Memorandum                    

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
DATE:	March 3, 2015
CC:	Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager
RE:	Cultural Plan Consultant Agreement

Background:

In the summer of 2014, the City of Lawrence was awarded a $75,000 grant from the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission (KCAIC) to complete the following three (3) projects:  1) $25,000 toward the first year salary of a newly created Director of Arts & Culture position at the City; 2) $25,000 for a cultural plan and 3) $25,000 for marketing material production based on the cultural plan created by Callahan Creek, which is graciously donating its services to the project. The grant is a state grant, which is provided via NEA funds.  Originally, the timeline for the entire project was to be completed by June 30, 2015. 

In late 2014, the City Commission authorized the creation of a Cultural Plan Steering Committee.  The Steering Committee was charged with reviewing proposals on the cultural planning effort and also helping participate with the consultants throughout the project. 

The City originally issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a cultural plan in the early fall of 2014.  Unfortunately, no proposals were received.  Consultants visiting with the City indicated that the timeline was too brief and there were concerns about the amount of the budget.  As a result of that feedback, the RFP was revised and reissued with a bit longer timeline to complete the project and more clearly identifying the staff resources for the project.  Staff visited with KCAIC officials about adding a bit of an extension on the end of the timeline for the completion of the third phase, or the marketing material production and that first amendment to the timeline was granted. 

The City received three (3) proposals in response to the revised RFP.  The Cultural Plan Steering Committee met to review the proposals and unanimously recommended the proposal submitted by Christine Harris Connections and Creative Community Builders.  On February 3, 2015, the City Commission authorized staff to finalize an agreement with the consulting firm to complete the city-wide cultural plan.

Attached is the agreement between the City and the consulting team.  The maximum total fee is  $24,000 for the planning effort, with reimbursement of actual travel-related expenses to a maximum of $5,630, for a total of approximately $30,000.  The grant will fund $25,000 of the expense via reimbursement, with the additional $5,000 coming from city resources. 

The consulting team has been working with the Steering Committee and city staff to set various stakeholder and public forum meetings and the schedule of these meetings will soon be publicized.  The consultants will be in Lawrence for their first visit March 24-26, 2015. 

Requested Action: 

Authorize the City Manager to sign an agreement with Christine Harris Connections and Creative Community Builders to complete a city-wide cultural plan for Lawrence.