City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: IT Department
Meeting Date: June 17, 2025
Report #:2504-4544
TITLE
Approval of 14 Professional Services Contracts for GIS On-Call Services, supplemental staffing, and programming services: C26193271A with Lynx Technologies Inc, C26193271B with Seven Tablets Inc, C26193271C with iSpatial Techno Solutions Inc, C26193271D with Geodesy, C26193271E with UDC, C26193271F with NV5 Geospatial Inc, C26193271G with SSP Innovations, C26193271H with Timmons Group, C26193271I with Infojini Inc, C26193271J with Sybyte Technologies Inc, C26193271K with 360S2G, C26193271L with Enterprise Maps, C26193271M with Farallon Geographics, C26193271N with Arini Geographics in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $2,000,000 in Fiscal Year 2026; CEQA Status – Not a Project.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council approve and authorize the City Manager or designee to execute fourteen separate five-year contracts for time-limited, on-call, as-needed, GIS project support services for a collective total not-to-exceed amount of $2,000,000 in Fiscal Year 2026 with:
1. Lynx Technologies Inc, Contact Number C26193271A 1;
2. Seven Tablets Inc, Contract Number C26193271B 2;
3. iSpatial Techno Solutions Inc, Contract Number C26193271C 3;
4. Geodesy, Contract Number C26193271D 4;
5. Utility Data Contractors, LLC, Contract Number C26193271E 5;
6. NV5 Geospatial Inc, Contract Number C26193271F 6;
1 Lynx Technologies: https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on- call/lynx-technologies-c26193271a.pdf
2 Seven Tablets: https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on- call/seven-tablets-c26193271b.pdf
3 iSpatial Techno Solutions: https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis- on-call/ispatial-techno-solutions-c26193271c.pdf
4 Geodesy: https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/geodesy- c26193271d.pdf
5 Utility Data Contractors: https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis- on-call/udc-c26193271e.pdf
6 NV5 Geospatial: https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on- call/nv5-geospatial-c26193271f.pdf
7. SSP Innovations, Contract Number C2619327G 7;
8. Timmons Group, Contract Number C26193271H 8;
9. Infojini Inc, Contract Number C26193271I 9;
10. Sybyte Technologies Inc, Contract Number C26193271J10;
11. 360S2G, Contract Number C26193271K11;
12. Enterprise Maps, Contract Number C26193271L12;
13. Farallon Geographics Contract Number C26193271M13; and
14. Arini Geographics, Contract Number C26193271N14.
Staff will return for City Council approval in Fiscal Year 2027 through Fiscal Year 2030 based on anticipated needs in the future.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
With the expiration of the City’s previous GIS on-call contracts awarded in 2019, staff issued a new Request for Proposals (RFP No. 19327115) in early 2025 to identify multiple qualified vendors who can provide project-based, time-limited professional services on an as-needed basis. Following a competitive and structured evaluation process, fourteen firms are recommended for contract award based on qualifications, experience, past performance, and competitive pricing. These contracts will enable the City to meet evolving GIS project needs over the next five years.
BACKGROUND
In 2019, the City’s Information Technology Department (ITD) issued RFP (CMR #1041316) and awarded ten contracts for GIS on-call services. These contracts allowed City departments to engage qualified firms to support time-limited GIS projects through task orders. 7 SSP Innovations: https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on- call/ssp-innovations-c26193271g.pdf
8 Timmons Group: https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on- call/timmons-group-c26193271h.pdf
9 Infojini: https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/infojini- c26193271i.pdf
10 Sybyte Technologies: https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on- call/sybyte-technologies-c26193271j.pdf
11 360S2G: https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/360s2g- c26193271k.pdf
12 Enterprise Maps: https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on- call/enterprise-maps-c26193271l.pdf
13 Farallon Geographics: https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on- call/farallon-geographics-c26193271m.pdf
14 Arini Geographics: https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on- call/arini-geographics-c26193271n.pdf
15 January 15, 2025 GIS On-Call Professional Services RFP: https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/palo-alto- ca/projects/140924
16 May 11, 2020 City Council Staff Report: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/agendas- minutes-reports/reports/city-manager-reports-cmrs/year-archive/2020/id-10413.pdf?t=50115.8 In support of the City's transition to a modern, enterprise-level GIS architecture centered on ArcGIS Enterprise, staff issued RFP No. 193271 in early 2025 to replace the expiring contracts.
