Title
Establishing the membership of the City/Council Comprehensive Reparations Harm Report RFP Review Committee (“Committee”) to review proposals received from the City/Council Comprehensive Reparations Harm Report RFP.
Body
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul City Council "City Council" passed RES 23-969 that established the Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission; and
WHEREAS, The Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission consist of eleven (11) at- large members appointed by the City Council from all across the City of Saint Paul; and
WHEREAS, on December 11th, 20245 the City Council (“Council”) voted to approve the 2025 City of Saint Paul City on the city budget which included Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) to support the work of the Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission,one hundred and seventy five thousand dollars (175,000) of which was to contract for a City/City Council Comprehensive Reparations Harm report through a Reparations Harm Study; and
WHEREAS, on April 23, 2025, The Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission voted to unanimously direct the City of Saint Paul and City Council to conduct a City/City Council Comprehensive Reparations Harm Report and provide a full draft of the City/City Council Comprehensive Reparations Harm RFP; and
WHEREAS, on August 18, 2025, proposals for RFP Event 1627, City/City Council Comprehensive Reparations Harm Report were invited from qualified research organizations with the goal of producing a comprehensive Reparations Harm Report; and
WHEREAS, on October 3, 2025, the deadline for the submission for proposals for RFP Event 1627, the City/City Council Comprehensive Reparations Harm Report RFP, expired; and
WHEREAS, The City of Saint Paul invited proposals, through its RFP process, from qualified research organizations to produce a comprehensive Reparations Harm Report (“Report”); and
WHEREAS, the purpose of this Report is to document historic and ongoing harms against American Descendants of Chattel Slavery (ADoCS), caused by government policies and practices; and
WHEREAS, this Report will guide and inform future reparative initiatives by the City, as well as policy recommendations developed by the Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission (SPRCOR); and
WHEREAS, The Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission has requested that the Saint Paul City Council prioritize this City/ City Council Comprehensive Reparations Harm Report RFP selection process and complete the selection process prior to December 31, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul City Council recognizes that ensuring a transparent, Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission (SPRCOR) and community-driven process for selecting a contractor is essential to maintaining public trust; and
WHEREAS, The Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission serves as an advisory committee and does not have authority to implement programs, manage funds, speak on behalf of the City, City Council, or direct City staff; and
WHEREAS, The Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission does not have independent spending authority as the full allocated budget is within the City of Saint Paul, City Council annual 2025 budget; and
WHEREAS, Pursuant to Article III, Section II, Paragraph 6 of the Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission Bylaws, the chair of the commission is allowed to “appoint members to committees and designate committee Chairs to conduct specific focused tasks in support of the Commission’s approved annual work plan as needed” and that Chair Trahern Crews has used that right to appoint Mr. Jeremie English as the community designee to serve as the Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission representative throughout the City/ City Council Comprehensive Reparations Harm Report RFP selection and review process; and
WHEREAS, The Saint Paul City Council and/or the Saint Paul City Council Director of Operations must approve all expenditures including but not limited to: staff time, program costs, or external engagements, and contracts; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul City Council believes that honoring the recommendation of the community appointed members of The Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission is essential towards meeting and informing the goals of the City and Council Comprehensive Reparations Harm Report; and the addition of community members to the Committee is essential to its goals for the Harm Study; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Saint Paul that:
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul and Saint Paul City Council procurement process is well-governed by legal and procedural requirements intended to ensure fairness, transparency and equal opportunity for all prospective vendors; now therefore
1. Establishment of Selection Committee.
A Reparations Study RFP Selection Committee (“Committee”) is hereby established to review proposals and recommend a contractor to the Reparations Commission for referral to the City Council for award.
2. Composition.
The Committee shall consist of the five (5) community members who are not City staff, including at least one (2) descendant of the Rondo neighborhood selected by a majority vote of the Reparations Commission, Ward 7 Legislative Aide, Ward 1 Graduate Intern, City Council Director, Executive Assistant to the Reparations Commission, appointee of Commission Chair, and
3. Community Member Selection.
The Reparations Commission shall hold a special meeting within four (4) weeks of the effective date of this resolution to select the five community members.
5. Timeline for Completion.
The Selection Committee shall complete its review and make a contractor recommendation no later than December 31, 2025.
6. Administrative Support.
Reparations Commission staff shall provide administrative support, including meeting coordination and record keeping.
7. Council Authority.
Nothing in this resolution delegates contracting authority. The City Council retains final approval of any contract award.
8. Effective Date.
This resolution is effective upon passage and approval.
BE IT RESOLVED, The Saint Paul City Council supports the work of the current and ongoing procurement process established in partnership with the Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission, the City of Saint Paul HREEO department, and the Saint Paul City Council; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, The Saint Paul City Council supports the recommended appointment from Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission Chair, Trahern Crews and supports the appointment of Mr. Jeremie English as the community designee to serve as the Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission representative throughout the City/Council Comprehensive Reparations Harm Report RFP selection and review process; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, The Saint Paul City Council also supports the appointment of one representative from Ward 1’s office, one representative from Ward 7’s Office, and the legislative aide to the Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission to serve on the City/Council Comprehensive Reparations Harm Report RFP selection and review process; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, The Saint Paul City Council, upon its review, approves and supports the City/Council Comprehensive Reparations Harm Report RFP selection and review process led by Saint Paul City Council Director of Operations and Reparations Commission Staff; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, The Saint Paul City Council authorizes and directs the Director of Operations and Reparations Commission staff to follow the procurement selection and review process, finalize scorings and provide recommendations to the Saint Paul City Council and the Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations no later than the next Reparations Commission meeting on November 24, 2025.