Memorandum

City of Lawrence                                       

Parks and Recreation Department

TO:	Dave Corliss, City Manager Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager
FROM:	Roger Steinbrock, Marketing Supervisor
CC:	Ernie Shaw, Interim Director, Parks and Recreation Department Mark Hecker, Assistant Director, Parks and Recreation Department Brienne Wilkins, Purchasing Agent
Date:	March 31, 2014
RE:	Agenda Item –  2014 Summer/Fall Activities Guide

Please include the following item on the City Commission consent agenda for consideration at the April 8, 2014, meeting:

Approve cost of 2014 Summer/Fall Activities Guide with the Lawrence Journal World

Project/Item Description

Layout, design, billing advertisers, printing and distribution of bi-annual activities guide listing classes and programs of the Parks and Recreation Department. 41,000 copies of the 76-page book are printed. More than 30,000 copies are distributed through the Lawrence Journal-World and River City Weekly. The remainder of the guides are distributed throughout the community city facilities and area businesses.

Project Description/History

The activities guide is Parks and Recreation’s vehicle to publicize its activities and programs to the community. Starting in 2008, the summer activities guide and fall activities guide were combined into one, listing all the department’s programs from May to December. In years prior, each had been produced separately. While combining these publications into one book provides a cost savings (more than $15,000) for the department, it does lower the frequency of interfacing with the public to promote our activities and programs. The vendor continues to be a sole source due to the nature of the printing, billing and distribution of the activities guide by the vendor used. The guide is also used by other City departments to advertise upcoming events and programs with space allocated to the City’s Communication Manager.

Project/Item Funding

$15,965.84 will be funded through the marketing division Recreation account. The remaining $939.16 is for four pages funded by three (3) different city accounts through the Communications Manager’s office.

Action Request

The Parks & Recreation Department requests approval to proceed with a Purchase Order for Lawrence Journal World, for payment of services in the amount not to exceed $17,000.00.