The goal was to establish a new pool of qualified vendors capable of delivering these services from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030. The on-call structure allows the City to access GIS expertise as needed, without committing to full-time staffing.
ANALYSIS
The solicitation was posted on OpenGov, the City’s eProcurement platform, for 29 days. 3361 vendors were notified of the opportunity. The RFP closed on February 13, 2025. Work under each contract will be assigned through individual Task Orders. The City is not obliged to assign any specific amount of work to any contractor. The proposed annual not-to-exceed amount is an increase of $500,000 over the current Fiscal Year 2025 contract year. Historically, the department has utilized 65% of the not-to-exceed amount in recent years. It is estimated that 60% of the task orders will be funded by the Utilities Department in Fiscal Year 2026. Staff has received an increase in request for enhancements and process improvements which warrants the increase of the not-to-exceed amount.
1. ESOS – Electric Service Order System (New Project)
•Currently, electric service orders are tracked using manual workflows and multiple SharePoint sites. ESOS will provide a centralized, GIS-integrated portal to streamline customer service from planning through construction. This will reduce delays, improve coordination, and automate a process that is currently inefficient and fragmented.
2. Electric Utility – UNM Migration & Integration
•Migrated to Esri’s Utility Network Model (UNM) from outdated CAD-based mapping.
•Integration with SAP, Accela, Outage Management System (OMS), and Automated Utility Design (AUD) is still pending—this is a multi-year effort.
3. Future UNM Migrations – Water, Gas, Wastewater
•These utilities will require similar migrations and integrations in upcoming years.
4. Modernizing Legacy Utility Applications
•Replacing outdated, custom tools with modern ArcGIS-based systems across all utilities.
5. Electric Grid Modernization
•GIS support needed for smart grid projects: Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), Distribution Management System (DMS), Fault Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration (FLISR), Electric Vehicle (EV) load forecasting, and analytics.
6. New Utility GIS Tools in Development
•Includes: Water sampling, hydrant maintenance, backflow prevention, and main replacement tracking.
7. ArcGIS Integrations
•Laserfiche: Department-specific integrations starting FY2026. •Accela: BuildingEye replacement in progress, projected to save $60K/year in license fees.
8. Public Works Asset Management
•Transitioning from DaveyTree to an ArcGIS-based in-house system, improving SAP/Accela integration and reducing external license costs.
9. Rapid GIS Infrastructure Growth
•The City’s ArcGIS platform has quadrupled in size in two years due to rising demand for internal and public-facing apps.
Professional Services may include:
•Upgrading and maintaining the City’s GIS system
•Supporting data migration from older mapping systems to newer platforms •Building and improving web maps, dashboards, and mobile apps for staff and public use •Helping departments track and manage assets and infrastructure, such as electric lines, water pipes, and street trees
•Automating routine GIS workflows to save time and reduce errors •Connecting GIS with other City systems, for example customer service, utility management, and permitting tools
•Keeping foundational maps and spatial data up to date, such as parcels, utilities, and maintenance records
•Technical support to ensure systems/applications are secure, highly available, and performing efficiently.
•Assisting with real-time mapping and data tools for operations like outage tracking or field inspections
•Utility GIS Consultants to support migration of Water, Gas, and Wastewater data to Esri’s Utility Network Model
•System Integration Experts to connect UNM with ancillary systems (SAP, Accela, OMS, AUD, etc.)
•Electrical Utility Consultants with expertise in Smart Grid technologies and GIS alignment
•GIS Integration Specialists for linking GIS with AMI, DMS, OMS, and FLISR systems •Data Scientists/Machine Learning Engineers to develop forecasting and optimization tools (e.g., load prediction, EV planning) and supporting integration of CAD drawings into GIS, especially for utilities and public works projects Vendors were asked to provide hourly rates for roles such as project managers, software engineers, GIS analysts, database administrators, CAD engineers, and system administrators, among others.
