ACTION REQUESTED:
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Communication from the City Manager and the Chief Innovation Officer with a Request to APPROVE a SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT with CHANGE AND INNOVATION AGENCY, LLC for INNOVATION AND PERFORMANCE TRAINING, in the Amount NOT TO EXCEED $41,500.00 for a 3-day Innovation Academy Training, Expert Consultation and Related Travel Costs.
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BACKGROUND:
The City of Peoria Innovation Team (i-team) is charged with increasing innovation capacity within City government. The i-team is seeking a contract (see attached) with Change and Innovation Agency, LLC - led by Consulting Partner, Brian Elms - for cross-departmental Innovation and Performance Training. Brian has more than 15 years of experience working with state and municipal governments. Prior to joining Change and Innovation Agency, LLC, he co-founded the Denver PEAK Academy, a nationally recognized, employee-led process improvement program that has generated approximately $25 million in savings for the City and County of Denver, Colorado (13,000+ FTEs). Brian has also developed process improvement workshops and mentor programs for governments. He is certified in Lean, Six Sigma, and change management and has published a book on the topic of innovation and process improvement in government (Peak Performance, Governing Books, 2016). He is an AmeriCorps alumni, former Policy Director for the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, Legislative Specialist for AARP, and Government Relations Director for Denver International Airport.
Early in 2018, the i-team took part in a peer exchange and innovation training led by Brian Elms in Syracuse, New York. The i-team was introduced to the methodology and tools of the employee-led Innovation Academy framework and how it can be used to improve performance in municipal government.
In a time of fiscal challenges and high resource demands, innovation is necessary to bring new approaches to bear that effectively meet the needs of residents. The training is also an opportunity to invest in the professional development of staff during a time on constrained resources.
The Innovation Academy curriculum draws on industry best practices, leverages process improvement, and empowers employees to make meaningful and impactful change throughout the City. During the Innovation Academy, staff will:
1. Learn techniques on how to see problems in their work space and techniques to solve those problems. The tools will focus on the innovation methodology, “See It, Say It, Solve It.”
2. Explore how to deliver value to the customer on demand. The training will emphasize the value of considering residents as customers and delivering meaningful services to those customers during each step of a process.
3. Learn five skills to See a Problem and five skills to Solve a Problem.
4. Discuss the widgets (services) each team makes in their workplace and help them understand where their value is created.
Immediately following the Innovation Academy, Brian and other Change and Innovation Agency, LLC staff will provide Expert Consultation including professional counsel in change management, innovation, and process improvement in order to help:
1. Facilitate change initiatives.
2. Identify ideas and best practices.
3. Support employees and leadership with counsel and expertise in changing programs.
4. Assist the City with transition of both leadership and staff in relationship to change initiatives.
The training will be available for up to 25 participants and will take place on October 2, 3 and 4, 2018. Expert on-site consultation sessions will occur on November 1, 2018, and December 6, 2018.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Funding for this contract will come from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Innovation Grant and is a budgeted item within the 2018 Innovation Team Budget (City Manager’s Office). Since we are in the last year of funding for the Innovation Team grant, if the funds are not spent, they will have to be returned to Bloomberg Philanthropies.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: N/A
IMPACT IF APPROVED: The City of Peoria will benefit from the Innovation Academy Training for City Staff.
IMPACT IF DENIED: The City of Peoria will not have the Innovation Academy Training for City Staff.
ALTERNATIVES: N/A
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER: 03488-190930
WHICH OF THE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL’S 2014 - 2029 STRATEGIC PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION ADVANCE?
1. Financially Sound City Government, Effective City Organization
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Have an efficient government.
DEPARTMENT: City Manager’s Office