Request for Proposals - Ballot Measure Polling and Outreach Consultant Services
The City of Great Falls Montana (hereinafter referred to as “the City”) is requesting proposals from qualified firms (hereinafter referred to as “Firm”) for professional services to provide polling services pertaining to Public Safety services in Great Falls.
Public safety services encompass a broad range of activities and measures provided by city government to ensure the protection and well-being of the public. City departments primarily involved with public safety services include (not in any priority) Municipal Court, City Attorney’s Office, Great Falls Police Department and Great Falls Fire/Rescue.
To enhance its public safety continuum, the City Commission asked voters to consider additional funding via a public safety levy and bond in November 2023. Both ballot initiatives failed. The Commission may seek another levy ballot initiative within two years.
In November 2023, the voters spoke on a request to fund Fire, Police, Municipal Court, and Legal Departments. The total operational request of the voters was $10.7 million dollars and a bond request $21.1 million, which includes an additional fire station. The ballot election is summarized below:
Number of registered voters in the City of Great Falls 33,000. Total Levy/Bond votes cast: 14,715
Levy Vote
Opposed 9,095
Support 5,620
Bond Vote
Opposed 7,925
Support 6,726
The only additional public safety investment made by Great Falls taxpayers was in 1969 when the voters supported a bond to construct four new fire stations. In 2009, the City Commission placed a ballot measure seeking funding for Fire and Police before the voters in the amount of $1.8 million. The measure also failed.
At this time, the Great Falls City Commission has not determined to place any ballot proposals forward for voter consideration this calendar year. The City Commission did however, empanel a Public Safety Advisory Committee. This panel is similar to a prior panel called the Great Falls Crime Task Force empaneled in 2021 (https://greatfallsmt.net/citycommission/great-falls-crime-task-force).
The City Commission will evaluate community priorities, review/adopt FY2025 budget in June 2024, and seek input from the Public Safety Advisory Committee. Dependent on budget outcomes and Task Force recommendations, the Commission expects to evaluate options for a future ballot question.
During the proposal evaluation process, the City reserves the right to request additional information or clarification from proposers, or to allow corrections of errors or omissions. Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance by the firm of the conditions contained in this request for proposal, unless clearly and specifically noted in the proposal firm bidder selected.
To be considered, proposals must be received by the Great Falls City Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Proposals will be accepted via email and mail. If submitting via mail, a flash drive containing the full electronic proposal must be submitted with the hard copy. Proposals submitted via facsimile will not be accepted.
It is anticipated that the selected firm will be notified in the first part of July 2024. An electronic version of this request for proposal may be found on the City’s website: https://greatfallsmt.net/rfps.
All questions related to this Request for Proposal must be submitted in writing via email or received via mail by Wednesday, May 22, 2024 to:
City Clerk, Lisa Kunz
City of Great Falls
P.O. Box 5021
Great Falls, Montana 59403
lkunz@greatfallsmt.net
Any RFP revisions will be made in the form of an addendum and will be available on the City’s website: https://greatfallsmt.net/rfps. It is the responsibility of respondent to check the City’s website for posted addenda.
