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Council extends contracts for grant‑writing services after staff lists $31.3M won and $136.5M pending
Summary
Council approved extensions to contracts with Advanced Avant Guard and Townsend Public Affairs through December 2027. Staff said the two contractors helped secure $31,300,000 in awarded grants and have $136,500,000 pending across large transportation and hazard‑mitigation applications.
Assistant City Manager Nardi Lopez told the City Council the city sought council approval to exercise second‑option extensions on agreements with Advanced Avant Guard Inc. and Townsend Public Affairs for comprehensive grant‑related services through December 2027. Lopez said the contracts help the city keep pace with grant opportunities and provide capacity for preparing applications.
"With the services of these two grant writers, thus far we've had $31,300,000 funded in awards, and we have an additional $136,500,000 that are pending," Lopez said, listing awarded grants that include a Measure A acquisition award of $2,000,000 and a $23,000,000 grant for the Rancho Vista grade‑separation project. Councilors pressed staff for a written list of which specific grants each contractor had delivered; Lopez agreed to provide those details to council the following day. After discussion about documentation and transparency, council voted unanimously to approve the contract extensions.
Councilors flagged the need for the staff report to include an attachment with awarded and pending grant names and amounts so the public can better understand value returned on the contracts.
