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District picks District Advisory Group to manage bond program; board seeks stronger contract language and deliverables
Summary
After an RFQ review, the board approved a contract award for bond program management to District Advisory Group (DAG), with legal counsel adding contractual language to segregate DAG from related financial-adviser entities. Board members asked staff to clarify deliverables, on-site presence and a redline contract before full execution.
The Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified Board of Education approved Jan. 8 the selection of District Advisory Group (DAG) to provide bond program management services for the Measure SOS bond program, following a staff-led RFQ evaluation that included two randomly selected board reviewers.
Staff said the three proposals were scored on experience, references, responsiveness and qualifications. DAG was recommended for its school-district experience and a proposed local project manager who would provide day-to-day support.
Legal counsel reviewed the DAG relationship to Urban Futures and ISM advisers and concluded there was no current conflict of interest, but recommended the consultant agreement include explicit language segregating the two entities' roles. The board requested that staff and legal finalize and circulate a redline of contract revisions clarifying the separation of duties and scope.
DAG's managing principal Brett McFaden described a program-management approach that emphasizes early planning, a 90-day startup plan, community engagement, and providing a single point of contact for the district. McFaden said program-management differs from on-site construction management; the program manager provides strategic oversight and coordinates construction managers who will be on site during building work.
Board members sought clearer, written deliverables including expected hours or presence at district offices, how community meetings would be organized, termination provisions, and how the flat fee translates to staffing levels. Staff said the proposed contract is a two-year base with three one-year extensions and a fixed annual fee (staff cited $245,000 annually in the presentation); termination provisions include 30 days notice.
The board voted to approve the RFQ award to DAG with direction to staff and legal to add language segregating the roles of ISM advisers and DAG and to circulate the revised scope of work and contract language to the board prior to final execution.
