CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
Memo Date: February 11, 2020
Agenda Date: February 26, 2020
Prepared By: John A. Titkanich, Jr., AICP, ICMA-CM
Through: N/A
Requested Action:
title
Approve a multi-year agreement with Policy Confluence, Inc. (DBA National Research Center, Inc.) to conduct a community survey; approve a Resolution approving the vendor as a single-source provider; approve a Resolution amending the FY2020 Budget (BAF#20-042-T) and authorize the City Manager to finalize and execute the Enterprise Services Agreement.
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BACKGROUND:
The City of Cocoa is updating its Strategic Plan and central to doing so is understanding resident opinions on quality of life in the City, levels of satisfaction on the City and the municipal services provided, rating the City on matters such as safety, various characteristics of the community, government performance, and citizen engagement.
The National Research Center/Polco partners with the International City/County Management Association in addition to many other local government organizations and maintains a proprietary database of over 600 jurisdiction’s survey data against which they can provide a comparison of survey of the City of Cocoa’s survey results. They are currently conducting or have recently conducted community surveys for more than twenty Florida communities. Given the maintain of a proprietary database of survey results from other communities it will offer City Council, staff and the public a unique perspective.
The community survey is scientifically conducted and will enable that a representative sample of the community is surveyed. They also can geocode addresses within our City to produce sub-sample groups corresponding with City Council District boundaries. They are proposing a sample size of 1,700 households (approximately 425 per Council District) thus ensures the best representation of the community. In addition to the traditional survey they will, hosting on Polco’s website, the ability for residents not mailed a household survey (as they are scientifically random samples) to “opt-in” to provide input.
As a member of ICMA, they have offered a discount and furthermore are honoring their 2019 pricing. The agreement is for three years and will provide for a second survey in 2022 at the current pricing level through a subscription basis over the three-year period. This will allow the City of Cocoa to gauge its progress over the timeframe as well as see what issues may be emerging in three years.
The pre-discounted non-subscription service price for the community survey would be $20,810 versus $18,425 for the current year survey. The amount for this year’s community survey would be the same in 2022 when the survey is conducted again. In addition to the Basic Survey (with web options) the proposed cost includes the options for district cross-tabulations, demographic cross-tabulations and a Spanish online survey.
Attached City Council will find a sample survey instrument in addition to a proposal which provides a suggested timeline that begins with finalization of survey materials by April 6th and survey reports finalized by July 20, 2020.
At the time of this agenda item, the attached agreement was still being reviewed for legal sufficiency by the City Attorney’s office. If approved by Council, the Agreement will be finalized by the City Manager and City Attorney before execution.
STRATEGIC PLAN CONNECTION:
The City’s existing Strategic Plan was adopted in 2016 and is a five-year plan. At City Council’s December 2018 retreat, members reviewed the plan and provided feedback in terms of additional priorities that need to be considered. The Community Survey will provide additional data in ensuring the 2021 - 2026 Strategic Plan is based on resident opinions and concerns and provide City Council greater information the community perceives to be an issue or concern or a direction that City Council desires to City move toward.
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
Budgeted Yes
If not budgeted, is amendment/transfer attached? Yes
Budget Adjustment Form # 20-042-T
The adopted FY2020 Budget included $15,000 budgeted for a community survey in 001-1100-512.48-00, of which it should be in the 31-00 (Professional Services) account.
Amount Requested $20,000
Account Number 001-1100-512.31-00_
Account Name Professional Services_
Source of Funds: ____State Revolving Loan
____ Other Loan Source:_
____ Grant Source:_
____ Bond:_
____ Reserves Source:_
__x__ Transfer Accts #: 001-1600-513.31-00 Professional Services ($5,000) & 001-1100-512.48-00 Promotional Activities ($15,000)
PREVIOUS ACTION:
N/A
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Recommendation
Approve a multi-year agreement with Policy Confluence, Inc. (DBA National Research Center, Inc.) to conduct a community survey; approve a Resolution approving the vendor as a single-source provider; approve a Resolution amending the FY2020 Budget (BAF#20-042-T) and authorize the City Manager to finalize and execute the Enterprise Services Agreement.