HomeMy WebLinkAboutContract 63264-A1CSC No. 63264-Al
FIRST AMENDMENT TO
FORT WORTH CITY SECRETARY CONTRACT NO. 63264
This first amendment (the "Amendment") is made and entered into by and between the
City of Fort Worth, a home -rule municipality of the State of Texas (hereinafter referred to as the
"City"), acting by and through Dianna Giordano, its duly authorized Assistant City Manager, and
The Marilla Group, LLC D/B/A Sunny Black, a domestic limited liability company ("Vendor").
Each party shall be individually referred to herein as Party and collectively as Parties.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the City entered into an Agreement with Vendor for services related to the
City's restructuring of its Communications and Public Engagement Department and more
specifically described in the agreement which is identified as City Secretary Contract No. 63264
(the "Agreement");
WHEREAS, the Parties desire to amend the Agreement to increase the total authorized
compensation amount for the initial six-month term, and any renewal term, by $89,000.00 for a
new total first term authorized amount up to $189,000.00 and two six-month renewal term options
up to $189,000.00 each for a total contract amount up to $567,000.00;
NOW THEREFORE City and Vendor do hereby agree to the following:
I.
AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT
NOW THEREFORE, for valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are
hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:
A. The EXHIBIT "B" Price Schedule attached to the Agreement is hereby deleted
and replaced in its entirety with the EXHIBIT "B" Price Schedule attached to this Amendment;
B. Section 3.1, entitled "Compensation", of the Agreement is hereby amended to read
as follows:
"3.1 Total compensation under this Agreement for the initial 6-month term, and
any 6-mmonth renewal term, if exercised, will be an amount up to $189,000.00
II.
This Amendment is effective upon execution.
OFFICIAL RECORD
First Amendment to CSC 63264 CITY SECRETARY
THE CITY OF FORT WORTH AND THE MARILLA GROUP, LLC D/B/A SUNNY BLACK FT. WORTH, TX
All terms and conditions of the Agreement not amended herein remain unaffected and in
full force and effect, are binding on the Parties and are hereby ratified by the Parties. Capitalized
terms not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Agreement.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
First Amendment to CSC 63264
THE CITY OF FORT WORTH AND THE MARILLA GROUP, LLC D/B/A SUNNY BLACK
[Executed effective as of the date signed by the City Manager below.] / [ACCEPTED AND
AGREED:]
City:
By: DAianna (Jun 23, 202515:07 CDT)
Name: Dianna Giordano
Title: Assistant City Manager
Date: 06/23/2025
Vendor:
Sara'-
By: Sana Syed (Jun , 202518:30 PDT)
Name: Sana Syed
Title: Director
Date: 06/20/2025
CITY OF FORT WORTH INTERNAL ROUTING PROCESS:
Approved as to Form and Legality:
By:
Name: Taylor C. Paris
Title: Assistant City Attorney
Contract Authorization:
M&C: 25-0478
Date M&C Approved: June 10, 2025
Form 1295: 2025-1306888
Contract Compliance Manager:
By signing I acknowledge that I am the person
responsible for the monitoring and
administration of this contract, including
ensuring all performance and reporting
requirements.
By: Bethan' y Warner (Jun 09:45 CDT)
Name: Bethany Warner
Title: Intergovernmental Relations Manager
City Secretary:
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Name: Jannette S. Goodall
Title: City Secretary
OFFICIAL RECORD
First Amendment to CSC 63264 CITY SECRETARY
THE CITY OF FORT WORTH AND THE MARILLA GROUP, LLC D/B/A SUNNY BLACK FT. WORTH, TX
EXHIBIT B
PRICE SCHEDULE
The City will compensate Vendor for services rendered under this Agreement according to the
following price schedule:
• Monthly Retainer
• Initial Retainer (May 2025—December 2025): The City will pay the Vendor a
monthly retainer ranging from $21,500 to $31,500, determined based on the scope
of services provided each month, as outlined in Exhibit A and the attached Proposal
and the deliverables in the Agreement. The specific retainer amount for each month
will be mutually agreed upon by the City and Vendor, based on the anticipated
effort for Task 1 (department restructuring), Task 2 (policies and processes setup),
and Task 3 (interim Chief Communications Officer services), with a minimum of
$21,500 and a maximum of $31,500 per month.
• Reduced Retainer (January 2026 onward): The monthly retainer will be fixed at
$21,500 upon the hiring and training of the SHOP Assistant Director, expected to
occur by January 2026. This reduction reflects the completion of Task 1
(department restructuring) by November 2025 and the transition of certain
responsibilities under Tasks 2 and 3 to the SHOP Assistant Director, pending the
hiring of a permanent CPE Director in 2026.
• Total Compensation Cap
• In no event will the total compensation under this Agreement for the initial 6-month
term (May 2025—November 2025) exceed $189,000.00.
• For each 6-month renewal term, if exercised, the total compensation will not exceed
$189,000.00, subject to the monthly retainer rates outlined above.
• The maximum compensation for the full potential contract duration (up to 18
months, including the initial term and two possible renewals) will not exceed
$567,000.00.
• Conditions for Retainer Range (May 2025—December 2025)
• The retainer amount within the $21,500—$31,500 range will be determined based
on the following factors:
• Task 1 Intensity: During the restructuring phase (May 2025—November
2025), higher retainer amounts (closer to $31,500) may be warranted due to
the intensive effort required for deliverables such as the organizational
chart, job descriptions, hiring, and media relations vertical setup.
