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Home My WebLink AboutRESPONSE - RFP - P1108 FUNCTIONAL OPTIONS STUDY NFRMPOO R 1'. `4 1- A R C. H March 24, 2007 City of Port Collins on behalf of the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization City of Port Collins Purchasing Division 215 North Mason Street Port Collins, Colorado 80524 To all it concerns: Please find attached our proposal to assist the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization with their functions options study. I believe you will find that Corona Research is uniquely qualified to assist you with this important project. Not only do we have experience with evaluating strategic options and working with government organizations, we can provide the full complement of research, analysis, consulting and strategic planning called for in this project. We would be honored to assist the NFRMPO in evaluating possible additional functions that would serve its local governments. The organizations strong relationships with regional governments will serve the organization well as you include new functional areas. If you have any questions, or if we can better tailor the proposal to meet your needs, feel free to contact me at 303-894-8246 or at karla@coronaresearch.com. We appreciate the opportunity to present our services to you. We look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Karla Raines Principal AAA of Colorado* Adams County, CO Adams County One Stop System Adams Count), School District 14, Intergenerational Learning Center, Commerce City, CO Alliance, Denver, CO The Alliance for Quality'I'eaching, Denver, CO American Animal Hospital Association American Lung Association, Deliver, CO American lied Cross Mile High Chapter Animal Assistance Foundation, Denver, CO Annie E. Casey Foundation, Baltimore, MD Arapahoe Library, Arapahoe County, CO Arrupe Jesuit High School, Denver, CO Art Students League, Denver, CO Arizu Advertising and Marketing, Phoenix, AZ 13ACCI-IIJS & GAMMA Peer Education Network, Denver, CO Bluff Lake Nature Center, Denver, CO CCI' Advertising Center for African American Health, Denver, CO Center for Disease and Control, Atlanta, GA* Colorado Cancer Research Center, Deliver, CO Colorado Foundation for Agriculture / Nonpoint Source Colorado Colorado Municipal League, Denver, CO Centura Health, Denver, CO* Cherry Creels Arts Festival, Denver, CO The Children's I lospital, Denver, CO City of Aurora, CO City of Commerce City, CO City of Port Collins, CO Clear Creek County Nursing Service, CO Clinica'rcpeyac, Denver, CO Coastal Bend College, Beev$le,'I'X Coldwell Banker Moore and Company, Greenwood Village, CO Colorado Association of Family and Children's Agencies Colorado Association of Funders Colorado Association of School -Based Health Clinics Colorado Bright Beginnings, Deliver, CO Colorado Department of Education, Migrant Education Program Colorado Department: of Public Health & Environment, Diabetes Prevention Program Colorado Department of Transportation Colorado Division of Wildlife Colorado Nonprofit Association Colorado State Patrol The Colorado Trust, Denver, CO Cordy & Company Public Relations, Chevy Chase, MD Day of Caring for Breast Cancer Awareness, Denver, CO Delta County, CO Denver Children's Advocacy Center, CO romp _ PAGE 6 IR�J Denver Children's Home, CO Denver Film Society, CO The Denver Foundation, CO Denver Health Medical Center, CO Denver I lealth Volunteer Association, CO Denver International Airport*, CO Denver Options, CO Denver Public Library, CO Denver Museum of Nature and Science, CO Denver Public Schools, CO Denver Public Schools Foundation, CO Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), CO dex media, Denver, CO* Donor Awareness Council, Denver, CO Douglas County Safe Drivers Coalition, CO DRCOG, Denver, CO East Central Council of Local Governments, Stratton, CO Elbert County Public Ilealth Elite Dance Academy, Broomfield, CO Energy Outreach Colorado, Denver, CO I?scuela de Guadalupe, Denver, CO Explore Communications, Denver, CO Ford Motor Company Gill Foundation, Denver, CO Greeley Police Department, Greeley, CO Growing Ilome, Westminster, CO Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver Heinrich Hispan idad (Marketing), Denver, CO Housing and Homelessness Funders Collaborative, Denver, CO U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development* The Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, Denver, CO Jewish Women's Foundation of Colorado Kaiser Permanente, Denver, CO Linhart McClain Finlon Public Relations, Denver, CO Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA Mercy Housing;, Denver, CO Metro Volunteers, Denver, CO Metropolitan State College of Denver Alumni Association Metropolitan State College of Denver, Nonprofit Administration Program Metropolitan Wolverines Semi -Pro Football Team, Denver, CO Mi Casa Resource Center for Women, Denver, CO Migrant Education Program (Colorado Department of Education) Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety Mountain States Employers Council National Ilighway "Traffic Safety Administration North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization Northeast Colorado Association of Local Governments, Port Morgan, CO Poudre School District, Port Collins, CO Prairie Wind Casino, Pineridge, SD Project Angel IIeart, Denver, CO Project PAVE, Denver, CO PAGE 7 Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center, Denver, COs' Project WISE, Denver, CO Pueblo Neighborhood Housing Services* Pueblo Police Department, Pueblo, CO Rebuilding Together Metro Denver Regis University School for Health Care Professions, Denver, CO ReMax, "Phe Carlos Del Rio Team, Denver, CO Resource Center, Flint, MI The Resource Exchange, Colorado Springs, CO Rise School of Denver Rocky Mountain Housing Development Corporation, Lakewood, CO Rocky Mountain Injury Prevention Consortium Rocky Mountain Research and Prevention Institute Rocky Mountain Workforce Development Association Rose Community Foundation, Denver, CO Safel-louse Denver, CO Sashco Caulk and Sealant, CO Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, Denver, CO Seniors, Inc., CO Shift Agency, Lafayette, CO Sigler Communications, Denver, CO Signal Behavioral I Iealdt Network, Denver, CO Slmnaatz Economic Research Associates, CO SoberRide, Denver, CO* Southeast Corridor Constructors, CO ('I' -Rex)* The Spirituals Project, Denver, CO St. Anne's Episcopal School, Denver, CO Summit County, CO Superior Parks and Recreation, CO Susan G. Komen Foundation Denver Affiliate, CO Sweetwater County, WY (3 projects) "fable Mountain Animal Center, Golden, CO Table Mountain Animal Center Foundation, Golden, CO Terra Verde Development, Boulder, CO The T'ax Project, Boulder, CO Mr. David Thomson Tulsa Count), Community Health Department, Tulsa, OK Universal Lending Corporation, Denver, CO* University of Colorado Hospital, Aurora, CO University of Denver, Center for Multi -Cultural Excellence University of Denver, Sturm College of Law University of Denver,The Women's College Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, Denver Warren Village, Denver, CO Wiesner Publishing, Centennial, CO Women's Bean Project, Denver, CO Work Options Group, CO Yellowstone Association, Yellowstone