HomeMy WebLinkAbout4.b. Review draft Position Paper to authorize an amendment to an agreement with Bernardo M. Ferdman DBA Ferdman Consulting to continue Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consulting and facilitation services Page 1 of 9
Item 4.b.
CENTRAL SAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS
POSITION PAPER
DRAFT
MEETING DATE: FEBRUARY7, 2023
SUBJECT: REVIEW DRAFT POSITION PAPER TO AUTHORIZE THE GENERAL
MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO AN EXISTING
PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH
BERNARDO M. FERDMAN, DBA FERDMAN CONSULTING, I N AN
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $237,605, INCREASING THE TOTAL COST
CEILING TO $343,356, TO CONTINUE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND
INCLUSION CONSULTING AND FACILITATION SERVICES THROUGH
MARCH 31, 2024
SUBMITTED BY: INITIATING DEPARTMENT:
TEJI O'MALLEY, HUMAN RESOURCES AND OFFICE OF THE GENERAL MANAGER -
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT HUMAN RESOURCES
MANAGER
CHRISTINA GEE, MANAGEMENT ANALYST
ISSUE
Board Policy No. BP 037 - Delegation ofAuthority to General Manager requires Board approval for the
General Manager to sign agreements exceeding $200,000.
BACKGROUND
I n August 2022, the Board established an Ad Hoc Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee to
receive initial background information on DEI.
In September 2021, Central San put an informal request for quotes from various DEI consulting firms,
including some referred by sister agencies. Staff identified the top four candidates and requested
biographical information of the company and primary consultant(s), qualifications, and proposed cost. After
reviewing the proposals and interviewing the top candidates, staff selected Bernardo Ferdman, Ph.D., of
Ferdman Consulting. Dr. Ferdman has over 35 years of experience in the field, and his clients include both
public and private agencies. Central San began contracting with Ferdman Consulting in December 2021 to
provide information, expert guidance, and facilitation of the new DEI initiative.
Dr. Ferdman presented an overview of DEI to the Board DEI Ad Hoc Committee on February 10, 2022 and the
full Board on March 17, 2022. He has interviewed Central San's leadership team individually and used that
feedback to design and lead several workshops with the group. On July 20, 2022, Dr. Ferdman launched the
DEI initiative District wide.
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Since then, the focus of Dr. Ferdman's work has been in building, educating, and bringing together the DEI
Task Force. The Task Force consists of 14 volunteers from multiple levels and departments of Central San to
help drive the initiative and communicate its efforts District wide. Within the Task Force, there are several sub-
committees dedicated to specific efforts, such as creation of a charter and an organization-wide assessment.
There is also a DEI Coordination Team consisting of five members of the DEI Task Force. The Coordination
Team collectively serves as the de facto DEI officer for Central San, helps guide the Task Force efforts, and
liaisons with the leadership team to provide updates. Dr. Ferdman has been providing support and facilitation to
these sub-groups as they develop their roles.
In addition to these efforts, Dr. Ferdman has used his proprietary"Inclusion @ Work" online modules as a
learning tool for both the leadership team and Task Force to educate themselves on DEI concepts and share
insights with each other. The cost of the software and licenses ($4,080)was included in the original contract fee
schedule.
The first year of Dr. Ferdman's work with Central San has focused on educating the Board, leadership
team, and Task Force and introducing the concept to all District staff, as well as building relationships
rooted in a joint effort to understand and improve DEI's presence, meaning, importance, and relevance at
Central San. This has resulted in a strong foundation of DEI learning and understanding which can be
leveraged into deliverables in 2023.
The second phase of this contract can continue and deepen this work. The proposed scope of work
(Attachment 1) details seven tasks, including the following:
• Continue to facilitate and support the Task Force and its subcommittees, including on the
development and implementation of a DEI strategic action plan.
• Complete an assessment of the status of DEI at Central San.
• Conduct feedback and integration sessions based on the findings of the assessment.
• Continue to facilitate workshops and presentations to the leadership team and Board.
