City of LA to Spend $1.6 Million on Book Fair in Mexico

To be voted on at the Council Meeting on Tuesday, August 12th, 2008

ITEM NO. (36) - Motion Required 08-0320

COMMUNICATION FROM CHAIR, ARTS, PARKS, HEALTH AND AGING COMMITTEE relative to a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for the Guadalajara International Book Fair.

Recommendations for Council action; SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MAYOR:

1. AUTHORIZE the General Manager, Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), to accept a grant
award from the NEA in the amount of $1,600,000 for the period of July 1, 2008 through
December 31, 2009.

2. AUTHORIZE the General Manager, DCA, or designee, to negotiate and execute a Cooperative
Agreement with the NEA on behalf of the City and to submit all necessary paperwork relative to
the grant, subject to the City Attorney approval as to form and content (proposed agreement
attached to Council file).

3. AUTHORIZE the DCA to expend NEA grant funds for all eligible purposes activities for the
period of July 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009.

4. AUTHORIZE the General Manager, DCA, to:

a. Prepare and release a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the design, construction, and
implementation of a showcase pavilion in accordance with the requirements of the NEA
and the technical and security provisions of the Guadalajara International Book Fair for
an amount not to exceed $300,000.

b. Include in that RFP a requirement that the selected firm subcontract with a Mexican
construction firm to build and install the showcase pavilion in Guadalajara, as
recommended by the NEA.

5. WAIVE the application of City contracting requirements for any subcontracts between the
design firm selected pursuant to the aforementioned RFP and Mexican construction firms to
construct and install the showcase pavilion in Mexico.

6. AUTHORIZE the Controller to:
a. Establish a new appropriation account within the DCA Grants Trust Fund, Fund No. 337,
in a new account to be labeled "Guadalajara Book Fair."
b. Deposit up to $1,600,000 received from the NEA into the newly established account in
Fund No. 337, "Guadalajara Book Fair."

7. AUTHORIZE the General Manager, DCA, or designee, to prepare any Controller instructions
needed to implement actions approved by the Council and Mayor on matters presented in or
deriving from the transmittal, and/or to make necessary technical adjustments, subject to review by the City Administrative Officer; and further, AUTHORIZE the Controller to implement these instructions.

Fiscal Impact Statement: The DCA reports that there is no fiscal impact to the General Fund.

This project is entirely funded by the NEA.

Community Impact Statement: None submitted.