Amend Mayor and Council Communication C-28859 to Provide for a One-Year Initial Term and Four, One-Year Renewal Options, Instead of Five Year Term, for Contract with International Sister Cities Association of Fort Worth, Inc., to Administer the Fort Worth Sister Cities Program in the Amount of $50,000.00 in the First Year (ALL COUNCIL DISTRICTS)

It is recommended that the City Council amend Mayor and Council Communication C-28859 to provide a one-year initial term with four, one-year renewal options, for the contract with International Sister Cities Association of Fort Worth, Inc., to administer the Fort Worth Sister Cities Program to cultivate relationships and international understanding among youth, adults, businesses and organizations with funding in the amount of $50,000.00 in the first year.

The purpose of this Mayor and Council Communication (M&C) is to amend the prior City Council authorization for the contract with International Sister Cities Association of Fort Worth, Inc., (Sister Cities) to administer the Fort Worth Sister Cities Program in order to restructure the term of the agreement.  

As part of the Fiscal Year 2019 budget process, the City Council approved $50,000.00 for financial support for Sister Cities to administer the program during FY2019.  On September 25, 2018, the City Council authorized execution of a five-year agreement with Sister Cities for the same amount ($50,000.00) each year (M&C C-28859).  

Sister Cities requested that the term of the agreement instead be structured as a single-year initial period with four one-year renewal options and would like to continue conversations with the City about possible changes to the funding amount in future fiscal years.  

Approval of this M&C would authorize structuring the contract to have an initial one-year term and four renewal options of one year each.  Changes to funding in future years would require further City Council action as part of the annual budget process and possibly also additional M&Cs.

About Fort Worth Sister Cities International  

Fort Worth Sister Cities strives to cultivate international relationships and understanding among youth, adults, and businesses through educational, leadership, and exchange programs that promote tourism and commerce in the City of Fort Worth and produce economic and public benefits for the entire Fort Worth community.  In 2016, Sister Cities International in Washington, D.C. engaged value ideas to conduct an economic impact study, which indicate that the organization and program provide a $14+ million positive economic impact to the City of Fort Worth on an annual basis.

The organization orchestrates internationally recognized inbound and outbound exchange programs; provides essential instruction for protocol and diplomacy; produces unparalleled youth and educator programs; and conducts trade missions to foster economic development.

Since its inception in 1985, Sister Cities has researched and secured nine international partner cities with similar goals including Reggio, Italy; Trier, Germany; Nagaoka, Japan; Bandung, Indonesia; Budapest, Hungary; Toluca, Mexico; Mbabane, Eswatini; Guiyang, China and this year, Nîmes, France.

Last year, Fort Worth was recognized as having the "Best Sister Cities" program in the United States.