Title
Resolution to Approve a Professional Services Agreement with VegMichigan for Various Efforts to Engage, Educate, and Work to Advance Sustainable and Plant-Forward Diets ($135,000.00)
Memorandum
The City of Ann Arbor has set the ambitious and essential goal of a just transition to community-wide carbon neutrality by the year 2030 (known as A2ZERO). Guiding this goal is the City’s “Living Carbon Neutrality Plan,” which includes seven strategies and forty-four actions. Strategy five of A2ZERO calls for the movement to a more circular economy - one that is more relational as opposed to consumptive. A key piece of this work is advancing the generation, use, and incubation of sustainable food in the community.
Over the last several months the Office of Sustainability and Innovations (OSI) has been working with VegMichigan on a series of activities to advance sustainable, primarily plant-forward diets. This work has garnered extremely strong public feedback and support, leading to OSI looking for ways to scale work around plant-forward diets in collaboration with VegMichigan. That is why OSI proposes working with VegMichigan on the following six tasks with the goal of supporting more residents and businesses with offering and consuming plant-forward diets:
1. Design community educational materials
2. Host plant-based challenges
3. Conduct local business engagement
4. Provide plant-based policy support
5. On demand support to expand plant-based diets
6. Biweekly check-ins
The staff recommends a three-year contract with VegMichigan with two, one-year, administrative options to extend.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: Funding to support this work with VegMichigan was integrated into the Office of Sustainability and Innovations 2024 Council adopted budget.
Staff
Prepared by: Missy Stults, Sustainability and Innovations Director
Approved by: Milton Dohoney Jr., City Administrator
Body
Whereas, In June 2020 Ann Arbor City Council unanimously adopted the A2ZERO Carbon Neutrality Plan, which set the goal of community-wide carbon neutrality by the year 2030;
Whereas, Moving towards a more circular economy, including work to advance plant-forward diets, is one of the core actions identified in the A2ZERO Plan;
Whereas, The Office of Sustainability and Innovations has worked with VegMichigan on a week-long Plant-Forward Challenge and on community education and engagement in the past;
Whereas, Those events were extremely successful, with hundreds of Ann Arborites participating in events and activities; and
Whereas, The growing work around plant-forward diets necessitates additional time, attention, and capacity to support more residents with engaging in this work;
RESOLVED, That City Council approves a three-year Professional Services Agreement with VegMichigan in the amount of $135,000.00 for Various Efforts to Engage, Educate, and Work to Advance Sustainable and Plant-Forward Diets;
RESOLVED, That City Council authorizes two optional one-year extensions of the agreement upon approval by the City Administrator;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk are authorized to sign the agreement after approval as to substance by the City Administrator and approval as to form by the City Attorney;
Resolved, That the City Administrator is authorized to take all appropriate actions to implement this resolution, including signing all necessary documents and sub-agreements; and
RESOLVED, That this contract be modified to add a task to, at least annually, track and report on the impact and efficacy of the scope of services, including details on number of stakeholders engaged, greenhouse gas emissions reduced, and other metrics relevant given the scope of services.
As Amended and Approved by Ann Arbor City Council on July 6, 2023