Dr. Ferdman's associates - Karen Harris, M.A., (biography included in Attachment 1) and Sophia Sung,
Ph.D., along with other potential partners -will be brought in to provide support on these tasks.
For these tasks, a total of$199,805.00 in consulting fees is projected, plus $33,000 in travel expenses,
and $4,800 for the web-based Workplace Inclusion Inventory software to conduct the DEI assessment.
This totals a proposed addition of$237,605. Staff is proposing a contract extension end date of March 31,
2024.
Thus far, $77,183.47 has been spent on the contract, which has a current cost ceiling of$105,850.
ALTERNATIVES/CONSIDERATIONS
The Board could elect not to enter into this contract and seek another consultant for the D E I initiative. This
alternative is not recommended as Dr. Ferdman has experience and has gained knowledge getting to
know Central San's organizational culture and structure, and working with Central San's leadership team
and D E I Task Force.
While some of the proposed work could conceivably be done in house, the neutrality of a third party expert
performing this work is integral to the success of the initiative. Eventually, Central San may be able to
sustain its own DEI efforts and Ferdman Consulting's involvement could be minimal.
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Another alternative is for the Board Ad Hoc Committee and/or full Board to pare down the proposed
scope of work.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS
The work completed under this revision is not to exceed $237,605 over the remaining duration of the
contract(proposed extension date of March 31, 2024).
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Administration Committee reviewed this item at its February 7, 2023 meeting and recommended
RECOMMENDED BOARD ACTION
Authorize the General Manager to execute an amendment to an existing professional consulting services
agreement with Bernardo M. Ferdman, DBA Ferdman Consulting, in an amount not to exceed $237,605,
increasing the total cost ceiling to $343,356, to continue Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consulting and
facilitation services through March 31, 2024.
Strategic Plan Tie-In
GOAL THREE: Workforce Diversity and Development
Strategy 4- Foster a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Proposed Scope of Work and Fee Schedule
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Ferdman
CONSULTING
https://ferdmanconsulting.com
DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION CONSULTATION&FACILITATION
CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA SANITARY DISTRICT
SCOPE OF WORK 2023
12/16/2022
Ferdman Consulting,via its principal consultant, Bernardo Ferdman, Ph.D., is close to completing one
year of service as Central San's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consultant. During 2022, Dr.
Ferdman has worked with Central San to launch a DEI initiative,including:
• presentations to the Board's Ad Hoc DEI Committee (February 10, 2022) and to the full Board
(March 17,2022)
• design and delivery multiple learning and professional development workshops with the
management team (preceded by interviews with all management team members)
• design and facilitation of the District-wide launch of the DEI initiative for all staff
• convening and launch of Central San's DEI Task Force and DEI Coordination Team, both
including members of the management team and staff
• facilitation of the Inclusion@Work° learningjourney for the management team and for the DEI
Task Force members
• design and delivery of learning workshops for the DEI Task Force
• provision of support and coaching on DEI issues for Central San leaders
The Board's Ad Hoc DEI Committee requested an assessment of the status of DEI at Central San,
including information about DEI's meaning, importance, and relevance for Central San. The
groundwork for this was prepared with the activities outlined above, and the goal is to continue to
address this request in the coming months.
Strategically, Central San continues to deepen its engagement with and commitment to infusing DEI
into how it operates, in line with Central San's values (especially "Diversity, Equity,And Inclusion: We
value people of all backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives,and we are committed to the principles of
equity and inclusion")and its 2022-2024 Strategic Plan,particularly Goal 3,which focuses on workforce
diversity and development. Indeed,Strategy 2 for this goal is"Foster a Culture of Diversity, Equity,and
Inclusion: Build a diverse workplace that celebrates differences and is inclusive of individual
perspectives, ideas,and values"and the key success measures for this are "(1) Conduct an assessment
to identify strengths and weaknesses; (2) Develop programs/initiatives with metrics based on the
outcomes of the assessment;(3) Encourage and respectfully acknowledge the voicing of different views
and perspectives;and (4) Promote inclusivity and a sense of belonging through leadership."
