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City Manager’s Office <br />www.santa-ana.org/city-managers-office <br />Item # 20 <br />City of Santa Ana <br />20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br /> Staff Report <br />March 21, 2023 <br />TOPIC: Federal Legislative Advocacy Services <br />AGENDA TITLE <br />Second Amendment to Professional Services Agreement with Holland & Knight LLP for <br />Federal Legislative Advocacy Services <br />RECOMMENDED ACTION <br />Approve a second amendment to an agreement with Holland & Knight LLP for federal <br />legislative advocacy services for a three-month term from April 1, 2023 through June <br />30, 2023, in an amount not to exceed $29,400, subject to non-substantive changes <br />approved by the City Manager and City Attorney. <br />DISCUSSION <br />Local governments rely on the expertise of state and federal legislative advocacy firms <br />to represent their respective government agencies in Sacramento and Washington DC. <br />This service includes legislative monitoring and analysis, state budget advocacy, and <br />grant coordination and advocacy. These firms also provide monitoring of executive <br />proposals and legislation, as well as administrative rules and regulations that may affect <br />cities. Legislative advocacy services are also essential in identifying funding <br />opportunities, grant applications, and other special programs for which the City may <br />qualify. <br />About Holland & Knight LLP <br />In 2013, the City conducted a competitive RFP process for federal legislative advocacy <br />services, which yielded three respondents. One of the respondents was the then- <br />existing consultant, The Ferguson Group, who had been providing the City with federal <br />legislative advocacy services since 1987. According to evaluation/scoring/rating criteria, <br />Holland & Knight, the City’s current firm, ranked one out of three. On December 16, <br />2013 the City Council awarded an agreement to Holland & Knight for a one-year term in <br />an amount not to exceed $84,100. The original agreement was amended several times <br />to extend its term, and the current agreement with Holland & Knight expires on March <br />31, 2023.