Memorandum
City of Lawrence
City Manager’s Office
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TO: |
Mike Wildgen, City Manager
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FROM: |
Debbie Van Saun, Asst. City Manager Jonathan Douglass, Management Assistant
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CC: |
Dave Corliss, Asst. City Manager/Director of Legal Services
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Date: |
November 30, 2005
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RE: |
Agenda item Facilitator for City Commissioner Goal Setting Session |
Please place the following item on the City Commission agenda for consideration at their December 6, 2005 meeting:
Selection of Facilitator for Annual Goal Setting Session
Background. After receiving direction from the City Commission to schedule their annual goal setting session for January 13th and 14th, staff contacted several consultants who appear qualified to facilitate the session. Of those contacted, proposals were received from the following firms, all of them available on the dates selected.
o Management Partners Inc.
o ibosswell, Inc.
o The Austin Peters Group, Inc.
o Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership
Summary. The submitted proposals are attached and summarized as follows:
· Management Partners Inc. is a firm involved with cities of all sizes in helping local government leaders solve problems and help their organizations to be more effective. Their work with Olathe in implementing that community’s strategic plan via the “balanced scorecard” performance measurement system has been reviewed by members of our staff and found to be an effective means of managing and measuring the work of an organization. The proposal provided by Julia Novak, Regional Vice President, involves a review of previous goal setting outcomes, interviews of all commissioners, and development of a recommended process to be reviewed by the Mayor, City Manager, etc. In addition to facilitating and planning appropriate activities for the goal setting workshop, this proposal includes preparation of a report that summarizes and documents the results. It is anticipated that this report will provide “a frame of reference for the City’s Management Team in the coming year to assist in work planning” and will also be provided in a format that the Commission can formally adopt. The submitted cost proposal is $3,500 plus expenses.
· Ibosswelll, Inc. is a strategic planning and leadership development organization providing a variety of consulting support to nonprofit organizations. A review of their client list finds a wide variety of nonprofit groups, both local and nation-wide, although no municipal governments were listed. The proposal submitted by Denise McNerney, CEO, includes drafting of interview questions and pre-planning phone conversations with each meeting participant. Also included in the proposal is the development of an agenda, facilitation of the meeting, and documentation of goals developed during the meeting. The budget for the proposed deliverables is $2,800.
· Based in Overland Park, the Austin Peters Group offers a variety of human resource management products and services, including affirmative action planning, compensation and benefits, management and leadership development, and general employment practices. Their client list includes several cities in Kansas and Missouri, along with organizations from the private sector. Becky Crowder, President, submitted a proposal with the following components: a review of background information and interviews with the City Manager and Mayor; formulation of the retreat process and agenda/materials; facilitation of a retreat with city commissioners and staff, and the drafting of a strategic plan and objectives based on retreat decisions. A list of retreat objectives is included in the proposal. The charge for the services covered in the proposal is $2,000.
· Gary Baker is the Director of Community Building Initiatives for the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership. The Center is an education and outreach center of the UMKC School of Business and Public Administration. Mr. Baker did not submit a formal proposal, but his resume is attached. The anticipated cost for his services is $1,770.
Staff comments. After reviewing the submitted proposals, the available client lists, the qualifications of the facilitators, and the various websites, staff is most comfortable with the proposal submitted by Management Partners, Inc. due to the qualifications of the facilitator, the firms’ experience with this type of work in a municipal government setting, and the potential to take the next step in the strategic planning process, which is to tie performance measurement to the established goals.
Action Request. Provide direction to staff regarding the selection of a consultant to facilitate the City Commission’s annual goal setting session. Authorize the City Manager, as appropriate, to enter into a contract with the selected firm.