Central San's management team,the DEI Task Force, and the DEI Coordination Team are prepared to
deepen this work in 2023.To facilitate this and to provide expert support and consultation,Central San
would like to continue its partnership with Ferdman Consulting through 2023.
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This statement of work outlines the activities that we will engage in during 2023, estimated consulting
time required,and associated fees.
Our Scope of Work is based on the following assumptions:
1. The details of the work and its implementation will be determined and adapted as needed and
considering the experience and learning at each stage, as well as results of a DEI assessment, in an
ongoing partnership with our key liaisons at Central San, including General Manager Roger Bailey,
HR&OD Manager Teji O'Malley, the DEI Coordination Team,the DEI Task Force, and the members
of the Board's Ad Hoc DEI Committee.
2. The work will involve continuing to focus attention at multiple levels—including individual,
group/team,and organizational. Individuals need to engage in learning and reflection on their own
perspectives, roles, and behavior; groups need to consider how they work together and how they
can co-create ways to bring inclusion to life in their norms and practices; and attention must be
given to learning about and then applying strategic and organizational-level perspectives to DEI,
including policies and practices and organizational culture.These are all important and affect each
other, and it will be unlikely that a focus on only one or two of these levels will be successful. In
other words, this approach goes beyond "training" and will continue to require ongoing
engagement and participation, particularly from senior leaders, to achieve meaningful and
sustainable outcomes.
We plan to include at least two and potentially more sub-contractors to partner with Dr. Ferdman to
support accomplishing the objectives of the engagement. One of these will be Karen Harris,M.A. (see
enclosed bio), who has worked on diversity, equity, and inclusion for over 20 years as a facilitator,
trainer, leader, and change agent, across all sectors, including non- profit, business, academic and
government. Karen's diversity and inclusion skills are built on extensive personal and professional
experiences overseas and on diverse teams within the United States.Karen served as lead facilitatorfor
the research, development, and implementation of the County of San Diego's Strategic Plan for
Diversity and Inclusion,and currently serves as a Staff Development Coordinator for the County of San
Diego Health&Human Services Agency,where she leads the Agency's training team for instructor-led,
online, and video-based learning for 6,000+ employees. Karen will be available as needed to support
components of the work of the Task Force,to support data collection and analysis via interviews and/or
focus groups, to partner with Dr. Ferdman in designing and/or delivering learning workshops, and to
develop DEI learning and communication materials and tools.
Another resource will be Sophia Sung, Ph.D. who has worked with Ferdman Consulting for over five
years, and who will provide assessment support, particularly in data collection, analysis, and report
preparation,as well as other research and analytic support that may be needed.
Also as needed,we will contractwith additional partners(particularly in the Bay Area)as may be helpful
for provision of learning workshops orto address similar needs that may arise during the year.Any such
sub-contractors (or changes to the above) will be reviewed and approved in advance by Teji O'Malley
and/or the designated liaison(s) at Central San.
COMPONENTS
The following are the components of the work to be done by Ferdman Consulting during the term of
this agreement:
�f Ferdman 2
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1. Ongoing facilitation of and support for the DEI Task Force and its subcommittees, as well as
the DEI Coordination Team, including continued consultation on the development and
implementation of a DEI strategic action plan
The DEI Task Force,formed in August 2022,will continue its work throughout 2023,and has formed
a Coordination Team, as well as five initial sub-committees (Task Force Charter, DEI
Rationale/Vision/Principles, DEI Assessment, DEI Strategic Action Plan (including DEI
learning/development), and DEI Communication). Dr. Ferdman will continue to facilitate and staff
the work of these groups, including provision of expertise, development of and/or consultation on
materials and resources, and planning and implementation. This work will include supporting the
creation of a charter for the Task Force; development of a DEI Vision, Rationale, and Principles for
Central San; development and execution of a DEI assessment plan; development and initial
implementation of a DEI strategic action plan; ongoing DEI communication;and related activities.
