To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Executive’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Christina Rivera, Christel Querijero, Will Tesconi, 707-565-2431
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Amendment to Federal Advocacy Professional Services Agreement with Thorn Run Partners
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize the County Executive or designee to execute an amendment to the Agreement for Federal Advocacy Services with Thorn Run Partners to expand scope of services and increase monthly payments from $5,500 to $7,500 through December 31, 2026. The amended contract with Thorn Run Partners is not-to-exceed $90,000 for calendar year 2026.
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Executive Summary:
This item seeks Board authorization to amend the Agreement for Federal Advocacy Services with Thorn Run Partners to expand the scope of services to include policy areas related to health services, transportation, and tribal issues, and to increase payments from $5,500 to $7,500 through December 31, 2026, the end of the term of the agreement.
Discussion:
The County has engaged consultants for federal advocacy services since 2009. In February 2021, after a request for proposal process, the County selected Alcalde & Fay and Van Scoyoc Associates for federal advocacy services. In November 2021, the County’s primary point of contact moved from Alcalde & Fay to Thorn Run Partners. Following Board direction in November 2021 and to maintain services with the County’s primary point of contact, the County Administrator terminated the agreement with Alcalde & Fay and entered into a new agreement with Thorn Run Partners for the same terms and timeline negotiated in the 2021 Alcalde & Fay agreement. Thorn Run Partners’ current scope focuses on policies and issues related to natural resources, social services, emergency preparedness, infrastructure, and housing. Van Scoyoc was chosen to support health, transportation, and tribal affairs.
County Legislative Affairs staff began assessing existing federal advocacy resources and needs in March 2024. To achieve better operational efficiency and cost savings, staff elected not to exercise the option to extend Van Scoyoc’s agreement for calendar year 2025 and to consolidate all federal advocacy services under the agreement with Thorn Run Partners. The consolidation represents the addition of health, tribal, and transportation policy areas to the firm’s federal advocacy scope of work and increases monthly payments from $5,500 to $7,500 per month through December 31, 2026, the end of the term of the agreement.
The annual contract cost increase of $24,000 ($12,000 in FY26 and $12,000 in FY27) would result in a new total of $90,000 for calendar year 2026, and an overall contract maximum of $318,000 over the total five year term.
No additional funds are requested with this item. The increase in contract costs is offset by savings resulting from consolidation. The County will release a new Request for Proposals (RFP) for federal advocacy services later this year, as all currently contracted resources will expire at the end of calendar year 2026.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
November 16, 2021 - Board entered into a new agreement with Thorn Run Partners for the same terms and timeline negotiated in the 2021 Alcalde & Fay agreement.
February 23, 2021 - Board awarded Federal Advocacy Agreements with Alcalde & Fay and Van Scoyoc Associates.
August 14, 2018 - Board awarded Federal Advocacy Professional Service Agreements with Alcalde & Fay and Van Scoyoc Associates
June 24, 2014 - Board awarded Federal Advocacy Professional Service Agreements with Van Scoyoc Associates, Alcalde and Fay and Bluewater Strategies.
November 11, 2012 - Federal advocacy services contracts extended with Madison Government Affairs Inc. and Alcalde and Faye for one-year with direction to conduct a competitive solicitation in 2013.
November 3, 2009 - Contracts awarded for federal advocacy services with Madison Government Affairs, Inc. and Alcalde and Faye after a Request for Proposal process.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$45,000 |
$45,000 |
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$45,000 |
$45,000 |
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
$45,000 |
$45,000 |
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$45,000 |
$45,000 |
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The amended contract cost would increase costs $24,000 ($12,000 in FY26 and $12,000 in FY27) with Thorn Run Partners. The amended contract would total $90,000 for federal advocacy services in calendar year 2026.
If the Board approves the contract amendment to the Federal Advocacy Agreement with Thorn Run Partners, there would be a net monthly cost savings of $3,000 for calendar year 2026 when considering federal advocacy services overall due to the consolidation of services.
The contract with Van Scoyoc Associates, which was not extended in calendar year 2025, was budgeted for $5,000 monthly through calendar year 2026.
The contract amendment does not request new funds and would achieve an overall cost-savings on federal advocacy services.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment A - Signed Agreement with Thorn Run Partners
Attachment B - Contract Amendment to Signed Agreement with Thorn Run Partners
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.