TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Miguel Guardado, Information Technology Director
Liza Tamura, City Clerk
Tatyana Roujenova-Peltekova, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of Awarding RFP No. 1319-24 and Adopting a Resolution Approving an Agreement with Western Audio Visual & Security for Audio-Video and Broadcasting Services for a Not-to-Exceed Amount of $791,884 in the Public, Education, and Government (PEG) Restricted Funds (Information Technology Director Guardado).
(Estimated Time: 15 Mins.)
ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 24-0065
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council award Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 1319-24 and adopt Resolution No. 24-0065 approving an agreement with Western Audio-Visual & Security (Western) for audio-video and broadcasting services for a not-to-exceed amount of $791,884 in the Public Education, and Government (PEG) restricted funds.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Sufficient funding for this agreement is available within the restricted Public, Education, and Government accounts. The funds are generated from the cable subscribers and provide a source of funding for purchases dedicated to the operations of the PEG channels. The overall project total is for a not-to-exceed amount of $791,884 leaving an available PEG balance of $100,686. The contract total of $791,884 includes a) the audio-video and broadcast upgrades for the City Council Chambers of $757,438 - project cost of $688,914 for hardware, software, implementation services, and training; and extended maintenance amount of $68,524; and b) an additional $34,446 (5%) contingency for unforeseen project expenses during implementation.
BACKGROUND:
The last equipment upgrade in the City Council Chambers was completed in 2014 and was focused primarily on broadcasting without replacing the audio system. The current audio-video (AV) system is outdated and offers a lower-quality delivery compared to today’s standards. The aging system poses compatibility challenges with modern technologies requiring more components to achieve functionality resulting in complex systems integration with higher risks of failures during meeting broadcasts. The obsolete software and hardware are difficult to maintain due to the lack of support and availability of replacement components.
Given the heavy use of the City Council Chambers and failing equipment, the audio-video and broadcast systems upgrade is crucial to ensure performance, reliability, and higher quality. To that end, a Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 1319-24 was issued to refresh the existing audio-video and broadcast systems used for presentations, recording, and broadcasting of City meetings and events.
DISCUSSION:
The RFP upgrade aims to replace old equipment in the City Council Chambers, reduce equipment failures, increase production quality, and enhance the overall AV and broadcast experience for the public and staff. The scope of work includes updating the three systems (audio-video, presentation, and broadcast) in the City Council Chambers, Control Room, and City Council Chambers Lobby. The Request for Proposal also noted that the selected vendor might need to assist with dais modification(s) if any.
The City received two proposals, which were reviewed based on vendor experience with similar projects, project approach, understanding of the scope of services, references, staff expertise, and cost. The following companies submitted proposals:
1. Western Audio Visual & Security $647,846.60
2. WIP, Inc. $1,052,149.68
After thoroughly evaluating the RFP responses, staff recommends Western for this project based on the vendor's comprehensive response, a complete understanding of the scope of services, a qualified project team, and lower cost. Western demonstrated strong experience with similar City Council Chambers upgrade projects for local agencies such as the City of Cerritos and the City of Ventura. According to the references, Western successfully completed past projects on time and within budget.
Comprehensive specifications have been developed to address this project's existing conditions and future requirements. The project scope accounts for the intricate integrations and prerequisites amongst the audio-video, presentation, and broadcast systems during the televised transmissions of the City meetings. As a result, the cost has been updated to $757,438 to ensure the project objectives are met. The increase of $109,591 accounts for the four years of maintenance ($68,524) and enhancements to the presentation system ($41,067). The $757,438 breakdown includes a) $688,914 actual project cost for equipment, software, shipping, sales tax, labor, and training; and b) $68,524 extended maintenance cost.
However, unforeseen conditions may arise during implementation given the project’s complexity, involving audio-video, presentation, and broadcast systems replacement along with infrastructure and re-wiring work. Under those circumstances, it is key to ensure the project’s quick adjustment to maintain critical timelines for completion. Therefore, the agreement also includes a contingency for unanticipated additional work for up to $34,446 (5% of the actual project cost) updating the total project amount to a not-to-exceed $791,884. Any unutilized funds will be returned to the PEG funds balance.
If the proposed action is approved, the work will commence within 45 days after contract execution. Information Technology will work with the City Clerk on alternative location arrangements for City Council and Commission meetings currently conducted in the Council Chambers. Announcements for the facility changes will be posted via City communication channels well in advance to ensure public awareness of the temporary meeting relocation.
In conclusion, staff recommends that the City Council award Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 1319-24 and adopt Resolution No. 24-0065 approving an agreement with Western Audio Visual & Security for audio-video and broadcasting services for a not-to-exceed amount of $791,884 in the Public Education, and Government (PEG) restricted funds.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The RFP was posted on the City procurement site.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has determined that the proposed activity qualifies for an exemption pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the common sense exemption (formerly the “general rule”) that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question can have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA, as is the case with the awarding of this contract for a backup failover system.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has approved the agreement as to form.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 24-0065
2. Agreement - Western Audio-Visual & Security