Request for Committee Action

2024-00130 - Contract amendments with organizations providing services under the MinneapolUS Strategic Outreach Initiative

A formal Request for Proposals (RFP) for the MinneapolUS Strategic Outreach Initiative services was released on February 11, 2021, and closed on March 11, 2021, under Event #0000001374. The City received twelve (12) responses, and TOUCH Outreach was selected as one of the six (6) vendors awarded through this process.

Emergency Downtown Response services were prompted by an urgent need to address public safety concerns, particularly related to incidents occurring during late-night hours in the Downtown Minneapolis area. Local law enforcement, including Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) contacted the Neighborhood Safety Department for support in enhancing safety measures during peak late-night hours (Thursday through Sunday, 9 PM – 3 AM). This response was coordinated as part of an emergency services effort, intended at providing boots-on-the-ground presence and reducing safety risks in collaboration with MPD. The services provided during this time were not intended to serve as routine crowd control, but rather to ensure safety and support for both the public and law enforcement during heightened periods of concern. Community feedback indicated that the presence of the teams contributed positively to a greater sense of safety in the area.

The initial response was expanded beyond the usual coverage of TOUCH Outreach by including additional teams. While the City had requested their continued presence as part of the urgent safety response, the request was made informally, and an amendment to increase contract funding was not executed prior to the extension of services. As a result, the Neighborhood Safety received a final invoice from TOUCH Outreach reflecting hours worked beyond the original contract not to exceed limit, submitted under the assumption that a subsequent amendment would be issued to cover the additional hours and associated costs.

The Neighborhood Safety Department is requesting an amendment to the current agreement with TOUCH Outreach. This amendment would increase the contract by $87,658.69, bringing the total Not-to-Exceed amount to $4,800,838.69.