TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to execute a contract, and any necessary documents including any subsequent amendments, with Frontier California, Inc., of Norwalk, CT, to provide local and long distance telephone, data communications, and internet services, on the same terms and conditions afforded to the City of Los Angeles, in a total annual amount not to exceed $2,200,000, until the City of Los Angeles contract expires on March 31, 2024 with the option to renew for as long as the City of Los Angeles contract is in effect, at the discretion of the City Manager. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into a contract with Frontier California, Inc. (Frontier), to provide local and long-distance telephone, data communications, and internet services.
On October 5, 2021, the City Council authorized the execution of contracts with Charter Communications Operating, LLC, dba Spectrum Enterprise (Charter), of Cerritos, CA, and Verizon Business Network Services, Inc. (Verizon), of Basking Ridge, NJ, for telecommunication services. Frontier is another provider of these services to the City.
The City has over 150 facilities using local and long distance telephone, data communications, and internet services, and over 50 of these facilities are currently using Charter, Verizon or Frontier. As needs and emerging circumstances arise, the City routinely adds and removes facilities and services to meet the City’s operational needs.
The Telecommunications Division of the Technology and Innovation Department researched procurement options for local and long distance telephone, data communications, and internet services and discovered other agencies had completed an open, fair, transparent, and competitive procurement process. The City reviewed the contract options and determined that the contract between the City of Los Angeles and Frontier provided the best value to the City.
City Charter Section 1802 provides an alternative procurement method by permitting the City to purchase or otherwise obtain services, supplies, materials, equipment, and labor with other governmental agencies. This alternative procurement method can save time and reduce costs through economies of scale by purchasing under existing contracts from other government agencies on a voluntary and selective basis, when authorized by a Resolution adopted by the City Council.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Erin Weesner-McKinley on December 20, 2021, Purchasing Agent Michelle Wilson on December 19, 2021, and by Budget Analysis Officer Greg Sorensen on December 23, 2021.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action to adopt a Resolution and award contract concurrently is requested on January 18, 2022, to ensure that City telecommunication network services are uninterrupted.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total annual amount of the contract will not exceed $2,200,000. Sufficient appropriation is budgeted in the General Services Fund Group in the Technology and Innovation Department. Costs are recovered from client departments through the annual TI Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
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Respectfully Submitted,
LEA D. ERIKSEN
DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER