What SCI Consulting Group does

SCI Consulting Group is a public finance and urban economic consulting firm founded in 1985 and headquartered in Fairfield, California. The firm serves California public-sector clients—including cities, counties, special districts, and K-12 school districts—through eight core service lines: Ballot Measures, Cannabis Management, Financial Consulting, School Facilities Planning, Special Levy Administration, the Online Application and Management System (OAP), Surveys and Feasibility Studies, and GIS Services. SCI's principal value proposition centers on California-specific regulatory expertise in Propositions 13, 26, and 218, with President John Bliss having personally led more than 300 Proposition 218-compliant implementations—reportedly more than every other engineer in California combined. The firm has administered over 140 community-wide benefit assessments and helped pass 30 ballot measures that together generate over $250 million annually for client jurisdictions.

The firm's technology stack is built around a proprietary statewide parcel database with 20+ years of historical data, custom ballot tabulation software developed in-house, ESRI-based GIS services, and the subscription-based OAP platform that provides paperless exemption application processing for public agencies. Revenue is generated primarily through project-based professional services fees for ballot measures, nexus and rate studies, and cannabis policy implementation, supplemented by recurring annual levy administration fees and subscription revenue from the OAP platform. Distribution is direct-to-government with no resellers, supported by content marketing (blog), educational webinars, paid workshops ($249-$299 per attendee), and conference presentations at industry associations such as the California Special Districts Association, CSMFO, and the League of California Cities. SCI has approximately 20 staff and operates from headquarters in Fairfield and a satellite office in Oakland.

Name

SCI Consulting Group

Legal name

SCI Consulting Group

Website

https://sci-cg.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SCI Consulting Group is a California-based public finance and urban economic consulting firm founded in 1985, serving cities, counties, special districts, and school districts with ballot measure consulting, special levy administration, cannabis policy implementation, and Proposition 218 compliance services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Finance and Urban Economic Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Sector & Policy Consulting (BPAHACAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Financial Management & Performance Improvement Consulting (BPAHACAF)

Keywords

• Public finance consulting
• Special district administration
• Ballot measure consulting
• Property tax consulting
• Government financial advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Special Levy Administration: Annual administration of assessments, fees and special taxes for public agencies. SCI optimizes client levies through parcel-by-parcel analysis, extensive database utilization, and proprietary computer software. Revenue is generated through annual administration fees for managing tax rolls, benefit assessments, and special financing districts.
2. Fee and Rate Studies: One-time project fees for developing nexus studies, cost of service studies, utility rate studies, regulatory fee studies, and Quimby studies. Projects include development impact fee programs, rate structure analysis, and Proposition 218 compliance documentation.
3. Cannabis Policy Implementation Services: Comprehensive consulting services for local cannabis regulation including policy planning, community outreach, ordinance development, application review, cost recovery analysis, taxes, compliance and inspections, and equity program development. Full cost recovery for all city/county resources including consultant fees.
4. School Facilities Planning: School facilities planning and financial planning services including Level 1 Developer Fees Justification Reports, Level 2/3 Fee Needs Analysis, demographic studies, student generation rate analysis, and development mitigation agreements.
5. Online Platform Services: Subscription-style annual fees for the Online Application and Management System providing paperless exemption processing, digital forms, encrypted storage, and automated communications for public agencies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SCI Consulting Group is a public finance and urban economic consulting firm that helps California public agencies secure funding and administer revenue mechanisms, including ballot measures, special taxes, benefit assessments, property-related fees, and developer fees. Services span feasibility analysis, scientific opinion research, engineering/nexus studies, ballot measure development and tabulation, ongoing levy administration, and cannabis policy implementation, supported by proprietary tools such as an Online Application and Management System, a statewide parcel database, and ballot tabulation software.

