Council approves professional services contract for grant writing and administration

The Carpinteria City Council voted to authorize the city manager to execute a professional services agreement with California Consulting Inc. for grant‑writing and grant administration services in an amount not to exceed $50,000.

City staff said the contract would provide staff augmentation for grant identification, application writing and grant administration. Staff described the vendor as an experienced firm that works with many California municipalities and can provide continuity if city staff turnover interrupts grant administration.

City staff told the council the budgeted plan is $10,000 available now and an additional $40,000 would be considered during the upcoming budget adoption process. Staff also cited local peer cities that use the same firm and the return on investment other cities reported: one nearby city reported receiving several hundred thousand dollars in awards after an annual contract.

Council members asked how the firm was selected and whether the city would compete with nearby jurisdictions for the same grants. Staff said the city followed purchasing policy, obtained three quotes, and would begin on a grant‑by‑grant basis; the firm can move to a monthly retainer if volume justifies it. Staff also agreed to provide a follow‑up report to council on the firm’s results after a set period.

The motion to authorize the agreement up to $50,000 passed on a roll call vote with council recording unanimous approval.

Provenance: The item appears in the meeting record when the consent item was pulled for discussion and the approval was recorded by roll call vote.