Staff Report.JEDI Consultants
PREPARED BY: Holly Zappala
Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Finance Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 08/17/2021 ITEM NO: 13
DATE: August 10, 2021
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Arn Andrews, Assistant Town Manager
SUBJECT: Authorize the Town Manager to Execute Agreements for Justice, Equity,
Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Consultant Services:
a. American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley Insights (ALF) for External
Community Efforts with an Expenditure Budget Adjustment in the
Amount of $54,000 from the General Fund Capital/Special Projects
Reserve and
b. ReadySet for Internal Town Organizational Work with an Expenditure
Budget Adjustment in the Amount of $50,000 from the General Fund
Capital/Special Projects Reserve.
RECOMMENDATION:
Authorize the Town Manager to execute agreements for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion
(JEDI) consultant services:
a. American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley Insights (ALF) for external community efforts
with an expenditure budget adjustment in the amount of $54,000 from the General
Fund Capital/Special Projects Reserve and
b. ReadySet for internal Town organizational work with an expenditure budget adjustment
in the amount of $50,000 from the General Fund Capital/Special Projects Reserve.
BACKGROUND:
The Town of Los Gatos has a long-standing commitment to being a diverse, supportive,
equitable, and inclusive community. In the past year and a half, with racial justice issues at the
forefront of national and local conversations, the Town has taken a more holistic approach to
JEDI work. In January 2021, the Town Council unanimously agreed to add Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion to the 2021 – 2023 Strategic Priorities for Los Gatos.
PAGE 2 OF 4 SUBJECT: Authorize the Town Manager to Execute Agreements for Justice, Equity, Diversity,
and Inclusion Consultant Services DATE: August 17, 2021
BACKGROUND (continued):
On March 23, 2021, the Council Policy Committee discussed a Town JEDI workplan (see
Attachment 1) with input from the public. Based on community feedback, the Policy
Committee discussed the Town hiring an independent consultant with JEDI expertise to help
with both external and internal engagement processes and to more fully define the JEDI plan
goals, objectives, specific actions, and metrics.
On April 6, 2021, the Town Council unanimously authorized the Town Manager to issue a
Request for Proposals (RFP) to hire a consultant to assist with expanding and implementing the
JEDI work plan and to inform how the Town can best approach JEDI goals both internally for the
organization, and externally with the broader community and through Town partnerships with
local organizations.
DISCUSSION:
On April 7, 2021, the Town issued the RFP for JEDI consultant services. The RFP was made
available on the Town website and it was publicized on Town social media platforms and in the
weekly Town Newsletter that is emailed to approximately 2,500 subscribers. In addition,
several firms specializing in JEDI consulting work were contacted and informed about the RFP.
Five firms submitted proposals by the deadline date. The submittals were reviewed and
evaluated by a team of four Town staff members, each from a different Department. Each
proposal was ranked on specific criteria, including qualifications and experience, organization
and approach, accessibility, and completeness of the proposal. The top three ranked firms were
then interviewed by the RFP evaluation team via teleconference. Following the interviews, two
firms, ALF and ReadySet, rose to the top. Reference checks were conducted on each firm, with
favorable feedback received for both.
Both ALF and ReadySet came through the evaluation process as the top-ranked firms. They
each offer different strengths and services that complement different aspects of the JEDI work
desired by the Town.
ALF specializes in external engagement and dialogue, leveraging community partnerships, and
developing gap/overlap analysis. ALF would be able to engage with both Town leaders and
community partners (including the Chamber of Commerce, faith-based organizations, service
organizations, Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation, local schools, etc.) to assess their level of
understanding the current JEDI efforts and identify barriers and opportunities. Based on the
recommendations gleaned from that process, ALF would set up metrics and objectives for the
on-going process of engagement and dialogue with the community. They would also provide
an assessment of gaps and overlaps in order to identify clear overarching goals for the Town’s
efforts. Additionally, ALF can serve in an advisory role to Town staff to assist with community
workshop/meeting design and other work.
PAGE 3 OF 4 SUBJECT: Authorize the Town Manager to Execute Agreements for Justice, Equity, Diversity,
and Inclusion Consultant Services DATE: August 17, 2021
DISCUSSION (continued):
ReadySet’s strength lies in internal organizational assessment and roadmap development.
ReadySet would be able to collaboratively design an internal JEDI survey, review existing Town
processes and procedures, conduct interviews and focus groups with staff, review and analyze
the findings, and develop a robust assessment of the organization. Based on the results of the
assessment, ReadySet would facilitate planning sessions and support Town staff with the
development of an internal roadmap. The roadmap would encompass a holistic, integrated
strategy to support and further strengthen the Town’s long-term internal organizational
development around JEDI, including timelines and metrics to measure success and
accountability.
CONCLUSION:
Based on the different strengths and services offered by ALF and ReadySet, staff recommends
that the Town bifurcate the work and that the Town Council authorize the Town Manager to
execute agreements with both ALF and ReadySet for JEDI consultant services.
ALF would handle the Town’s external JEDI goals through Town partnerships with local
organizations and the broader community. The draft ALF contract can be found as Attachment
2 to this report.
ReadySet would examine the Town’s JEDI context internally. The draft ReadySet contract is
Attachment 3 to this report.
ALTERNATIVES:
Alternatively, the Council may decide to:
1. Authorize the Town Manager to execute an agreement with ALF for
external/community JEDI services only.
2. Authorize the Town Manager to execute an agreement with ReadySet for internal JEDI
services only.
3. Not pursue JEDI work with either firm at this time.
COORDINATION:
This report was coordinated with the Finance Department, Town Attorney, and Town
Manager’s Office.
PAGE 4 OF 4 SUBJECT: Authorize the Town Manager to Execute Agreements for Justice, Equity, Diversity,
and Inclusion Consultant Services DATE: August 17, 2021
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact of executing agreements with both ALF and ReadySet for JEDI consultant
services would result in an expenditure budget adjustment in the amount of $104,000 from the
General Fund Capital/Special Projects Reserve.
The fiscal impact of executing an agreement with ALF only would result in an expenditure
budget adjustment in the amount of $54,000.
The fiscal impact of executing an agreement with ReadySet only would result in an expenditure
budget adjustment in the amount of $50,000.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
Attachments:
1. JEDI Work Plan
2. Draft Agreement for Services with ALF
3. Draft Agreement for Services with ReadySet