DEPARTMENT: Finance
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Troy Elliott
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Acoustic and Studio Upgrades for City Council Chambers
SUMMARY:
An ordinance authorizing the ratification of a contract with UNICOM Government, Inc. (UGI) for services rendered and completed on March 17, 2017 in the amount of $201,674.74 to upgrade and refine the audio system installed at the City Council Chambers and Council B Room. Funding is available from the Public, Education, and Government (PEG) Fund FY 2017 Adopted Budget. This purchase is made in accordance with the U.S. Communities Cooperative Program passed on Ordinance No. 98797 dated 2/12/2004.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Submitted for Council consideration and action is the ratification of a contract with UNICOM Government, Inc. in the amount of $201,674.74 for labor, material, and equipment provided to upgrade and refine the audio system installed at the City Council Chambers and Council B Room. Audio quality is critical to the successful production of City Council meetings, for council members, staff and members of the public attending in person and watching on television. Services were rendered on March 17, 2017 to improve the sound quality at City Council meetings following an acoustical study done by UNICOM Government in June 2015. This contract utilizes U.S. Communities Contract #4400006645 with UNICOM Government. A Goal Setting Committee reviewed and subsequently approved a 40% subcontractor Affirmative Procurement Initiative (API) requirement which was met by Clarity Media Group, a local Emerging Small Business Enterprise (ESBE).
The previous audio system in the City Council Chambers was in urgent need of a significant audible calibration and equipment upgrade, as there had been multiple complaints earlier this year from Council members and the audience that it was difficult to understand the Council dialogue. The upgrade required several weeks of uninterrupted time to complete, which left staff with two options: perform the upgrade during the July City Council recess or utilize the two-week window of Spring Break during which there were no Council meetings to expedite the upgrade. Staff chose the latter - combined with a later ratification of the expenditure - to ensure improved audibility when the Council returned in late March. Subsequent to March, staff worked to ensure no additional work was necessary and that invoices were final and complete.
ISSUE:
The City Council Chambers and dais reside in a historic building that is constructed heavily of stone and concrete, which creates acoustic problems and compromises sound quality. This ordinance will ratify the contract which upgraded and refined the audio system installed at the City Council Chambers and Council B Room.
This contract was awarded in compliance with the SBEDA Program, which requires contracts be reviewed by a Goal Setting Committee to establish a requirement and/or incentive unique to the particular contract in an effort to maximize the amount of small, minority, and women-owned business participation on the contract. The Goal Setting Committee has set a forty percent (40%) Small Business Enterprise (SBE) subcontracting goal on this contract and UGI has committed 89% subcontractor participation to Clarity Media Group, an emerging small business enterprise.
This contract is an exception to the Local Preference Program.
The Veteran-Owned Small Business Preference Program does not apply to goods/supplies contracts, so no preference was applied to this contract.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should this ratification not be approved, the City of San Antonio and Government of Public Affairs (GPA) would be legally responsible to pay for work incurred for the City Council. This action satisfies the need and legal requirement to pay invoices for services rendered.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes the ratification of a contract with UNICOM Government, Inc. for services rendered on March 17, 2017 which upgraded and refined the audio system installed at the City Council Chambers and Council B Room for a total cost of $201,674.74. Funding is available from the Public, Education, and Government (PEG) Fund FY 2017 Adopted Budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of action to ratify the contract with UNICOM Government, Inc. in the amount of $201,674.74 for services rendered which provided all labor, material and equipment to upgrade and refine the audio system installed at the City Council Chambers and Council B Room.
This contract was procured by the U.S. Communities Cooperative Program passed on ordinance no. 98797 dated 2/12/2004 and a Contracts Disclosure Form is not required.