National Park Young Nonprofit Professional Network, Denver, CO * Indicates that Corona was a sub -contractor on this project. /�; PAGE 8 SELECTED RECENT PUBLIC SURVEYS COMPLETED BY CORONA RESEARCH American Council of the Blind of Colorado Needs Assessment 2008 Targets: blind and visually impaired t 270 respondents (targeted) Minnesota Department of Public Safety Public Awareness 2007, 2006, j 2,506 respondents (4 surveys) per year 2005, 2003 'Targets: young unmarried males, rural, general population (Current client) Public Opinions Survey 2008 3,804 respondents region, religion, income, and media sources Town of Superior Public Opinion Survey 2007 Targets: town residents 618 respondents Summit County Health Needs Assessment 2007 Targets: County residents, emphasis on j Hispanics 528 respondents Colorado Nonprofit Association Economic Impact Study 2007 Targets: Nonprofit association leaders 1200 respondents Institute for the Advancement of the American Public Opinion Survey 2007 Legal System Targets: Registered voters 727 respondents Arapahoe Library District Public Opinion Survey 2006 "Targets: Residents of Service Area 600 surveys targeted Air Force Academy Association of Graduates Alumni Survey 2006 Over 5,000 respondents (targeted) Medical College of Georgia Forensic Survey 2006 'Targets Past applicants who chose to attend another university 4 surveys, over 2,500 respondents fro _ PAGE 9 Colorado Department of Transportation Public Awareness 2006, 2005, Targets: young males, rural, general 2003, 2002 population 780 respondents Colorado State Patrol Public Opinion 2006, 2003, 525 respondents in 2003 2001 384 respondents in 2001 Denver Dumb Friends League Public Opinion 2006 Targets: Hispanic, general population 502 respondents Colorado Division of Wildlife j Public Opinion 2006 'Targets: Rural, urban, suburban 1,200 respondents (target) City of Fort Collins Waste Management Public Opinion/Service Strategy 2006 Targets: general population 400 respondents City of Commerce City Community Needs 2005 Targets: youth, general population 3,200 surveys (2 surveys) Colorado Department of Public IIealth Local Expert Survey 2005 Targets: Identified experts Less than 100 respondents Romance Writers of America (Nationwide) Consumer Behavior ! 2002, 2005 Target:: Nationwide general population 1,200 respondents (longitudinal) City of Port Collins Public Opinion 2005 384 respondents City of Aurora, Colorado Public Opinion 2005 3,000 respondents Coastal Bend College, Beevllle, TX Public Opinion — Highly Targeted 2005 1,080 respondents Tulsa City -County Health Department, " Public Awareness 2004 Oklahoma 500 respondents This is only a sample of our projects. We can provide other examples upon request. PAGE 10 SELECTED FOCUS GROUPS COMPLETED BY CORONA RESEARCH (Prominent Colorado Internal Perceptions University) Current students perceptions, opinions and attitudes toward university programs, curriculum and service delivery. (3 groups; Colorado Department ! Public Awareness of Transportation Peens and young males level of awareness of and receptiveness to recent traffic safety media messages (6 groups) Adams County, Colorado City of Aurora, Colorado Colorado Department of Transportation Piece. of Pie Financial Services Jefferson County Library, Colorado Colorado Department of 'fransportaton City of Aurora Ford Motor Company Public Attitudes — Needs Assessment Residents' opinions and perceptions of County services and needs. (13 groups and county -wide survey) Public Opinion Resident, non-resident and business leaders' opinions on city image and messaging (4 groups) Public Attitudes African Americans' attitudes toward traffic safety and messaging (4 groups) Public Attitudes Senior citizens' opinions about marketing materials for financial planning services. Focus groups were conducted in New Jersey, Georgia, California, and Minnesota Public Opinion and Satisfaction Spanish-speaking and bilingual Hispanics attitudes toward local public library access and usage (Three groups) Public Attitudes Spanish-speaking and bilingual Hispanics' attitudes toward traffic safety issues and messaging (Six groups) Public Opinion Resident; non-resident and business leaders' opinions on city image and messaging (4 groups) Public Opinion Spanish speaking and bilingual Hispanics' opinions on the new vehicle purchase process (Four groups) "Phis is only a sample of our projects. We can provide other examples upon request. 2006 2005 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 PAGE 11 SELECTED INTERVIEWS COMPLETED BY CORONA RESEARCH Work Options Group/Private Sector Client (Prominent Colorado University) 1"able Mountain Animal Center Arvizu Advertising/Colorado Department of Public Ilealth and Environment The Resource Exchange Community Alternatives, Inc. Client perception and satisfaction. 40+ interviews with human resources managers Stakeholder Perceptions. 25+ interviews with alumni, prospective students, and senior staff members at the university. Organization perception and reputation. 16 interviews with local business and community leaders Healthcare provider opinions. 7 interviews conducted with doctors and healthcare providers on healthy weight gain during pregnancy. Internal Perceptions. 15+ interviews with Board members and senior staff members about the organization's operations and mission. Internal Perceptions. 15+ interviews conducted with Board members and top level managers about the organization's goals, operations and mission. This is only a sample of our projects. We can provide other examples upon request. 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 PAGE 12 Krla Raines, Principal. Karla leads the firm's strategic planning and nonprofit consulting practice, and provides expertise to the firm's program evaluation and research projects. A skilled manager of complex projects, she has over'17 years of project management, facilitation and planning experience and brings a strong knowledge of nonprofit management practices and systems thinking to Corona's practice. Her current and past clients include the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, Denver Regional Council of Governments, NFRMPO, The Denver Foundation, and Rose Community Foundation. `2(arla Rainer did an amazing jab at facilitating our board retreat. It was clear she had done a gmal dead of planning prior to the event as she was able to provide a structure and f ameniork resulting ingreal progress through The duy. I lwx ly believe she is the best facilitator for this ype of meeting that I have ever worked with. " Krislen Donovan, Darnels Fund and Colorado Nonprofit Association board member Before joining Corona Research, Karla was Associate Director of Organizational Development at Mercy Housing, Inc. a national affordable housing provider. She has also served as Manager of Training and Consulting for Metro Volunteers, a local technical assistance provider. Prior to graduate school, Karla was an industrial engineer and design engineer in the aerospace and defense industries. Karla is in the 2008 class of Leadership Denver and serves on the Advisory Board for the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network. She is the past president of the Denver Business Series, an association of MBA alumni from 15 schools. She was a member of the Denver Public Library's Advisory Committee for Community Conversation on the Library's Future. She has taught workshops and given presentations to the Colorado Association of Funders, Colorado Nonprofit Association, Colorado Business Committee for the Arts and Metro Volunteers. Karla holds an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from Iowa State University. She and her husband live in Central Denver. `Karla it adept at taking organisations fi orn in.rightr to action. Mer real slrerrglh lies in her mix of,rkillr - .rhe is per.