Estimated consulting hours:
• Dr. Ferdman: 15 hours/month through June 2023,then 8 hours/month (138 hours)
• K. Harris:50 hours
2. DEI Assessment (including surveying staff using the Workplace Inclusion Inventory'" or an
adaptation of it) as guided by the DEI Task Force and its assessment sub-committee
Ferdman Consulting offers a proprietary inclusion assessment,the Workplace Inclusion Inventory",
that is likely to be suitable as a key element of a baseline DEI Assessment to be conducted at Central
San in the first three to four months of 2023(as guided by the DEI Task Force and its DEI Assessment
Sub-Committee). Ferdman Consulting will be responsible for collecting,analyzing,and compiling a
summary report of the survey data. We will also conduct interviews and/or focus groups as
determined to be helpful by the Task Force. We will use the Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Benchmarks as an assessment resource,though the time forthis will most likely fall into component
#1 above.Additionally,we will consult on the use of current metrics(e.g., based on HR data) or the
development of new metrics to assess the state and progress of DEI at Central San.
Important note:To protect the confidentiality of Central San staff who complete surveys and provide data,
all individual responses collected by Ferdman Consulting during the assessment process (e.g., on the
Workplace Inclusion Inventory'"' or its derivatives, other surveys, individual or group interviews, etc.) will
remain with Ferdman Consulting in secured databases,including upon completion ortermination of the work
described in this agreement. However, reports, summary tables, and analyses prepared as part of this
agreement, as well as datasets that do not permit identifying individuals, will be provided to Central San
either as part of the assessment report,the outcomes shared during feedback, or upon request by Central
San.
Estimated consulting hours:
• Dr. Ferdman:45 hours
• K. Harris:25 hours
• Analyst(Dr. Sung):70 hours
Note: There is an additional fee for use of the Workplace Inclusion Inventory"", including data
collection.
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3. Feedback and integration sessions (in connection with the assessment results)
As part of the assessment process, once data is collected and reports are prepared, we will hold
feedback and visioning sessions with various groups of staff, as determined and guided by the DEI
Task Force,to review and interpret the results and to generate and prioritize ideas and suggestions
for moving into a desired future that integrates brings DEI to life across the organization,in line with
Central San's values and strategic priorities. These sessions will also serve to build momentum
across the organization for the DEI work and will generate input for the DEI Task Force on which to
base a more strategic DEI plan going forward.
Estimated consulting hours:
• Dr. Ferdman:25
• K. Harris:20
• Analyst (Dr. Sung):25
4. Ongoing DEI learning, including professional/leadership development for the management
team,as needed and requested
To build on work already accomplished, and to move forward in fostering a culture of diversity,
equity, and inclusion, it will be important to provide opportunities for management and staff for
ongoing learning regarding DEI and associated practices. The details of this will be determined
dynamically, based on the DEI assessment and other needs throughout the year. Dr. Ferdman and
associates will be available to provide customized workshops and/or other professional
development opportunities,including customized tools or resources,as requested by Roger Bailey,
Teji O'Malley, and/or the DEI Coordination Team/DEI Task Force (the latter as part of a developing
DEI plan).This can include preparation and/or customization of learning materials and resources.
Estimated consulting hours:
• Dr. Ferdman:40
• K. Harris (and/or other consultants/facilitators):40
• Analyst(Dr. Sung):20
5. Updates to the Board and its Ad Hoc DEI Committee,as needed/requested
Dr. Ferdman will prepare and deliver updates and/or information sessions (including workshops if
so requested)for the Board and for the Board's Ad Hoc DEI Committee.
Estimated consulting hours:
• Dr. Ferdman:25
• Dr. Harris: 15
6. Group and/or individual consultation and/or coaching,as requested
Dr. Ferdman (and/or his associates)will be available for consultation and/or coaching with leaders
and/or their teams,as helpful and as requested or authorized by Roger Bailey orTeji O'Malley,or as
helpful for the overall initiative.
