City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: IT Department
Meeting Date: June 1, 2026
Report #:2603-6181
TITLE
Approval of Purchase Order C27197327 with Carahsoft Technology Corporation to Procure DocuSign eSignature Software, Utilizing OMNIA cooperative contract no. R240303 for a One- Year Term for a Total Not-To-Exceed Amount of $145,180; CEQA Status - Not a Project.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council approve and authorize the City Manager or their designee to execute Purchase Order C27197327 with Carahsoft Technology Corporation, utilizing an OMNIA cooperative contract no. R2403031, to procure DocuSign eSignature software for a one- year term through July 31, 2027, with a total Not-To-Exceed amount $145,180.
BACKGROUND
City of Palo Alto began using DocuSign on April 30, 2015, to improve operational efficiency by enabling digital signatures, electronic forms, and automated workflows.
In July 2018, the City procured DocuSign services through Carahsoft Technology Corporation using the State of California Multiple Award Schedules (CMAS), achieving approximately 50% savings off list price and leveraging pre-negotiated terms and conditions. The purchase was made under PAMC section 2.30.360(j) through a CMAS cooperative purchasing agreement. The City renewed DocuSign services through CMAS in 2019, 2020, and 2021. On September 27, 2021, City Council authorized Purchase Order C22183161 with Carahsoft for a three-year term (August 23, 2021 - August 22, 2024), with annual fees of $126,753 and a not-to-exceed amount of $380,2582.
1 OMNIA Software Solutions and Services Contract R240303:
https://www.omniapartners.com/suppliers/carahsoft/public-sector/contract-documents#contract-2098 2 September 27, 2021 Report, Item #6, page 67, is available to view at https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=2282&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto&searchid=2a644ec9- 3994-454c-90bc-d82144741806
Following the CMAS term, City Council approved extensions through OMNIA cooperative contracts. On September 9, 2024, Council approved Purchase Order C25192371 under OMNIA contract no. 23-6692-0115 to extend services through August 2025, not-to-exceed $125,9655.
On August 18, 2025, Council approved Purchase Order C26195602 under OMNIA contract no.
R240303 to extend services through July 31, 2026, not-to-exceed $145,1806.
ANALYSIS
DocuSign supports City operations by allowing staff to route, review, approve, and execute documents electronically from any device. The platform improves visibility into document status through real-time tracking, which helps departments complete approvals more efficiently and reduces manual follow-up.
Since the City began using DocuSign, the platform has also provided sustainability benefits, including an estimated 4,081,716 sheets of paper saved, 441 trees preserved, 432,662 gallons of water conserved, 38,239 pounds of CO2 emissions avoided, and 23,878 pounds of printing-, postage-, and storage-related waste eliminated.
Envelope activity over the last three years demonstrates sustained demand and broad Citywide use of the platform:
2023: 25,671 envelopes
2024: 25,480 envelopes
2025: 26,152 envelopes
Current-term usage and performance metrics for the period August 1, 2025, through July 31, 2026, show continued reliance on the system:
Envelopes purchased: 28,000
Envelopes used to date: 15,852
Projected usage by end of term: 24,242
Active users: 484 staff
Average time to fully execute a document: 3.1 days
Transactions completed within 24 hours: 63.6%
This procurement leverages the OMNIA Software Solutions and Services Contract No. R240303, through which the Region 4 Education Service Center (Region 4 ESC) conducted a competitive solicitation and awarded Carahsoft as an approved vendor. This allows eligible public agencies 5 September 9, 2024 Report, Item #11, is available to view at https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=82997&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto 6 August 18. 2025 Report, Item # 11, is available to view at https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=83556&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto to use competitively solicited terms and pricing, including faster deployment, discounts off MSRP, expedited response times, and 24/7 support.
In addition, because the City is renewing its subscription for the same term length and the same eSignature Enterprise Pro for Local Government – Envelopes offering, the vendor has agreed that the subscription price will not increase over the previous term for up to two one-year renewals.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
The costs are expected to occur in FY 2027. Funding for this purchase order is included in the FY 2027 Proposed Budget and is subject to City Council approval consistent with how multi-year technology support contracts are funded in future years.
The Information Technology Department (ITD) is supported through an internal service fund model. Approximately 49% of ITD’s costs are funded by the General Fund, with the remaining 51% supported by enterprise and special revenue funds.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Staff coordinated with internal stakeholders and the vendor to confirm the renewal aligns with Citywide needs and security requirements, validate user and license counts, and ensure uninterrupted digital signature workflows across departments.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The approval is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Carahsoft - Docusign - Quote No. 64483653 APPROVED BY:
Darren Numoto, Chief Information Officer; Lisa Bolger, Assistant Director Information Technology/CTO