced increasingly challenging budget constraints and political gridlock. Consultants enhance the City's ability to communicate with federal officials on San Antonio's community priorities, communicate regularly with City Council and staff on issues in the City's Federal Legislative Program, and coordinate with staff in planning, scheduling, and executing IGR Council Committee visits to Washington, D.C. Additionally, federal consultants provide strategic advice and planning on maximizing the community's efforts to secure federal funding for key priority projects.

In October 2009, after a competitive RFP process, the City selected Patton Boggs, LLP to perform federal consulting services. The contract's term was for the period of May 1, 2010, through September 30, 2011, with two, one-year performance based extensions. The City exercised the extensions and the contract term ended on December 30, 2013. The City has continued to receive federal consultant services from Patton Boggs on a month to month basis.

During the FY 2014 budget development, City staff was directed to explore the potential consolidation of legisla...