CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Waive the applicable provisions of the Naperville Procurement Code and award Procurement 22-135, Emergency Notification System Renewal, to Everbridge, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $41,028.98 and for a one-year term (requires 6 positive votes)
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DEPARTMENT: City Manager’s Office
SUBMITTED BY: Linda LaCloche, Director of Communications
BACKGROUND:
In 2013, City staff issued an RFP for an Emergency Notification Alert System and entered into a five-year agreement with Everbridge. The City and Everbridge developed the Naper Notify system, which has grown to almost 33,000 citizen opt-in subscribers over the past decade.
Together with publicly listed White and Yellow Pages telephone data, Naper Notify has the capability to reach over 84,500 residential and business contact points for both emergency and routine notifications. The system allows the City to communicate using multiple paths, including phone, SMS text, email, phone app, and TTY. Naper Notify is also utilized internally by City staff for public safety overtime and emergency callouts.
Following Naper Notify implementation, satisfaction with City efforts to provide information during emergency situations increased 23% by 2016 and satisfaction with City efforts to use social media and emerging technology to keep the public informed increased 12%. Naper Notify was also credited with helping public safety successfully locate missing individuals in 2014, 2016, and 2018.
In 2018, the City Council approved the award of a three-year extension with no option years. In 2021, the emergency communication nature of this service, coupled with continued uncertainties around the COVID-19 pandemic, caused the City to award a one-year extension. The current agreement expires on May 5, 2022.
DISCUSSION:
On March 3, 2022, staff issued RFP 22-091 - Emergency Notification Alert System Services. Staff issued the RFP because it has been nearly 10 years since the issuance of the original RFP in 2013. While the current system is performing well and serving the City’s needs, staff desires to evaluate technology enhancements/functionality, pricing models, and market innovations. The RFP closed on March 24, 2022, and proposals are currently under review. Everbridge has submitted a response and expressed a desire to remain the City’s emergency notification provider.
Staff estimates the review, negotiation and award process will take approximately two to three months and staff will present a long-term contract to Council by the end of summer 2022. If a new vendor is selected and awarded a contract by City Council, staff estimates that the onboarding process, given the complex nature of this service, will likely take at least six months. This is due to the extensive integration of the existing mass notification platform in public safety processes, need to re-train almost 100 individuals in utilization of a new platform, port over of current citizen opt-in information, and simultaneous maintenance of the existing system to ensure no lapse in public emergency and routine notifications. As a result, staff recommends awarding a one-year extension to Everbridge to provide staff with additional time to complete the ongoing RFP process and potentially transition to a new system.
The mass notification industry has transitioned in recent years to a credit usage model that charges for each text and phone call that is received and delivered. The pricing proposed by Everbridge for the extension period includes a package of 23 million credits for the term of the contract. Based on the almost 20 million credits used from May 2021 to present, staff believes the contract is adequate and allows for growth in use.
The pricing offered by Everbridge for the duration of this award is the GSA government rate, which is extremely favorable. The term of the renewal is one year from May 6, 2022, to May 5, 2023, with no options to extend.
Approval of the award for 22-135 requires a Waiver of Section 1-9B-4 (Methods of Source Selection) of the Naperville Procurement Code because the recommended process is not one of the enumerated methods under the Code.
FISCAL IMPACT:
CIP: N/A
The mass notification system is expensed to the software and hardware maintenance account listed below. A total of $32,000 is budgeted for the service in 2022. Staff will monitor this contract in relation to the Communications budget throughout the year to ensure the overage does not exceed the approved budget.
|
Account Number |
Fund Description |
Total Budget Amount |
|
11391100-531312 |
General Fund |
$109,930 |