+onable yet business -like, transition eaizlly from lho big picture to the details, and balances crva iviy with pmymati.rnr. She built effective relalionrbips with our T ruelee and staff Last but not least, under her leader trip, our project ryas completed on time and on budget. II/e are thrilled with the rvrrrlts. " David Miller, President & CEO, The Denver Fonndation. Karla''s Role: Karla )Pill senor .wmnrajy reporting and client reetingr. PAGE 13 David Kennedy is a member of the Corona Research team and serves as a Senior Quantitative Research Analyst. David is currently working on various projects, including a survey to analyze media usage among target markets for future traffic media campaigns; performing a customer analysis for a larger brewery; and conducting a public opinion study of nonpoint water pollution. Since joining Corona, David has provided the analysis on several surveys, including student and parent surveys for after -school programs, county health assessments and intercept surveys for a local arts festival regarding attendee satisfaction and sponsor awareness. Recently, David worked to analyze why some persons may not becorne an organ and tissue donor; conducted surveys of municipalities in Colorado; and worked on a comprehensive economic study involving a proposed sports complex. Previous projects have included collecting data on a hard -to - reach demographic —seasonal workers —for a client in Summit County, Colorado, and assisting with another project where he shopped competitors' websites for a local client to provide feedback on their design, information and ease of use. Outside of survey research and analysis, David also assists the qualitative part of the firm with focus group logistics and analysis, and the strategic planning part of the firm by conducting internal surveys and compiling background data. Prior to joining Corona Research, David was a Research Assistant for the Department of Marketing at Colorado State University, where lie assisted with research in the areas of professional selling and sales management. Specifically, he worked on analyzing trends of past research and any outcomes, so future research could focus on predicted trends and outcomes. David holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Missouri -Columbia. David S Role David mll serve as lead analyrl on this pioleet. Ciandra Jackson, is a program coordinator with Corona. Ciandra supports research analysts with project work, recruits participants for focus groups, and assists with report editing. Ciandra holds a BA in Public Relations from the University of Northern Colorado. Before joining Corona, Ciandra was the assistant to the Vice President of Community Relations for Mile High Montessori, a non-profit organization that specializes in subsidized, early childhood educat on for Denver's children. After graduating from UNC, Ciandra held the position of communications intern for the Denver District Attorney's Office. She was also a public relations specialist intern for Lauri Harrison PR C.'urndra s Role: G'landry hill provide ooerall project sir PAGE 14 Corona Research first met the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization (NFRMPO or MPO) in early 2001 when it wanted to understand the implications of becoming an independent organization. Since that time, the MPO has become independent from the City of Fort Collins and expanded its role to provide a broader array of services to the growing Larimer and Weld County area. It has continued its strong focus on transportation planning and seeks to provide a more comprehensive approach to regional issues. Now the MPO finds itself considering an expanded role as it seeks to meet the emerging needs of its member governments. New opportunities emerged when the President signed into law the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation 1?quity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFF:pEA- LU) in 2005. This legislation builds upon two guideposts in MPO programs, namely the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTFA) and the Transportation Equity Act for the 211, Century (I"I A-21). SAFFIEA-LU builds on this firm foundation, supplying the funds and refining the programmatic framework for investments needed to maintain and grow the transportation infrastructure, addressing issues such as congestion and innovative financing models. The tinning of this study is especially important given the current economic climate and increased opportunities to achieve economies of scale and increased regional impact. It now seeks to conduct an objective study of the functional options that the organization could provide on behalf of its member governments. Our proposed scope of work to conduct this study on behalf of the MPO is provided below. HOLD PROJECT INITIATION MEETING Corona's standard practice is to meet with the client prior to initiating work, to ensure agreement on the various elements of the project. The consultant will meet with the client to resolve the following issues: • Review each task to ensure that Corona and the Client are in agreement on the approach, schedule and deliverables. • Develop the detailed project plan and schedule. ■ Determine stakeholders to include in the process. • Determine communications protocols and frequency. • Resolve any remaining contractual issues. This initial meeting will include the primary client representatives and Corona Research staff. Corona will also communicate with the client on a regular basis to provide project updates and ensure that a strong client/consultant partnership continues throughout the project. CONDUCT INITIAL INTERVIEW WITH THE MPO STAFF It appears that the MPO has evolved substantially over the last several years and is considering an expanded scope of services to meet expanding local needs. The consultant will conduct a group interview with the MPO staff at the beginning of the project to learn more about the programmatic PAGE 15 EXHIBIT C Karla Raines swear or affirm under penalty of perjury under the laws Of the State of Colorado that (check one): X I am a United States cit¢en, or I am a Permanent Resident of the United States, or I am lawfully present in the United States purauant to Federal law. I understand that this sworn statement is required by laws because I Have applied for a public benefit. I understand that state law requires me to provide proof that I am lawfully present in the United States prior to receipt of this public benefit. I further acknowledge that making a false, fictitious, or haudulent statement or representation in this swan affidavit is punishable under the criminal laws of Colorado as perjury in the second degree