• Task 2 and 3 Scope: The establishment of policies and processes (Task 2)
and the provision of interim Chief Communications Officer services (Task
3) will contribute to the retainer amount, particularly for deliverables
requiring significant leadership engagement, crisis response, or training.
• Deliverable Milestones: The Vendor will propose the monthly retainer
amount in advance, referencing specific deliverables (e.g., crisis
communications framework by August 2025, SHOP framework by January
2026) and estimated hours, subject to City approval.
• After Task 1 is completed (November 2025), the retainer will trend toward the
lower end of the range ($21,500) in December 2025, reflecting the reduced scope
First Amendment to CSC 63264
THE CITY OF FORT WORTH AND THE MARILLA GROUP, LLC D/B/A SUNNY BLACK
as Tasks 2 and 3 continue.
Retainer Reduction Trigger
• The retainer will be fixed at $21,500 per month upon the City's confirmation that
the SHOP Assistant Director has been hired and trained, expected by January 2026.
Expenses
• The monthly retainer is inclusive of all Vendor costs, including personnel, travel,
materials, and administrative expenses, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the
City.
First Amendment to CSC 63264
THE CITY OF FORT WORTH AND THE MARILLA GROUP, LLC D/B/A SUNNY BLACK
City of Fort Worth, Texas
Mayor and Council Communication
DATE: 06/10/25 M&C FILE NUMBER: M&C 25-0478
LOG NAME: 02MARILLAGROUPCONTRACT
SUBJECT
(ALL) Authorize Amendment to Contract with the Marilla Group, LLC d/b/a Sunny Black for Services in Support of Reorganization and Service
Delivery Enhancements of the Communications & Public Engagement Department to Increase Initial Six -Month Term by $89,000.00 for a New
Total First Term Amount Up to $189,000.00 and Two Six -Month Renewal Term Options Up to $189,000.00 Each for a Total Contract Amount Up to
$567,000.00
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council authorize the City Manager or his designee to amend City Secretary Contract No. 63264 with The Marilla
Group, LLC d/b/a Sunny Black for services in support of reorganization and service delivery enhancements of the Communications & Public
Engagement Department to increase the contracts initial six-month term by $89,000.00 for a new total first term amount of up to $189,000.00 and
two six-month renewal term options up to $189,000.00 each for a total contract amount of up to $567,000.00.
DISCUSSION:
The purpose of this Mayor and Council Communication (M&C) is to authorize amendment to City Secretary Contract No. 63264 with The Marilla
Group, LLC d/b/a Sunny Black (The Marilla Group) to: (1) increase the contracts initial six-month term by $89,000.00 for a new total first term
amount of up to $189,000.00, and (2) authorize two six-month renewal term options up to $189,000.00 each for a total contract amount of up to
$567,000.00.
The Marilla Group is a marketing and communications consultancy focused on empowering public organizations to achieve their communication
goals, elevate their presence, and build positive relationships with their community.
In December 2024, City of Fort Worth engaged The Marilla Group to do a strategic review of the Communications & Public Engagement
Department (CPE). In the months that followed, The Marilla Group conducted dozens of interviews with key internal stakeholder groups on strategy,
coordination, and key objectives of communications in the department and citywide.
The Marilla Group's assessment resulted in recommendations to restructure CPE to better serve the City's strategic and crisis communication
needs. Successfully implementing the reorganization of the department and related goals will require significant support and leadership, however,
the department director (Chief Communications Officer) and key leadership positions are currently vacant.
To support the effective implementation of the department's reorganization, it was proposed the City of Fort Worth enter a new 6-month contract
with The Marilla Group, renewable for up to two 6-month terms not to exceed 18 months. The original contract with The Marilla Group, LLC d/b/a
Sunny Black was executed on May 13, 2025 to provde professional services as full-time strategic and operational support as the contracted Chief
Communications Officer for the City, leading the reorganization of the Communications and Public Engagement Department, establishing policies,
processes, and a media relations vertical, and developing the Strategic Hub for Outreach and Production (SHOP). Additionally, the vendor will
deliver crisis communication support, staff training, content creation, and community outreach, ensuring alignment with the City's branding and
strategic goals, and such other services as detailed in the contract.
Funds for this contract will be allocated from the CPE departmental budget from salary savings accrued from the vacant positions. No additional
funding is required.
Funding is budgeted in the Consultant & Other Prof Services account within the General Fund for the City Managers Office and funding will be
budgeted in Consultant & Other Prof Services account within the General Fund for Fiscal Year 2026 and 2027.
This project was approved for a waiver per the Chapter 252 exemption, as personal, professional, or planning services by the
Law Department. This solicitation was reviewed by The Business Equity Division for available business equity prospects according to the City's
Business Equity Ordinance. There were limited business equity opportunities available for the services/goods requested, therefore, no business
equity goal was established.
This project will serve ALL COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
FISCAL INFORMATION / CERTIFICATION:
The Director of Finance certifies that upon approval of the above recommendation funds are available in the current operating budget, as
previously appropriated, and upon adoption of the Fiscal Year 2026 and 2027 Budget by the City Council, funds will be available in the Fiscal Year
2026 and 2027 Operating Budget, as appropriated, in the General Fund. Prior to an expenditure being incurred, the City Manager's Office has the
responsibility to validate the availability of funds.
Submitted for Citv Manaaer's Office bv: Dianna Giordano 7783
Oriainatina Business Unit Head: Bethany Warner 6121
Additional Information Contact:
Expedited