DEPARTMENT: Finance
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Troy Elliott
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Live Meeting Production Equipment and Furniture for City Hall
SUMMARY:
Approval of this ordinance will authorize contracts with Unicom Government, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $1,786,962.17 and Wittigs Office Interiors in the amount of $161,016.23 for the purchase of furniture and audio video equipment to expand and enhance the live production of meetings, news conferences and other events from City Hall for broadcast on the City’s Government (PEG) access television channel for a total cost not to exceed $1,947,978.40. Funding in the amount of $1,843,654.79 is available from the FY 2020 PEG Fund Budget and $104,323.61 is available from the City Hall Project Fixture, Furniture and Equipment (FFE) Fund Budget. This ordinance will appropriate moving $1,843,654.79 in prior appropriated PEG funds into the City Hall Project Fund Budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Submitted for City Council consideration and action are contracts with Unicom Government, Inc., and Wittigs Office Interiors to provide for the purchase and installation of furniture and broadcast cameras, audio equipment, projectors, flat panel displays, audiovisual racks and switcher equipment necessary to expand and enhance live televised public meetings and other City events for distribution over the Government Access channel.
These purchases will provide all necessary broadcast equipment, furniture and installation services to provide live-television and live web-streaming capabilities in the City Hall Media Briefing room and large Conference room. Furthermore, through this project, both of these rooms could be live simultaneously with meetings or events, such as Council Committee meetings, B Sessions, news conferences, or other City events. The City continues to increase public participation and transparency by expanding operations to include live televised capabilities or web-streaming of important City-wide events such as the City Council Budget Goal Setting Sessions, SA Speak Up Community days, City Council Committee meetings, and meetings of our Boards and Commissions.
The City issued a Request for Offer (RFO) for “Audio Video Installation City Hall and AV Control Rooms” to Unicom Government, Inc., on January 2, 2020 with a submission deadline of January 10, 2020. This contract utilizes the Omnia Partners Cooperative Program formerly known as the U.S. Communities Cooperative Program through its Contract #4400006645 with UNICOM Government Inc. Purchases authorized through this ordinance will be made in accordance with the U.S. Communities (OMNIA Partners) Cooperative Program passed on Ordinance No. 98797, Dated 2/12/2004 which provides for government procurement resources and solutions to local and state government agencies and nonprofits by ensuring all Participating Public Agencies have access to the same terms and conditions of an existing solicited contract.
The City issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for Acoustical Desk Mounted Screens and Tables for City Hall on December 23, 2019 with a submission deadline of January 15, 2020. Three responsive bids were received and tabulated. The low responsive bid was submitted by Wittigs Office Interiors and meets all published bid specifications.
ISSUE:
Approval of the contracts with Unicom Government, Inc. and Wittigs Office Interiors will allow the City to expand and enhance the current City Government Access television environment. The City will be able to distribute information through television and web-stream live public meetings and other City events. This purchase will provide all necessary equipment and installation services for live television capabilities in the City Hall Media Briefing room and large Conference room. The contractors will provide all labor and materials necessary for the proper installation of audiovisual equipment and furniture. The various equipment and furniture purchases are warranted to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of two to ten years from date of delivery and acceptance by the City in accordance with respective manufacturer’s warranties.
The contract with Unicom Government, Inc., will be awarded in compliance with the Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (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 set a 40% Small Business Enterprise (SBE) subcontracting goal and a 15% Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) subcontracting goal.
The recommended award to Unicom Government, Inc. is an exception to the Local Preference Program.
The contract with Wittigs Office Interiors is within the scope of the SBEDA Program. However, due to lack of available firms and/or subcontracting opportunities, the Goal Setting Committee was unable to apply a SBEDA tool to this contract.
The recommended award is to the lowest responsive bidder, who is also a local business. Therefore, application of the Local Preference Program is not required.
The Veteran-Owned Small Business Preference Program does not apply to goods/supplies contracts, so no preference was applied to these contracts.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the contracts with Unicom Government, Inc. and Wittigs Office Interiors not be awarded, the City would not have the ability to televise live or web-stream public meetings from City Hall. The City’s live television capable rooms would be limited to the current B room and Council Chamber.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes contracts with Unicom Government, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $1,786,962.17, which includes a ten percent project contingency, and Wittigs Office Interiors in the amount of $161,016.23 for a total cost not to exceed $1,947,978.40. Funding in the amount of $1,843,654.79 is available from the FY 2020 PEG Fund Budget and $104,323.61 is available from the City Hall Project Fund Budget. This ordinance will appropriate moving $1,843,654.79 in prior appropriated PEG funds into the City Hall Project Fund Budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of contracts with Unicom Government, Inc. and Wittigs Office Interiors for a total cost not to exceed $1,947,978.40 to provide equipment and services for audio video and furniture installations at City Hall and AV Control Rooms.
These contracts are procured by means of cooperative purchasing and low bid and a Contracts Disclosure Form is not required.