Table 1: Summary of Request for Proposal
Proposal Description GIS On-Call Professional Services RFP 193271 Date Solicitation was Issued January 15, 2025
Date Solicitation was Closed February 13, 2025
Proposed Length of Project 5 years
Number of Vendors Notified 3361
Number of Proposal Packages Downloaded 104
Total Days to Respond to Proposal 29
Pre-Proposal Meeting No
Pre-Proposal Meeting Date N/A
Number of Proposals Received 25
Proposal Price Range $25 – $325/hour depending on consultant roles
Public Link to Solicitation https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/pa lo-alto-ca/projects/140924
Proposals were evaluated by staff from the Information Technology Department based on criteria outlined in the RFP, including proposal quality, feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed solution, relevant experience and staff qualifications, financial stability, ability to meet deadlines, past performance with the City and other agencies, and capacity to provide ongoing support. This is an on-call contract for as-needed services, and each vendor submitted hourly rates that vary by level of service and expertise, reflecting their specialization in different areas of the scope of work. The selected vendors submitted well-structured proposals, demonstrated proven experience, and showed a strong ability to meet current and future City needs. Several have successfully worked with the City in the past and received positive feedback for their responsiveness and service delivery. In addition to technical qualifications, vendors were selected for their ability to meet operational and compliance requirements and to support the City’s long-term goals.
On-call services will be assigned on a Task Order basis. A contractor will be selected based on their resource availability and relevant expertise. Staff will be responsible for evaluating the adequacy of each task order's proposed scope of work, contractor experience, and billing rates.
To provide checks and balances, department directors or designee will be required to approve all task orders, reviewing contractor selection and budget adherence. The City Manager or designee will approve any task order over $100,000. Designated staff will manage the deliverables and budget of each task order, approving invoices to ensure that the billed hours match the hours actually worked as well as acceptance of work progress and products.
Before entering into a task order, staff will review whether work demands and specialized skills not available internally require use of a consultant. Task orders will also require consultants provide documentation and effective knowledge transfer.
These on-call contracts are on the City’s professional services template, which permits the City to terminate without cause/for convenience by providing written notice to the contractor.
Other options include termination due to non-appropriation of funds or simply not issuing any new task orders. The contract may also be temporarily suspended by written notice of the City Manager.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
Funding for these on-call contracts in FY 2026 ($500,000) is within proposed budgeted levels adopted by the City Council; no additional funding is requested. The Not-to-exceed amount is higher than the budgeted amount to allow for other departments to be able to utilize these on- call contracts with their contract services or capital budgets.
Funding for subsequent years of the contract will be subject to approval through the annual budget development process. The Information Technology Department is funded by an internal service fund. Approximately 49% of the department is General Fund funded with the remaining 51% funded by enterprise and special revenue funds.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Vendors were evaluated by City Staff and chosen through the City’s RFP process, RFP No. 193271.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The approval of this contract is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines section 15061(c)(3) because it can be seen that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.
LINKS TO CONTRACTS
GIS On-Call Project Support Services Contracts:
• Lynx Technologies Inc, Contact Number C26193271A17
• Seven Tablets Inc, Contract Number C26193271B18
17 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/lynx-technologies- c26193271a.pdf
18 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/seven-tablets- c26193271b.pdf
• iSpatial Techno Solutions Inc, Contract Number C26193271C19 • Geodesy, Contract Number C26193271D20
• Utility Data Contractors, LLC, Contract Number C26193271E21 • NV5 Geospatial Inc, Contract Number C26193271F22
• SSP Innovations, Contract Number C2619327G23
• Timmons Group, Contract Number C26193271H24
• Infojini Inc, Contract Number C26193271I25
• Sybyte Technologies Inc, Contract Number C26193271J26 • 360S2G, Contract Number C26193271K27
• Enterprise Maps, Contract Number C26193271L28
• Farallon Geographics Contract Number C26193271M29
• Arini Geographics, Contract Number C26193271N30
APPROVED BY:
Darren Numoto, Chief Information Officer
19 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/ispatial-techno- solutions-c26193271c.pdf
20 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/geodesy- c26193271d.pdf
21 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/udc- c26193271e.pdf
22 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/nv5-geospatial- c26193271f.pdf
23 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/ssp-innovations- c26193271g.pdf
24 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/timmons-group- c26193271h.pdf
25 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/infojini- c26193271i.pdf
26 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/sybyte- technologies-c26193271j.pdf
27 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/360s2g- c26193271k.pdf
28 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/enterprise-maps- c26193271l.pdf
29 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/farallon- geographics-c26193271m.pdf
30 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/it-department/cmr-attachments/gis-on-call/arini-geographics- c26193271n.pdf