under Colorado Revised Statute 15-0- 503 and it shall constitute a separate criminal offense each time a public benefit is fraudulently received. o March 24, 2008 signature Data --- functions under consideration as well as those currently provided by the MPO. More specifically, we want to understand the background and current context of the functional areas under consideration as well as the staffs vision for the MPO's future role. (We recognize that the Planning Council will set the future direction for the MPO and that the staff plays a critical role in identifying what could be considered.) We also believe it would be wise to obtain a broad perspective up front, to better assess the current situation and determine if an), changes are needed in the proposed scope of work. We will also use the interview to finalize the list of possible functional areas to explore in this study. It can be combined with the kick off meeting and scheduled as a site visit. REVIEW BACKGROUND INFORMATION The consultant will begin the project with a comprehensive review of existing information about the MPO, including: • Reports and plans, including access management plans, surveys, and other relevant existing studies produced by the MI'O. • Any relevant meeting minutes from the Planning Council or other groups. • Pertinent laws, such as the SAFI TF,A-LU. ■ Other documents recommended by the client. We are especially interested in reviewing materials related to the MPO's current functions and possible additional functions. GATHER INPUT FROM KEY STAKEHOLDERS Corona is envisioning a two -stage process to gather input from member governments. First, an online survey will be conducted to gather input from the 15 local governments (1 elected official and 1 staff person per community). We will explore topics such as: • Gather perceptions and understandings of the MPO. • Identify needs, priorities, and any concerns about an expanded MPO role. • Ascertain the level of interest that members have in the MPO taking on various functions under consideration, such as safety and mobility. • Deternuue what is it means to be a "more effective regional voice for the North Front Range." • Determine the level of current involvement in each functional area. Once that data has been gathered and analyzed, the consultant will conduct one-on-one interviews with the 15 governments. We can conduct an individual interview with the elected official or a group interview with the elected official and staff person. Our goal is to further explore the opinions expressed in the survey. These interviews will help us determine the opinions, beliefs and realities that are influencing the level of interest (or disinterest) in the proposed functional areas, as well as identify additional people to interview as we gather more specific data on each proposed function. PAGE 16 To the extent possible, these intemews will be conducted in person. David Kennedy of the Corona team lives in Fort Collins and is always delighted to travel around his community and meet new people. ANALYZE CURRENT FUNCTIONS The interviews will provide information on current government involvement in each programmatic function This information will be organized into a matrix for an analysis and comparison across communities. For example, we may determine that all of the governments are involved in safety and only half are planning for economic development. PRESENTFINDINGS TO DATE Corona will present the findings to date to the Planning Council. The consultants will be seeking direction from the MPO regarding the specific programmatic functions to explore in more detail. We will also ask the council about its long-range vision for the MPO in terns of its role and service offerings. Based on the vision and study findings, the consultant, Planning Council and staff will identify the specific functions to be studied in more detail. This information will guide the consultants in the next tasks of the project. GATHER DETAILED INFORMATION ON SPECIFIC PROGRAMMATIC FUNCTIONS The consultants' next step is to gather data on the work and budget requirements to deliver each proposed service at the municipal or county level. We will seek guidance fiom the MPO staff regarding the best people to contact for this next round of research. Once we know who to contact; we will conduct site visits to interview the lead staff person in each function and obtain the necessary information. Our goal is to gather sufficient information to determine the opportunities for consolidation and cost savings as well as any constraints or concerns. A standard template will be used to document- this information. We estimate that information will be gathered on seven functions at this stage. If more data needs to be gathered through additional site visits, then those visits will be charged at: a standard rate. CREATE PROFILES OF EACH PROGRAMMATIC FUNCTION A profile will be created for each of the functions. These profiles will provide a comprehensive look at the type of services being provided currently and the opportunities for consolidation and collaboration. WRITE REPORT Corona will document its findings and recommendations into a final report for the MPO. Our recommendations will align the proposed new service offerings with member needs and the creation of a more effective regional voice for the North Front Range of Colorado. "Twenty (20) hard copies of the report: will be delivered to the client along with an electronic copy. PRESENT RECOMMENDATIONS The consultant's final task is to present its recommendations to the Planning Council. PAGE 17 In this section, we provide our pricing for conducting this study. This pricing is based on Corona's 2008 hourly rates, which are $175 for partner, $125 for Research .Analyst and $45 for our support staff. T Hours Direct Expenses Task P'10"Cipal .Analyst Assistant (Estimated) Toial ,. Bold project initiation meeting 2 2 0 $60.60 $660.60 Interview MPO staff 3 3 1 $945.00 Review background information about MPO 6 6 0 $1,800.00 Conduct on-line survey of member representatives 6 60 0 $8,550.00 Conduct 15 interviews with member representatives 6 30 5 $227.25 $5,252.25 Analy>c current functions 2 8 0 S1,350.00 Present findings to date 4 6 1 S1,495.00 Gather detailed information on 7 specific fnetions 3 21 0 $106.05 $3,256.05 Create profiles of rich function 3 14 0 $2,275M Write final report 8 20 0 $500.00 $4,400.00 Present findings and recommendation 4 6 0 $1,450.00 S60.60 $60.60 Total 47 176 7 $954.50 $31,494.50 Notes - Mileage is reimbursed at the IRS rate - Additional services can be provided at the company's hourly rates - "Phis pricing is good for 90 days `CORONA] PAGE 18 Corona Research has extensive experience meeting deadlines set by clients. We have never missed a deadline, and always strive to meet and even exceed our clients' expectations. Because all of our work is project -based, delivering final materials on time is absolutely essential to our clients' satisfaction, and thus, to our continued success as a firm. The schedule below assumes a start date of April, as well as expedient review by the client of any information needed at intermediary steps. 