CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the award of Change Order #1 to Contract 23-268, Mobile Broadband Data Services, to Verizon Wireless for an amount not to exceed $72,204 and a total award of $408,439
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DEPARTMENT: Information Technology
SUBMITTED BY: Jacqueline Nguyen, Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
The City Council awarded Cooperative Procurement 23-268, Mobile Broadband Data Services, to Verizon Wireless on October 3, 2023, for a two-year term. Mobile broadband data services were procured under the State of Illinois cooperative contract with Verizon Wireless. This procurement provides mobile broadband data services over Verizon's cellular network for the City's needs. Mobile broadband data services are used by several departments including Police, Fire, Electric Utility, Water Utilities, Department of Public Works, and TED. Devices and applications using mobile broadband data services include vehicles, laptop computers, routers, drones, and other devices.
At the time of procurement, the Information Technology (IT) Department estimated the amount of funds the contract would need to cover the two-year period based on historical cost data and anticipated growth in the use of mobile broadband services.
DISCUSSION:
Due to the factors listed below, the cost of cellular data services is running ahead of forecast and a Change Order is requested to add funds to complete the term of the contract.
1. Some forecast assumptions about cellular data costs for the Axon in-car camera system for the Police Department proved incorrect
2. Process problems regarding Verizon data service deactivation
3. Devices in shared pool data pricing plans did not perform as expected, and occasionally exceeded allowable limits
4. New ways of operating within the Police Department have driven additional cellular data services. For example, squad cars now use two cellular data connections, one for the router, which serves all devices in the ...
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