TITLE
Recommendation to receive supporting documentation into the record, conclude the public hearing, adopt resolution authorizing City Manager to execute a contract with IPS Group Inc., of San Diego, CA for the purchase and installation of electronic parking meters on the same terms and conditions afforded to the City of Sacramento, California for an initial term of five (5) years, in an amount not to exceed $1,538,979 in year one, and in an annual amount estimated at $446,492, but in any case not to exceed $941,542, for the succeeding four (4) years, with the option to renew for five (5) additional one-year periods, at the discretion of the City Manager;
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into a contract with IPS Group, Inc., to purchase and install electronic parking meters.
City staff has been requested to study parking devices that offer alternative means of payment, specifically, parking devices that accept credit cards in addition to coins. This resulted in a Parking Meter Study released in August 2014 (Attachment A), and a community outreach effort to solicit input from Long Beach residents that spanned community meetings, “Speak Up, Long Beach!,” and social media.
Technology/Procurement
A new class of single-space meters has emerged in recent years that accept both credit cards and coins. These meters rely on solar energy in combination with a battery. In addition to credit cards and coins, these meters have the option of accepting near field communication (NFC) payment and a pay-by-phone app. The new single-space meters enhance the user experience by accepting credit cards, providing a large, brightly lit screen for viewing, delivering key messages to inform the user of potential changes in regular parking hours (e.g. free parking on holidays, no parking for special event), and providing valuable data to phone apps that identify open parking spaces and distraction-free, voice navigation to the available space. Many cities ...
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