'cask Aril May une July August /se iumber Prci cct Lwintion Interview 2cvinv Intonna�ion ,, ,.vf,. U Jme Surl'c''#"' Present Pindin s .......'vie t�:IlllefC(I I)e(aled ld,)O "atmI1 (. mate Profiles r"S, �Y`vry ihitc IiC )Ort 3' _•'� PYC,SCIIt 1•nxLn �s PAGE 19 Tess Heffernan Policy and Project Manager City of Fort Collins ()70) 416-2253, tbcffernau@fcgov.com Corona has conducted several projects for the City of Fort Collins. One recent project was a request by the City to determine the impact on the rental market of a proposed initiative to increase the enforcement of an existing ordinance that limits the number of unrelated people who can occupy a single housing unit. Corona conducted a detailed demographic analysis of the rental market and the demographic of renters using many of the same tools to be used in this project, conducted a survey of households, and developed a complex impact model to predict changes in rental vacancies and rental prices at various price levels. A full copy of the report can be seen at www.fegov.com/rental. (See the "Economic and Market Study" link on the right side of the page.) Kevin Raines of Corona Research was the project manager for this project. John Stokes Director Natural Resources Department City of Fort Collins (970)221-6600 In 2006, Corona Research was retained by the City of Fort Collins Natural Area Program to design and analyze an observational survey to determine the number of annual visits to natural areas owned and managed by the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Program. The purpose of the obscivational survey was to accurately estimate the total number of annual visits to Fort Collins Natural Areas, as well as developing estimates of certain activity types. Additionally, Corona Research was subsequently retained by the City of Dort Collins to design and analyze an intercept survey of Natural Area visitors which examined visitors' perceptions, recreational usage preferences and overall satisfaction towards the natural areas. David Miller President & CEO The Denver Foundation (303) 996-7336, dmillcr@denverfounda6on.org In 2007, The Denver Foundation retained Corona Research to facilitate its strategic planning process, the fast in over 10 years. The foundation has positioned itself as a philanthropic leader in the community and wanted to take its mission and impact to the next level. The process has included mission, vision and values clarification; identification of two big, hairy, audacious goals; and board and staff dialogue about programmatic, governance, communication and internal capacity priorities. The consultant worked with the client to ensure organizational issues were addressed during the planning process. Elsa Holguin Senior Program Officer Rose Community Foundation (303) 398-7414, cholguin@rcfdenver.org In 2004, Corona Research was retained to provide business planning services to Metro Volunteers as part of Rose Community Foundation's three-year BOOST capacity building initiative. During the spring of 2004, Corona facilitated a thorough organizational assessment and created a detailed report of findings. Corona then completed a comprehensive three-year strategic business �� , F PAGE 20 plan with three-year financial projections and a detailed financial analysis of each program and service. This analysis was conducted for the then -current fiscal year (2004) as well as three years into the future (2005-2007). Corona also performed market research, including four focus groups and 10 key person interviews with stakeholders to better understand community needs and priorities. Corona provided coaching to MV during 2005 and 2006 as the agency implemented the business plan. "Corona Reseamb consultants have provided Memo i/olunteers with a valuable mix of bruiuess experlise mixed with nonprofit understanding. Their experlhe has enabled us to plan for organ alional growth in a realistic and .rtvyclured manner, and rve are better positioned far the future nory than rve have ever been. T hey work- beaulifarlly with both board and staff members I would mholebearledly mconnnend Corona Researeb to any nonprofit organ.Zation looking for oncrete help rvilh strategic and businessplannirrg. " Jackie Norris, lsxecetllve Director; retired Heather Halpape Office of Public and Intergovernmental Relations Colorado Department of Transportation (303) 757-9484, heather.palpapc@dot.state.co.us In 2005, Corona Research was selected to serve as the official market research firm for the Colorado Department of'I'ransportation Office of Public Relations. This contract has since included several statewide and targeted public surveys, as well as focus groups and demographic research. Specific topic areas have included toll road usage surveys of commuters, a survey of motorcycle owners, focus groups with teen drivers, surveys regarding traffic safety attitudes and awareness of safety messages, pickup ownership demographics, and several other projects. Christine Byars DUI Services Coordinator, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division Colorado Department of Human Services (303) 866-7496, chirstine.byars@state.co.us Corona Research was retained in 2004 to conduct a multi -year assessment of the attitudes and opinions toward drunk driving in selected communities around Colorado, including Steamboat Springs, Greely, Pueblo, and Alamosa, Mesa and Rio Grande Counties. This project was part of the evaluation of an advertising campaign designed to raise awareness of the costs of getting a DUI in those specific communities. In order to evaluate the program, Random Digital Dial telephone surveys were completed yearly in each community, beginning prior to the commencement of the advertising campaign. PAGE 21 PAGE 22 ONLINE SURVEY METHODOLOGY To conduct online surveys, we typically take the following eleven steps: 1) Obtain a sample of e-mail addresses 2) Design survey instrument 3) Program and load survey instrument 4) Pinter eligible participant list 5) Announce and implement survey 6) Monitor participation rates and send reminder emails 7) Download survey response data 8) Analyze the survey data 9) Prepare findings In this project, Corona Research will be responsible for each of the above steps, under the direction of the client's project manager. Each of the following steps listed above is described in further detail below. Step 1. Obtain a sample of e-mail addresses. In order to conduct an effective online survey, we assume that the client can provide a listing of at least 80 percent of the total population. This will ensure that the results of the survey are not skewed toward a particular population whose contact information happens to be more readily accessible. Step 2. Develop the survey instrument. Next, Corona will engage collaboratively with the client to carefully and objectively design non -leading, clear, and concise questions to make up the survey instrument. While we are experienced experts in survey design, we will gather content ideas from the client based on your ultimate needs. Our objective will be to fully understand the client's research goals before designing the survey instrument. Based on all input gathered, Corona Research will develop a draft of the survey questionnaire. It will be our goal to develop questions that address overall research needs, and are clear and unbiased in structure. Upon approval