The Alternative Modes Coordinator contract for services is being presented to City Council for renewal. The Planning Division has had a contract in place with Active Transportation Alternatives, LLC for the past year. The Division would like to renew the contract with Active Transportation Alternatives, LLC for another one-year term. Two modifications were made to the contract as per City auditing requirements and Montana Department of Transportation Title VI requirements. Those changes are significant and changed the contract enough to warrant an entirely new contract form.  No other material changes were made from the current contract. The cost of the contract remains the same.  The contract language allows the City the option to renew the contract for up to an additional three (3), one-year terms by following this process and bringing the contract to the Council for renewal.

The Alternative Modes Coordinator staff position was cut in March, 2009, due to budget limitations in the Planning Division. The Division was able to create a contract position for Alternative Modes Coordinator services with some limited savings to the Division by working with the Montana Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration to determine local and Federal Transportation funding allocations for this contract position. The contract position is currently funded at about a 60% Federal/40% local funding split.  The renewed contract has been approved by MDT and will be funded by Federal and local funds to complete the contract services. The contract renewal is set to run from October 1, 2010, to September 30, 2011, to align with the Federal Fiscal Year and with the Planning Division's 2011 Unified Planning Work Program.

The City Council may:

• Exercise the City's option under the current contract language to renew the Alternative Modes Coordinator contract for services with Active Transportation Alternatives, LLC for another one-year term; or
• Not renew the Alternative Modes Coordinator contract for services with Active Transportation Alternatives, LLC for another one-year term.

The Alternative Modes Coordinator services contract is being funded from the 2011 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). The Division's 2011 UPWP was approved by the City Council and Policy Coordinating Committee earlier this month. The breakdown of funding includes about $42,000 in PL funds (Federal) and $26,000 in local match for a total contract of $68,000 for one year. This is the same contract amount as last year. The Planning Division will pay 100% of the local match spread between FY2011 and FY2012. However, the City reserves the right to terminate the contract with 30 days written notice if local Planning Division funding is not adequate to complete the one-year contract period.

Staff recommends that the City Council exercise the City's option under the current contract to renew the Alternative Modes Coordinator services contract with Active Transportation Alternatives, LLC for another one-year term starting October 1, 2010, and ending September 30, 2011.