Lake City council ranks Sunrise Consulting Group first in RFP for state lobbying; authorizes staff to negotiate with ranked firms

The Lake City Council voted March 3 to authorize staff to begin contract negotiations with the council's top-ranked choice for state lobbying services and, if those talks fail, to proceed down the ranked list.

RFP 0072025, seeking state lobbying services, drew seven proposals; an evaluation committee shortlisted three firms for live presentations. The council heard presentations from an advocacy-focused firm (listed in meeting materials as the advocacy group), Sunrise Consulting Group and Johnson and Blanton before private scoring and a public tally.

Council member Jernigan moved the authorization, and Council member Carter seconded. The motion directs staff to negotiate with the top-ranked firm first and, if negotiations fail, to move to the second-ranked firm and then the third; the council voted unanimously to approve the direction (Jernigan: yes; Carter: yes; Jones: yes; Harris: yes; Mayor Walker: yes).

Sunrise Consulting Group received the lowest total score (7 points) and was named the council's first choice; Johnson and Blanton finished second (11 points) and the advocacy group finished third (12 points). The scoring method asked each council member to rank the three firms 1–3, with the lowest total determining the winner; staff scores would be used to break a tie if necessary.

Presenting firms described different strengths. Andrew Clell of Sunrise Consulting Group said the firm specializes in representing local governments and emphasized relationships with agency staff and legislative staff involved in appropriations and grants. "I think my firm is the best choice for Lake City," Clell said during his presentation. John Johnson, founding partner of Johnson and Blanton, emphasized appropriations experience and said the firm is selective about municipal clients to avoid conflicts; a Johnson colleague summarized the firm's approach as: "relationship is everything, and we believe that." Representatives of the advocacy-focused firm emphasized a senior-staff approach and bipartisan contacts in the legislature.

Council members who spoke during discussion said all three firms were qualified and described the choice as one of strategy: whether to prioritize a firm focused narrowly on municipal issues or a larger, bipartisan firm with broader corporate clients. Several council members said Sunrise's local-government focus and price point made it their top pick.

Staff will return to council with a negotiated contract for approval once negotiations conclude, or with a recommendation to open negotiations with the next-ranked firm if talks with the top choice fail.