from the client, we will prepare a final survey instrument. Step 3. Program and load survey. After the survey design is complete, Corona will program survey questions into the wcb-based survey software that our firm uses. This may include linking questions based on particular answers (i.e. "skip patterns"). A typical task associated with our web - based survey design is to test the survey instrument to ensure proper functionality before the actual survey is conducted. Step 4. Enter eligible participant list. Once the survey is programmed, Corona will use the contact information obtained from the client to format the list of eligible participants and upload the data file of all of these individuals. Step 5. Announce and implement survey. The next step in the online surveying process is to generate individual token ID's and send out invitations to all individuals on the eligible participant list (described above). The invitation to take the survey will be sent via email and tokens will be automatically generated so that invited individuals only can enter the site one time and take the survey. Individuals will click on a link given in the e-mail, which will take them to the survey web page. The invitation emails can include the client's logo and will include an "official" announcement about the survey. PAGE 23 Step 6. Monitor participation rates and send out reminder emails. After the survey announcement is distributed Corona Research will monitor participation rates. Based on initial participation, Corona will send out reminder emails to further boost response. We recommend a maximum of two reminder emails over the course of 10-14 days to achieve an optimal response. Step 7. Download Data. After the acceptance deadline for the survey entry has passed, Corona will download all data into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to begin weighting and analysis (described further below). Step 8. Analyze the survey data. Corona is well versed in survey analysis tools, and we will use those to prepare tabulations and, when possible, cross -tabulations of the data. We have strong analytical backgrounds, which enable us to see patterns in the data and conduct follow-up analyses to confirm or refute those observations. The precision of the analysis in terms of statistical reliability will depend upon the number of survey responses gathered. Step 9. Prepare findings. Since this is in intermediary step, Corona will only prepare findings for the purpose of informing later parts of the research and consulting project. While no separate report will be developed solely for the survey, findings will be included in the final overall report. I PAGE 24 INTERVIEW METHODOLOGY Based on Corona's experience and the audiences described, we will take the following six steps when conducting one-on-onc interviews. 1. Identify interview participants. 2. Develop interviewer guide. 3. Plan and schedule interviews. 4. Conduct interviews. 5. Prepare transcripts, analyze interviews and report findings. Corona will be responsible for all of the above steps, under the direction of the client's project manager. We describe each task below. Step 1. Identify interview participants. Corona will work collaboratively with the client to develop a list of possible interviewees for (lie study. Step 2. Develop interviewer guide. In this task, Corona will design the interview guide. The Corona staff is experienced in providing high quality, up -front research design that allows for relevant and informative analysis and reporting. Ultimately, our project team strives to gather data that will lead to findings that will be actionable by the client. In this interview guide design process, Corona will provide opportunity for collaborative feedback to the extent the client desires. Then, Corona will present draft research instruments for review and feedback, and wilt incorporate any final changes recommended. We anticipate that interview guides created will allow for interviews approximately 35-45 minutes in length. Step 3. Plan and schedule interviews. Corona will be responsible for planning and scheduling all the interviews. We will directly contact all potential candidates and make every effort to accommodate their schedule for the interview time. We intend to conduct interviews in person since we have staff located nearby, and because we feel the quality of interviews is higher when done in person. Step 4. Conduct the interviews. Interviews will last approximately 35-45 minutes and will be conducted in person, unless the client requests otherwise. Each interview will be documented as it is conducted. Depending on the client's preference, our firm can both promise and preserve confidentiality for each respondent. It is usually our frrm's practice to do this and thus, respondent names will not be attached to direct quotes, although they will be informed that their names will appear in a list of respondent names in the final report. Again, our firm schedulers will provide flexibility so as to most efficiently and conveniently work with respondents' schedules when setting up interviews. Step 5. Prepare interview notes, analyze interviews and report findings. After the interviews are complete, Corona will carefully review the interview documentation, and analyze all the interviews. Since this is in intermediary step like the online survey, Corona will only prepare PAGE 25 FUNCTIONAL OPTIONS STUDY NORTH FRONT RANGE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION PROPOSAL Prepared by: Corona Research, Inc. Corona Research, 2008 www. coronares earch. com findings for the purpose of informing later parts of the research and consulting project. While no separate report will be developed solely for the interviews, findings will be included in the final overall report. PAGE 26 North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization Functional Options Study Karla Raines, Principal David Kennedy, Senior Analyst Where Corona is Toda) Since we last worked with the MPO Corona has... • Grown to a 21 person firm ■ Completed work in 34 different states and every Colorado county ■ Worked with approximately 200 government, nonprofit and private sector clients since 1999 • Been recognized for growth and business excellence Corona's History with the MPO t� ■ Corona worked with the MPO in 2001 to understand the implications of becoming an independent organization • Corona believes the MPO is in a very strong position to better serve its member governments Corona would be thrilled to work with the MPO again COR :NA Your Project Goals a Determine what is most needed ■ Determine how additional functions could be combined with existing MPO ■ Become a more effective regional voice COR NA i Proiect Understanding i MPO's Need: ■ Determine needs of member communities • What are local communities already doing? • What are their preferences for services? Corona's Solution: E ■ Learn about current functions • Reviewing plans, minutes, laws, and other pertinent documents • Gather input from key stakeholders F ■ Perceptions of the MPO ■ Needs, priorities, concerns, and interests i • Analyze and summarize findings { • Where are there obvious needs? Interests? Capabilities? E Project Understandin MPO's Need: • Determine best