Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Parks and Recreation Department

TO:	Dave Corliss, City Manager Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manger Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager
CC:	Ernie Shaw, Interim Director, Parks and Recreation Department Mark Hecker, Assistant Director, Parks and Recreation Department Sean Sloan, Purchasing Agent
FROM:	Roger Steinbrock, Marketing Supervisor, Parks and Recreation Department
DATE:	October 14, 2014
RE:	Agenda Item –  2015 Winter/Spring Activities Guide

Please include the following item on the City Commission consent agenda for consideration at the October 21, 2014, meeting:

Approve cost of 2015 Winter/Spring Activities Guide with the Lawrence Journal World

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 city’s community facilities and area businesses.

The activities guide is Parks and Recreation’s vehicle to publicize its activities and programs to the community. Starting in 2008, activities guides were combined to eliminate one printing (the fall) of the guide and save more than $15,000 for the department. Doing this lowered the frequency of interfacing with the public, but with increasing platforms, including social media we continue to reach citizens making them aware of our programs and services. 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.  Delivery methods and printing will be reviewed and other options will be looked at prior to the production of the Summer/Fall 2015 Activities Guide.

$17,422.12 of the amount will be funded through the marketing division of the 211-4000 Recreation account. The remaining $1,088.88 is for four pages funded by three (3) different city accounts through the Communications Manager’s office.

The Parks & Recreation Department requests approval to proceed with a Purchase Order for Lawrence Journal World, Vendor #1247, for payment of services in the amount not to exceed $18,511.00