Memorandum 16-166 Animal Shelter Contract Award

Memorandum 16-166

TO:              Katie Koester, City Manager

FROM:         Mark Robl, Chief of Police

DATE:          October 3, 2016

SUBJECT:    Animal Shelter Contract

______________________________________________________________________

We issued a request for proposals for a new contractor to operate the Animal Shelter this summer. One firm, Alaska Mindful Paws (AMP), submitted a bid. The bid is in the amount of $179,150 for a two-year period. They are requesting a renewal option for two additional three-year periods. I recommend we obtain permission from the Council to accept this bid and enter into a contract for Animal Shelter operations with them.

I believe the operating plan submitted by AMP meets or exceeds all of the requirements set forth in our RFP and will result in a very professionally operated shelter. The qualifications of AMP’s executive director and principals are excellent.

This bid is an increase of approximately $50,000 over what we have been paying to operate the shelter. We will still be operating our shelter at a lower cost than Kenai or Soldotna does if we accept the bid. Running the shelter with city employees would cost us an additional $50,000 to $80,000 per year.