Product overview

SCI Consulting Group is a public finance and urban economic consulting firm established in 1985, offering a portfolio of consulting services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include Ballot Measures (revenue measure consulting), Cannabis Management, Financial Consulting, School Facilities Planning Services, Special Levy Administration, Online Application and Management System, Surveys & Feasibility Studies, and GIS Services. These services are delivered through consulting engagements and proprietary methodologies, with the Online Application and Management System being the primary technology platform offering paperless exemption processing for public agencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ballot Measures Comprehensive consulting for revenue measures including special taxes, property-related fees, and benefit assessments. SCI guides California public agencies through the full ballot process — funding options and feasibility planning, scientific community polling, engineer's reports, community outreach, balloting, tabulation, and implementation — across flood control, parks, landscape/lighting, mosquito control, cannabis, homelessness, schools, fire protection, and storm drainage measures.
• Cannabis Management Local cannabis policy implementation services for California jurisdictions, including public education and stakeholder meetings, health and safety ordinances, application review and business selection processes, regulatory fee development, local tax measures, and ongoing annual monitoring and compliance activities. Supports both medicinal and adult-use cannabis policy implementation under MAUCRSA / Prop 64.
• Financial Consulting Fee and rate study services for California public agencies, including development impact fee nexus studies under AB 1600, Quimby land dedication studies, regulatory fee studies, cost of service studies, and utility rate studies with five-year financing plans. Also supports annual reporting and five-year finding reports for development impact fees.
• School Facilities Planning Services Financial planning services for California school districts and community colleges, including Level 1 developer fee justification reports, Level 2/3 school facilities needs analyses, demographic studies and facility plans, student generation rate analyses, and development mitigation agreements.
• Special Levy Administration Annual administration of assessments, fees, and special taxes for California public agencies, including parcel-by-parcel analysis, statewide parcel database management, and use of proprietary computer software. Covers special taxes, benefit assessments, and fees with expertise in Proposition 13 and Proposition 218 compliance.
• Online Application and Management System (OAP) Digital exemption application processing platform providing paperless applications, user-friendly interface, encrypted security and storage, automated communications, and centralized online management for California public agencies and taxpayers. Operates as a quote-based annual subscription for public agencies.
• Surveys & Feasibility Studies Scientific survey services and feasibility planning for California public agencies, including public opinion research, community polling, and funding options analysis. Develops funding options and feasibility planning based on political viability, legal defensibility, revenue generation, and administrative burden assessments.
• GIS Services Geographic Information Systems mapping and spatial analysis services utilizing ESRI software and open-source products. Provides data research and development, spatial analysis, cartography, graphic design, and web-based products including parcel locators and district attendance boundary determinations for public agencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 Proposition 218-compliant fees, taxes and assessments implemented
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Indiva AdvisorsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2018Jessica Velazquez, Managing Partner and CEO of Indiva Advisors, co-presented a webinar on cannabis monitoring and compliance strategies with SCI consultants Chris Coulter and Neil Hall, providing industry expertise on financial audits and compliance for local cannabis businesses
• Steep Hill LabsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2018Dr. Donald Land from Steep Hill Labs served as a speaker at SCI's cannabis workshop, providing testing and laboratory expertise for cannabis regulation discussion
• 530 CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2018Jamie Kerr, Founder and CFO of 530 Collective, served as speaker at SCI's cannabis workshop representing cannabis industry perspective
• League of California CitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCI is a member of the SB 231 Implementation Working Group coordinated by League of California Cities along with CSAC, County Engineer Association of California, Bay Area Stormwater Management Agency Association, California Stormwater Quality Association, State Water Board, EPA, and environmental groups to coordinate strategic approach to stormwater funding
• California State Association of Counties (CSAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCI participates in SB 231 Implementation Working Group coordinated by CSAC to develop test cases and strategic approach for stormwater funding without ballot measures
• Bay Area Stormwater Management Agency AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of SB 231 Implementation Working Group coordinating legal approach to stormwater funding without ballot measures

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Willdan Group: Publicly traded engineering and consulting firm serving cities, counties and special districts across the western U.S. with revenue enhancement, financial consulting, and engineering services. Broader and larger than SCI, with overlapping Prop 218-adjacent capabilities.
• BerryDunn: Top-100 U.S. consulting and CPA firm with a dedicated Local Government practice offering revenue enhancement, financial management, and ballot measure support. Comparable buyer segment but national scope and broader service portfolio than SCI.

Peers

• ClearGov:

Direct peers

• MuniServices / Avenue Solutions (now part of DATAMARK): Revenue consulting and audit firm serving California cities with sales tax, property tax, and transient occupancy tax recovery. Competes with SCI for the same California municipal finance buyer persona on revenue-adjacent engagements.
• Albert A. Webb Associates (Webb): California-based municipal finance and engineering consulting firm providing assessment district administration, fee studies, and Prop 218-compliant engineering reports. Direct competitor in California's special district consulting market.
• HdL Companies (now part of Catalyst): Specialty public finance firm focused on property tax, sales tax, and transient occupancy tax recovery/audits for California local governments. Comparable in serving California public agencies with finance-adjacent compliance and revenue services.
• NBS (now part of Tyler Technologies): National leader in special tax, assessment and fee administration for California municipalities and special districts. Directly competes with SCI on levy formation, engineer's reports, and ongoing administration; the closest functional competitor in Prop 218 administration work.
• Koff & Associates: California-focused public sector management consulting firm serving cities, special districts, and associations with organizational and financial studies. Smaller and more focused than SCI but competes for similar municipal consulting engagements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sci-consulting-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SCI Consulting Group