Estimated consulting hours:
• Dr. Ferdman:25
• Dr. Harris: 15
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7. Planning and coordination
Throughout the year, we will keep Roger Bailey, Teji O'Malley, and Christina Gee informed about
progress,and we will hold planning and coordination meetings as needed.We also sometimes need
to coordinate and/or communicate with other consultants (e.g., Larry Bienati). Finally,we need to
allocate time for coordination and planning meetings of the Ferdman Consulting team that do not
fall into the categories above.
Estimated consulting hours:
• Dr. Ferdman: 18
• Dr. Harris: 12
• Analyst(Dr.Sung): 12
CONSULTING TIME AND FEES
Based on the listed components, we anticipate a total of 316 consulting hours for Dr. Ferdman, 177
hours for Ms. Harris and/or other consultants, and 127 hours for our research analyst. Our hourly
government/non-profit rates are as follows:
• Dr. Ferdman: $410/hour
• Karen Harris(and other facilitators or consultants engaged in learning design and/or delivery):
$300/hour
• Research/data analyst: $135/hour
Based on the estimated hours needed,total fees will be $199,805.00.
Because the specific time needed for each component may vary from the estimates as the process
evolves, we will bill based on actual work completed. Under the billing agreement, we will submit
monthly invoices, payable within 30 days, based on work completed in the prior month and our hourly
rates.
If it is decided to use the Workplace Inclusion Inventory"' (see attachments) as a department-wide
assessment, the fee will be $4,800, which includes the technical survey costs (survey set-up,
programming,fielding,and execution);the implementation fee will be waived since those components
are included in our hourly fees.
A substantial portion of the work will be done virtually. However, when travel is required, travel
expenses will be billed at cost in accordance with Central San policies. Additionally, we will bill for
required travel time at 1/3 of our usual fee (in other words, we consider 3 hours of travel time to be
equivalent to 1 consulting hour). Assuming ten trips to Central San for Dr. Ferdman, and three for Ms.
Harris,travel expenses for the year are estimated to be approximately$33,000 (including travel time).
Based on the above,we propose a total budget of$237,605 for the year.
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Ferdman 5
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Ferdman CONSULTING
Supporting leaders&organizations in bringing inclusion to life
Karen Harris, M.A.
Karen Harris has been working in the field of diversity, equity
and inclusion for over 20 years as a facilitator, trainer, leader
and change agent. She has worked on diversity and inclusion
across all sectors, including non- profit, business, academic
v and government. Her diversity and inclusion skills are built on
extensive personal and professional experiences overseas
and on diverse teams within the United States. Karen
` currently serves as a Staff Development Coordinator for the
\ County of San Diego Health & Human Services Agency, where
she leads the Agency's training team for instructor-led, online
and video-based learning for 6,000+ employees. She is very
proud of her role as the lead facilitator for the research,
development and implementation of the Coun 's Strategic Plan for Diversity and Inclusion,
for which she received the Coin of Excellence from the Chief Administrative Officer, Helen
Robbins-Meyer. As part of this effort, Karen partnered with Bernardo Ferdman of Ferdman
Consulting in conducting focus groups for the leaders of the County's employee resource
groups, and also designing and facilitating several ERG leadership summits focused on
developing a cadre of diversity and inclusion champions for San Diego County. In 2021, Karen
worked with Ferdman Consulting to conduct racial equity internal listening sessions for the
California Sate Water Resources Control Board.
Karen did her undergraduate work at Georgetown University in Washington D.0 , where she
obtained a degree in history and diplomacy in developing regions from The School of Foreign
Service. She earned her Master in Organizational Leadership from The College of St. Catherine
in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where she completed a Leadership Action Project on creating a
successful intercultural workplace.
From 2008 to 2014, Karen was the Lead Principal at The Diversity Edge, a consulting agency
offering training and strategic planning services to public, private, and non-profit
organizations such as the U.S. Postal Service, Department of Natural Resources, County of San
Diego, Girl Scouts of America, BAE Systems, CP Kelco, San Diego State University, and
Navy Federal Credit Union. Her passion is facilitating understanding and communication
across cultures and bringing people together for personal and social change. She has seen
firsthand how inclusion builds stronger, more motivated teams and unleashes collective
creativity and productivity.
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