REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on a Consent to Assignment and Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement for Services with Granicus, LLC to Provide City Website Redesign, Implementation and Support Services
Report
BACKGROUND
In May 2017, Council approved an agreement to engage the City’s website content management system (CMS) provider, Vision Technology Solutions, LLC, (dba Vision Internet Providers), to refresh the City’s website, SantaClaraCA.gov <http://www.santaclaraca.gov/>. The initial contract end date was set for June 30, 2018. The City also has a four-year maintenance subscription agreement with Vision through August 2019. Vision Technology Solutions was initially selected through a competitive review process in April 2008. In February 2018, Vision was purchased by Granicus, LLC.
The proposed Consent to Assignment Agreement would transfer all rights, agreements and outstanding obligations from Vision Technology Solutions, LLC. to Granicus, LLC. The proposed Amendment No.1 (Amendment) would reinstate the website redesign agreement, modifying the term end date and scope for the revised website design project. The Amendment scope of work is made up of three components: the website redesign, a five-year maintenance, hosting, and licensing agreement, and optional website enhancements over the term of the agreement. The Amendment is for an amount of $473,305 to cover all three components, with contract terms in effect until August 31, 2024, added to the original contract amount of $189,810 for a new total not-to-exceed amount of $663,115.
DISCUSSION
The purpose of the website redesign is to better serve the needs of the City’s residents, businesses and visitors through a user-friendly, modern web design and layout that supports the City’s brand as The Center of What’s Possible. The City website redesign implements the Granicus govAccess CMS platform and meets the City’s branding and marketing direction.
The 2019 Website Redesign Project includes the following:
• Enhance user experience to better serve SantaClaraCA.gov <http://www.santaclaraca.gov/> visitors;
• Create a fresh, engaging and responsive website design and interface, enhancing usability with mobile devices;
• Implement a new web design for the main site as well as for Silicon Valley Power’s (SVP) subsite, SVP’s Fiber site, and Santa Clara City Library’s subsite;
• Revamp and improve search functionality for SantaClaraCA.gov <http://www.santaclaraca.gov/> to provide a seamless interface across content groups; and
• Improve accessibility to people with disabilities in compliance with WCAG 2.0 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
With the public’s heavy reliance on SantaClaraCA.gov <http://www.santaclaraca.gov/> for City news and information, completion of the redesign will provide an immersive and updated website experience for online visitors while better serving the informational needs of the community. The original time for the project was extended due to several factors, namely the vendor being purchased by another company and staffing changes assigned to this City project; the hiring of a Director of Communications with comprehensive website redesign experience with three other cities and one nonprofit organization, as well as more departmental participation in the design and content. Through the City’s website vendor, usability testing was held in 2017 to obtain user input about SantaClaraCA.gov <http://www.santaclaraca.gov/> to better inform the redesign. The vendor conducted a community survey from June 29 - Sept. 12, 2017 in which feedback was received from nearly 350 stakeholders about the current website’s navigation, search functionality and areas for improvement.
The Amendment would reinstate the website redesign agreement and modify the term end date to August 31, 2024. The 2017 website redesign was approved for $189,810, of which, $75,924 has been expended year-to-date. The proposed plan for the website redesign estimates a new total not to exceed of $231,650 - an increase of $41,840 to implement a new main website design, add a City Library subsite, and incorporate a new module, the GovDelivery Communications Cloud, which allows for a seamless digital experience by integrating the City’s branding and enabling the City to quickly and easily connect with the community. The redesigned SantaClaraCA.gov <http://www.santaclaraca.gov/> will undergo Beta testing in the August 2019 time frame. The public testing will include focus groups as well as community input regarding the site’s functionality. Based on the results of the Beta testing, the redesigned website could go live before the end of summer/fall 2019.
In addition, the Amendment includes five-year subscription services support for maintenance, hosting and licensing for the City website and the following subsites: City Library, Silicon Valley Power, Silicon Valley Fiber and Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority. The annual cost for the subscription services is $48,263 for the first year. Each subsequent year would incur approximately a 6% increase, totaling a not-to-exceed amount of $271,465.
The third component of the Amendment is funding for optional website enhancements to stay current with changing website technology, modern designs and evolving best practices for public communication. Staff is requesting $40,000 annually for years 2-5 of the contract for a total of $160,000.
The total proposed Amendment No.1 changes include: Total SVP share
Original 2017 Agreement for website redesign $189,810 $ 73,562
2019 modifications in website design $ 41,840 0
Subscription Services - 5 year total $271,465 $ 16,500
Optional Website Enhancements - 4 year total $160,000 $ 80,000
Revised new total not-to-exceed Agreement amount $663,115 $170,062
The City’s vendor - Granicus, LLC - is an award-winning specialist in the government arena and supports the missions of over 4,200 government customers across the country. The vendor’s experience with redesigning public sector websites that are informed by data and incorporate resident-driven design elements will benefit the City’s website redesign, resulting in higher community satisfaction and engagement.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of a California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to the CEQA Guidelines section 15378(a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for the first year of this agreement is available in the Web Content Management System capital project (539-6521), the Information Technology Department’s contractual services operating budget, and in the Electric Utility Department’s Customer Service Program Development capital project (591-2123). Future years of this agreement will be included as part of the budget appropriation process.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the Finance Department, Electric Utility Department and the City Attorney’s Office.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov> or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Authorize the City Manager to execute the Consent to Assignment and Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement for Services with Granicus, LLC to Provide City Website Redesign, Implementation and Support Services, for a maximum compensation amount not-to-exceed $663,115, subject to budget appropriations.
Staff
Reviewed by: Lenka Wright, Director of Communications, City Manager’s Office
Reviewed by: Gaurav Garg, Director/CIO, Information Technology Department
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Consent to Assignment
2. Amendment No. 1