CC MEETING: May 17, 2016
DATE: May 9, 2016
TO: Leonard Martin, City Manager
FROM: Elliott J. Reep, Emergency Management Coordinator
Title
Consider Approval Of A Three-Year Contract Extension With Everbridge, Inc. For The CarrolltonALERT Mass Notification System With The Addition Of The ‘ContactBridge’ Mobile Device Application For City Residents In An Amount Not To Exceed $45,500.00.
Body
BACKGROUND:
This agenda item is to renew and extend the current contract with Everbridge, Inc. for the CarrolltonALERT mass notification system. The extension will be for a three-year period and will include one additional feature to the current service -- a mobile phone/mobile device app for citizens to download. This feature will cost an additional $4,800.00 per year over the currently budgeted annual service price of $40,588.37. The $45,500.00 not to exceed amount includes a contingency of $111.63.
Following Council’s instruction in May 2015, the City purchased a mass notification system from Everbridge, Inc. for a one-year trial period and branded it CarrolltonALERT. Onboarding, set-up and testing was completed during the remainder of 2015 and the system went live on January 1, 2016. The system has proven to be a valuable tool during recent severe weather events and staff has received very positive feedback from citizens regarding the system as well as a steady increase in the number of residents signing up on the online portal.
Following the one-year trial period, renewal and a three-year extension of the contract is recommended, along with one additional feature that has been requested by citizens. This feature, the vendor-provided “ContactBridge” app for cellular phones and mobile devices, will place the CarrolltonALERT program in the hands of anyone with a mobile device, independent of their device’s web browser.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
COST CENTER LINE ITEM BUDGET AMOUNT
CFR Support Services Professional Services $40,588.37 General Fund Contingency $4,800.00
The current cost of services for the CarrolltonALERT Program, $40,588.37, is already included in the Carrollton Fire-Rescue annual budget. If the contract is renewed with the addition of the mobile device application, the annual price of the service will be $45,388.37. CFR will then submit a FY17 addition-to-base request for the $4,800.00 in additional funds to meet this annual obligation.
IMPACT ON COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY:
The addition of the ContactBridge mobile phone application will provide citizens with the ability to sign up for and receive alerts more easily on mobile devices and with much more detail. It also provides push notifications, enables two-way communications between citizens and emergency officials, as well as allows application holders to access the program when only connected to Wi-Fi and not cellular service. Application holders are able to send detailed information back to the City including location information, photos, and free-form text. Citizens are also able to log in and change or modify their account information on the go. The addition of this application greatly increases the accessibility and reliability of using the system on smart phones and other mobile devices for Carrollton citizens. This will serve to increase the effectiveness of warnings to the public as well as their ability to quickly and effectively respond to dangerous situations.
The continued use of this system will be enhanced by the fact that the cities of Coppell and Lewisville have already purchased the Everbridge system, as has the Town of Addison. Farmers Branch will be purchasing it in the next fiscal year. Emergency management staffs from these cities have already discussed collaboration and access sharing to ensure the ability to send out emergency messages for each jurisdiction.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION/ACTION DESIRED:
Staff recommends the renewal and three-year extension with Everbridge, Inc. for the CarrolltonALERT mass notification system with the addition of the ContactBridge app for cell phones and other mobile devices in an amount not to exceed $45,500.00.