Amend Intergovernmental Agreement with Portland State University to provide survey and research related services through the Regional Research Institute (amend Contract 30008560)
The City of Portland ordains:
Section 1. The Council finds:
- The Vibrant Communities Service Area facilitates the development of a more strategic approach to the provision of services by utilizing survey and focus group research.
- Ongoing survey and focus group research is needed to better understand how Vibrant Communities can continue to best meet Portlanders’ service needs and preferences, including historically underserved Portlanders’ needs and preferences.
- In August, 2023 City Council approved Ordinance 191414, authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Regional Research Institute (RRI) at Portland State University (PSU) to support survey and focus group research to guide the delivery of Park and Recreation Services, with a special focus on providing services to populations identified as centered communities, including Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, immigrants and refugees, LGBT2SQIA+ people, people with disabilities, youth, older adults, and people living with low incomes. Under the existing IGA, PSU is currently assisting PP&R in completing a larger scale Community Needs Survey to better inform services to be provided and service delivery goals as well as understanding perceptions related to maintenance, affordability and safety. The Community Needs Survey is employing an innovative outreach approach that aims to elevate the voices in Black Portlanders, Indigenous people living in Portland as well as people living with disabilities. Through this work PP&R has identified additional programs that would benefit from PSU’s consultation and approach to survey research, such as assisting in implementing a 2024 summer intercept surveys for events and cultural programs delivered within PP&R’s Recreation Division.
- Furthermore, as part of the City charter change transition, the Vibrant Communities Service Area has been established to focus on services related to Parks, Children, Nature and the Arts. Within the next two years, additional surveys and focus group research has been identified to support the Vibrant Communities Service Area, which would require additional time and funding capacity through the agreement. Anticipated future work includes but is not limited to, focus group research with Portland’s diverse populations, program evaluation surveys for the Schools to Pools swim program for second graders, and program evaluation surveys for arts and music programs in school supported by the City’s Arts tax.
- This amendment extends the IGA term through October 31, 2026, and increases compensation for services to be requested pursuant to mutually agreeable task orders for a do-not-exceed total of $900,000.
- Budget to support a portion of this expanded work is included in the Vibrant Communities Support Services current year budget allocation.In addition, budget is available within the current year Arts Access Fund budget to support survey work related to arts programing.Additional budget support in future years is dependent on available resources and may be allocated as part of future year budget deliberations.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:
- The City Administrator, or designee, is authorized to amend an IGA with PSU for various survey and focus group research services for the Vibrant Communities Service Area. The Intergovernmental Agreement shall be Amended in a form substantially similar to Exhibit A attached hereto and must be approved as to form by the City Attorney.
- The Mayor and the Auditor are authorized to provide payment chargeable to the applicable budgets when demand is presented and approved by the appropriate authorities.
Official Record (Efiles)
An ordinance when passed by the Council shall be signed by the Auditor. It shall be carefully filed and preserved in the custody of the Auditor (City Charter Chapter 2 Article 1 Section 2-122)
Passed by Council
Auditor of the City of Portland
Simone Rede
Impact Statement
Purpose of Proposed Legislation and Background Information
This legislation would amend the existing Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Regional Research Institute at Portland State University (PSU) to extend the length of the IGA to December, 2026 and increase the amount authorized to spend to $900,000. The Regional Research Institute at PSU has background working with PP&R and other public agencies supporting surveys and focus group research. Existing budgeted projects underway under the current IGA include: 1) completing a comprehensive community needs survey modeled after the CBO’s Portland Insights survey project, 2) general training and consulting for bureau staff related to qualitative research methods and survey development, 3) intercept surveys with visitors to PP&R summer Recreation programs. The increased capacity allowed by this amendment would give the Vibrant Communities Service Area the flexibility to also complete future work such as a program evaluation survey of the Schools to Pools swim program, focus groups with underserved communities in Portland, a program evaluation for arts and music programs in schools supported by the City’s Arts tax.
Financial and Budgetary Impacts
The existing IGA with PSU spans a three-year period with a not to exceed budget of $300,000. On the existing IGA, $278,123 has been authorized and budgeted through existing Task Orders, leaving $21,877 remaining. This amendment extends the contract to October, 2026 and increases the allowable amount to spend to $900,000. Funds are currently available and budgeted in the current fiscal year to support work within PP&R on the community survey and intercept surveys for summer recreation programming under the existing IGA. Funding for evaluating arts and music programs is available within Arts Education and Access Fund, but there is not current capacity under the existing IGA to perform the proposed scope of this work. Funding for additional work in future fiscal years would be allocated through the budget process and likely be supported through a mix of Parks Levy/General Fund resources, the Arts Education and Access Fund, or outside grant resources when available.
Community Impacts and Community Involvement
This work with PSU will focus on using surveys, focus groups and qualitative research to better understanding the community’s perceptions and needs related to park and recreation services, swim programs, as well as arts and music education programming. Future work will include survey and focus group research with Portland’s diverse populations including but not limited to Black Portlanders, Indigenous people living in Portland as well as people living with disabilities and low-income populations.
100% Renewable Goal
N/A
Financial and Budget Analysis
The existing IGA with PSU spans a three-year period with a not to exceed budget of $300,000. On the existing IGA, $278,123 has been authorized and budgeted through existing Task Orders, leaving $21,877 remaining. This amendment extends the contract to October, 2026 and increases the allowable amount to spend to $900,000. Funds are currently available and budgeted in the current fiscal year to support work within PP&R on the community survey and intercept surveys for summer recreation programming under the existing IGA. Funding for evaluating arts and music programs is available within the Arts Education and Access Fund. Funding for additional work in future fiscal years would be allocated through the budget process and likely be supported through a mix of Parks Levy/General Fund resources, the Arts Education and Access Fund, or outside grant resources when available.