additional functions t • What resources would be required to carryout each function? • What functions can be efficiently combined with the MPO? i Corona's Solution: i Gather detailed information about each function • Work and budget requirements, and opportunities for consolidation • Create recommendations • Effectively align new functions with member needs Personnel and Availabilit i Karla Raines: • 17+ years of project management, facilitation, and planning experience. Over 90 clients since 2000 } • Strategic thinker, creative problem solver • Great at "connecting the dots" j David Kennedy. r • Senior analyst involved in 40+ projects in the last 2 years • Knowledge in both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies • Local resident, providing easier logistics bili Natural Area We are expert at aligning internal operations with strategic direction. COR :NA No Text TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION TO CORONA RESEARCH...........................................................................1 INDICATORS OF OUR FIRM'S QUALITY AND REPUTATION........................................................................... 2 OUR F1RM'S GiI OGRAPI IIC RANGE..................................................................................................................... 4 COMPELLING REASONS TO HIRE CORONA RESEARCH..................................................5 SELECTED CLIENTS 1999-2008..................................................................................................6 SF,I,F,C'1'I?D R1:SCFN'1' PUBLIC SURVITYS COMPLE 1FI) BY CORONA RF.SF,AltCII............................................ 9 SI;LIiC'nm FOCUS GROUPS COMPLETED BY CORONA Ri-.SVARCI I............................................................. 11 SELECTED INTERVIEWS COMPLITl IM BY CORONA RIiSvARCi 1.................................................................. 12 PROJECTTEAM...........................................................................................................................13 SCOPEOF WORK.........................................................................................................................15 HOI,U PROJECT INITIATION MIT,, FING........................................................................................................... 15 CON UUCP IN I'll Al, INTVR /lFW WI711'llIF MPO S'1'AFI............................................................................... 15 R73V11i.W BACKGROUND INIURMA'PION........ --.............................................................................................. 16 GATT WR INPUT FROM KIN STAKFHOLDF16................................................................................................. 16 ANALYZE CUIUWNT FUNCTIONS...................................................................................................................... 17 PRl'.Sl:'lwr FINDINGS'm DA'1'13........................................................................................................................... 17 GA'nwR DF%1'AIJED INFORMATION ON SPECIFIC PROGRAMMATIC FUNGIIONS................................... 17 CREAM PROFILES 01+EACH PROGRAMMATIC FUNCTION .......................................................................... 17 WRl'1'F, RF.POIt'1'..................................................................................................................................................... 17 PRI:{Sli',N'P lilf.COAd MF.NUATIONS......................................................................................................................... 17 PRICING........................................................................................................................................18 REFERENCES............................................................................................................................. 20 APPENDICES.............................................................................................................................. 22 ONLINE. SURVEY MI; 1'l IOUOI.O(Gy................................................................................................................... 23 INTERVIEWME'l'HODOLOGY............................................................................................................................. 25 Corona Research, Inc. is a market research and strategic consulting firm located at 1630 Welton Street, suite 525, Denver, Colorado. The firm's mission is to provide cost-effective, accurate information and support to decision makers via a variety of research services. Corona currently has 21 professional staff, including 3 Principals, 11 analysts, a 3-person field data collection team, and 4 office/special function staff. Among our analytical team of partners and analysts, 11 of 13 hold a Master's degree or higher. All projects are led by a Principal with 15 or more years of work experience, and the median work experience level of our staff members is 6 years, far outpacing the average for most firms in our field. Our areas of expertise and services include the following. Research 'Telephone, mail, online, door-to-door, and intercept surveys Focus groups and community input sessions Key Person interviews On -site data collection Analysis Demographic profiles and projections Needs assessment studies Target market studies and market segmentations Feasibility studies Social and fiscal impact studies Program evaluation Optimization analyses Consulting Public input and meet ng facilitation services Management retreat facilitation Strategic and business planning Management counsel In addition, Corona's clients are distributed across the three sectors. The table below illustrates Corona's historical percent of work completed by sector. Government 40% Nonprofit 35% Private Sector 25% PAGE 1 INDICATORS OF OUR PIRM'S QUALITY AND REPUTATION Corona Research has a strong commitment to quality in our work products. Below we offer several indicators of our firm's quality and reputation. • Repeat Business. - 66% of Corona's historical revenues have been derived from repeat and referral clients. At the same time, no single client has provided more than 15 percent of our revenues, which means that we consistently satisfy an array of clients. • Staff Quality and Experience. Corona currently has 21 employees, including three Principals, and they are the top staff in our industry, bar none. We generally require a master's degree to work at Corona Research. Eleven of our thirteen analytical staff hold master's degrees, and two hold PhIYs. "Those advances degrees are highly relevant to our work. Among our 21-person staff, we hold master's degrees in business, public affairs (demographics), economics, mathematics, psychology, industrial engineering, nonprofit management, and PhUs in social psychology and cognitive psychology. We can add to those credentials bachelor's degrees in aerospace engineering, industrial engineering, finance, marketing, economics, and other degrees. Corona staff has very rigorous and well-rounded educations. We employ a rigorous testing process that candidates must pass to even get all interview. In our quantitative practice, for example, we screen any resumes and only invite selected candidates to the test. Even among