DEPARTMENT: Finance
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Troy Elliott
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Annual Contract for Equipment for Government & Public Affairs
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes a contract with Unicom Government, Inc. to provide for the purchase of studio and editing equipment and required services in the initial amount of $591,348.81 for the Department of Government & Public Affairs (GPA). This ordinance also authorizes additional future expenditures in the amount of $1,408,651.19 to provide equipment and required services for GPA for an estimated total contract amount not to exceed $2,000,000.00. Funding for this contract is available through the FY 2021 Public Education and Government (PEG) Fund Budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Submitted for Council consideration and action is an offer submitted by Unicom Government, Inc. to provide for the purchase of studio and editing equipment and required services to continue to televise City Council meetings, operate the TVSA studios and support field television production operations. This equipment will support the studio productions of TVSA staff and more than 200 TVSA Public Access producers. This contract will also support upgrades to the TVSA media management system, TVSA editing computers, and engineering equipment utilized for creating and producing various types of videos. This ordinance will also provide additional contract capacity to replace equipment in the current City television environment throughout the term of the contract.
GPA is responsible for maintaining studio and live-television equipment valued at over $10,000,000.00. Most of the equipment is over five years old and is no longer under warranty.
This equipment is necessary for the in-room and on-air success of City Council meetings, studio, and field productions such as the Mayor’s daily COVID briefings. Audiences include City Council members, staff, and members of the public attending in person and watching productions on television and online. If components in the existing environment were to fail, such as cameras, display monitors, live-switchers, routers, and various other distribution equipment, this would jeopardize the ability for the City to successfully hold meetings in-room and televise the meetings to the public. The additional contract capacity will allow GPA the ability to address issues for existing equipment in an immediate manner to minimize any interruptions in service.
The initial equipment purchase will be deployed at the TVSA studios at Plaza de Armas. The future purchases will be used to support equipment across the TSVA environment to include Plaza de Armas, Municipal Plaza Building, City Hall, the One Stop, and eventually City Tower.
Over the past five years, the City has televised or web-streamed major live City-wide events such as the City Council Budget Goal Setting Session, the Mayor & City Council Inauguration, and other events such as the Mayor’s daily COVID briefings select events. Because live broadcasts and web-streaming requires special equipment and staffing, the City has had to hire outside contractors to meet the City’s need and the quality has not always met City expectations. By purchasing this equipment, GPA will be able to maintain and replace studio and live-television equipment as needed.
The City issued a Request for Offer (RFO) for “Annual Contract for Equipment for Government & Public Affairs” to Unicom Government, Inc. on May 6, 2021, with a submission deadline of May 12, 2021. This contract utilizes Omnia Partners Contract #4400006645 with Unicom Government, Inc., which allows other Participating Public Agencies in need of similar products and services to make purchases through an existing contract through Omnia Partners. Purchases authorized through this ordinance will be made in accordance with the Omnia Partners (previously U.S. Communities Cooperative Program) authorized by Ordinance No. 98797, which provides for government procurement resources and solutions to local and state government agencies and nonprofits.
The initial term of the agreement shall begin upon approval of the contract by City Council and terminate when City’s total expenditures reach $2,000,000.00 or on April 30, 2023, whichever is earlier.
ISSUE:
This contract will provide GPA for the purchase of studio and editing equipment and required services to continue to televise City Council meetings, operate the TVSA studios and support field television production operations. requirements in addition to additional contract capacity for the purchase of equipment and required services to replace equipment in the current City television environment.
This contract will be awarded in compliance with the Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Program. The Goal Setting Committee set a 20% Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) subcontracting goal in an effort to maximize the amount of small, minority, and women-owned business participation on the contract.
This contract is an exception to the Local Preference Program.
The Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) Preference Program does not apply to non-professional service contracts, so no preference was applied to this contract.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should this contract not be awarded, the City would be required to issue individual solicitations to replace studio and editing equipment and required services to continue to televise City Council meetings. This could significantly impact and limit the City’s ability to maintain an environment where equipment is readily available to provide in-room support for and televise, web-stream all City Council meetings, and tape council members, City staff, and members of the public in-studio.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes a contract for a total estimated cost of $2,000,000.00 available from the FY 2021 Public, Education and Government (PEG) Fund Budget. Of the $2,000,000.00, $591,348.81 will be used for the purchase of studio and editing equipment and required services, and $1,408,651.19 will be used to provide future purchases of equipment and required services for GPA. Funding for subsequent purchases will be in accordance with the Department’s adopted budget approved by City Council.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of contract Unicom Government, Inc. for the purchase of studio and editing equipment and required services to continue to televise City Council meetings, operate the TVSA studios and support field television production operations for the Government & Public Affairs Department for an estimated total contract value not to exceed $2,000,000.00.
This contract is procured by means of cooperative purchasing and a Discretionary Contract Disclosure Form is not required.