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Clayton County approves GeorgiaLink lobbying contract after debate over RFP and oversight
Summary
The Board of Commissioners approved a one-year contract with GeorgiaLink Public Affairs Group for lobbying services Oct. 21. Several commissioners urged running an RFP and adding periodic reporting requirements; staff said an RFP can run in tandem with a short contract.
The Clayton County Board of Commissioners voted Oct. 21 to enter a professional services agreement with GeorgiaLink Public Affairs Group for lobbying and consulting services.
The decision followed a lengthy discussion about whether the county should run a competitive request-for-proposals process before contracting and what level of reporting and accountability should be required of any lobbyist the county hires.
County staff said it is possible to hire a lobbyist on a one-year basis while simultaneously issuing an RFP. Staff also explained that the lobbyist engagement would not automatically renew beyond the contract term and that the county could vet firms through the RFP process ahead of future contracts.
Public commenters and at least one commissioner expressed skepticism about prior contracts and asked that any lobbyist provide regular reports on activity and outcomes. One member of the public said, “If we’re gonna pay somebody $10,000, $15,000 a month, I think they ought to show up at least once a month to give us a report on what they’re doing to promote Clayton County.”
After discussion the board moved and approved the professional services agreement. Staff noted the contract's one-year term and reiterated that the board could run an RFP in parallel and select a different provider when the contract ends.
What’s next: Staff will execute the contract, include reporting expectations in the scope and proceed with any RFP process the board requests for future procurement.