those, approximately 85% do not score sufficiently well to move on to an interview, ensuring that Corona hires only the top performers in each of our fields of emphasis. Our company is structured to minimize employee turnover. While turnover among new employees does occur as they assess their own interests, Corona has only lost one analyst with more than one year of tenure in the lifetime of the firm. Our philosophy is to attract "the best and the brightest" and then retain diem. • Growth. Corona Research is growing primarily through word of mouth by our satisfied clients, and that growth has been phenomenal. Corona Research was listed on the 25 fastest growing small private companies in Colorado for five of the past six years (from 2002-2005 and 2007) by the llenwr Buxiness ]ovrrta/ - Corona's growth has been atypical of our industry. From 1999 through 2005, Corona Research produced 4.3% of all net new employment in the market research industry in Colorado. While other firms have struggled, Corona has thrived. - In terms of size, Corona is in the top 4% of market research firms in the country and is in the top 2% of market research and/or management consulting firms (combined). ' PAGE 2 • Awards. In the past few years, Corona has received: - In 2007, we were a top -three finalist for Denver Small Business of the Year, an award sponsored by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. We were the only professional services firm that was a finalist. - An Award of Excellence from the Small Business Administration for our work on a federal market research project. A special award from the Parker Fire Protection District in recognition of a community - based market research project we conducted in Douglas County. Finalist Recognition for a community service award from the Dower Businen ]ournal Recognition. Our staffs work has been quoted widely, including references in: - Time Magazine - USA Today - American Demographics magazine Numerous local publications • Professional Involvement and Affiliations. Corona is active in our profession and our community, with involvement that includes: - Official Market Research and Evaluation Firm for the Colorado Nonprofit Association - Members of the Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Denver Partnership - Staff membership in the Marketing Research Association - Staff membership in Public Relations Society of America Involvement on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, including College Summit, the Rocky Mountain Research and Prevention Institute, Social Venture Partners, and more Teaching market research topics at a prominent Colorado university (the University of Denver), and serving on a curriculum review committee for the Business School of i T Technical Institute - Serving on a state government committee to examine causal factors behind child fatalities in motor vehicle crashes. ��Jlrv0M PAGE 3 OUR PIRM'S GEOGRAPHIC RANGE Corona staff members have conducted well over 350 site -specific research or consulting projects in 34 states across the U.S., plus the District of Columbia. We have also conducted several nationwide studies, and within Colorado we have conducted projects in all 64 counties. All Corona projects are run from our sole office in Denver, Colorado. On a geographic basis, 45% of Corona's work has been done in the Denver Metro Area N 33% of Corona's work has been done in Colorado outside the Denver Metro Area 22% of Corona's work has been done outside Colorado This volume of work indicates that Corona is very knowledgeable in various markets and comfortable working on local as well as national projects. PAGE 4 While we believe that Corona Research stands apart from our competition in man}, ways, we offer the following reasons why we believe that we truly stand out with regard to this particular study. These qualities are described in more detail in our proposal. 1. We do high -quality work. Most clients who hire us once end up hiring us again... and again. We believe that this is the single greatest indicator of any firm's work quality. Over half of our clients have requested additional projects or proposals from us, and 66 percent of our revenues are derived from repeat clients or referrals. 2. We design the research according to your needs, and not our capacity. Corona Research provides a wide variety of research tools and techniques. Some of our competitors provide only a narrow range of research, and they try to wedge their clients' needs into the services that they provide, even if it's not in the client's best interest. Because we provide such a broad range of services, we can give you the best and most cost-effective approach, keeping your needs foremost in the decision. 3. We provide the analytical expertise that you need. Corona is a legitimate research firm. We are not a marketing or P.R. firm "that also does research." 4. We offer highly qualified staff. The Corona team consists of experienced professional researchers and consultants, and over half of our full-time staff members (82 percent of line staff) hold master's degrees in topics such business, statistics, public administration, psychology, or economics. Two analysts also have earned their PhDs in psychology. 5. What you see is what you get. The projects we list in our qualifications were actually completed by our current staff, and most projects were completed within the past 24 mouths. In contrast, some larger firms will cite "firm experience," which likely includes projects completed years earlier by employees who are no longer with the firm. 6. We are cost -competitive. While we prefer to compete on quality rather than price, we find that we are also usually very competitive in cost as long as all bidders are using the same analytical assumptions and providing a similar level of service. 7. We are a "one -stop shop." Many of our clients retain us for multiple projects. Due to our generalist nature, we can provide a variety of research services without climbing the learning curve each time. Our clients save money and effort by taking advantage of our diversity. 8. We have capacity. In the research world, there are three types of companies: big, lumbering national or multi -national firms that offer very templated data with no custornizat;ion for clients; small, one -person shops who provide limited and specialized services within their niches of expertise; and then the handful of mid -sized firms like Corona. We are small enough to provide customized services, unlike the behemoths, and yet we are large enough to provide broad expertise, fast turnaround, and capacity for large projects that the "lone consultants" lack. We are large enough to take on large projects, but still small enough that those projects will be significant to us. 9. We are neutral and objective. Corona maintains a neutral standpoint and avoids all possible conflicts of interest, so we can approach the research on a completely objective basis. 10. We can work anywhere. A total of 62 percent of our project work is conducted beyond driving range from our office. We are very comfortable working with clients throughout the U.S., and we can conduct our research equally well in large cities, small rural community, or even studies of a nationwide scope. PAGE 5