City Council

Agenda Request

Agenda Of:

May 6, 2008

Agenda Request No:

III I

Initiated By:

Douglas Brinkley

Assistant chief of police

Responsible Department:

police department 

Presented By:

douglas brinkley

assistant chief of police

Department Head:

steve griffith

chief of police

 

 

Additional Department. Head (s):

 

Subject / Proceeding:

purchase of emergency notification system – the nti group , inc.

Exhibits:

contract

Clearances

Approval

Legal:

Meredith Wilganowski,

asst. City attorney

 

Executive Director:

steve griffith   

chief of police

Purchasing:

Charles Eads,

Interim Purchasing Manager

Asst. City Manager:

n/a

Budget:

bryan guinn,  

budget manager

City Manager:

Allen Bogard/for AB

Budget

Expenditure Required:  $

$57,695

Current Budget:  $

$60,000

Additional Funding:  $

$0.00

Recommended Action

Request City Council approval to enter into a contract with The NTI Group, Inc. to provide emergency notification services to the City for $57,695 per year, which is automatically renewable for successive one-year terms, with no increase for up to five years

Executive Summary

The City’s ability to notify its employees and citizens during a major incident like a hurricane, tornado, or flooding is of critical importance in providing timely, accurate incident information.  The acquisition of the fully hosted emergency notification system (Connect CTY) by The NTI Group will enable City staff to make emergency notifications to employees, business owners, and its residents alerting them of emergency situations and providing them with the related instructions and information.  Although the system can also be used for Community Outreach, Staff Communication, and as a Survey Instrument, the focus of the system will be for emergency incident usage.  

 

The Connect CTY system allows authorized staff members to send personalized voice or text messages via land line, cell phone, email, and SMS/Text messaging to thousands of people in minutes.  Connect CTY currently delivers over 25 million time sensitive calls per months on behalf of their clients.  The system has also been used in the following incidents by other municipalities:

 

 

  • Missing child/lost adult

 
  • Detours / road closures
  • Storm warnings

 
  • Evacuation plans
  • Chemical spill

 
  • Hydrant flushing
  • Escaped convict

 
  • Health warnings
  • Water contamination

 
  • Temporary water cut off

 

 

 

Connect CTY obtains contact information from white/yellow page sources, 411 data, 911 data, and contact information received directly from employees, citizens, and business owners.  Data sources are regularly updated and geo-coded.  Connect CTY provides 27/7/365 customer support. 

 

The cost for providing unlimited calling, which includes both City staff and to the residents of Sugar Land is as

 follows:

 

Service Fee

1 year term

Estimated Number of residence & business addresses:

23,078 addresses

Message Fee per Address

(Not to exceed)

$2.50

Total Annual Cost of Service:

23,078 x $2.50=

$57,695

 

 

As presented in a previous workshop with City Council, the police department requests approval to enter into a contract with The NTI Group, Inc. to provide emergency notification services to the City in the amount of $57,695 per year with no increase for up to five years.  Funding is currently available in the Police Department’s communications budget. The contract is automatically renewable each year unless either party terminates the agreement in writing within 30 days of the existing contract expiration date. 

Exhibits