City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: MAY 16, 2023 FROM: CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: SEVENTH AMENDMENT TO SOFTWARE LICENSE AND HARDWARE MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT AGREEMENT FOR UPLINK SOLUTION WITH LIVEU, INC., FOR LIVE VIDEO TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS IN THE ANNUAL AMOUNT OF $18,162 PLUS 15% CHANGE ORDER AUTHORITY OF $2,724.30, FOR A 3-YEAR TERM FROM JULY 1, 2023 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2026 FOR A TOTAL NOT-TO-EXCEED AMOUNT OF $62,658.90 ISSUES:
Approve a Seventh Amendment to Software License and Hardware Maintenance and Support Agreement for Uplink Solution with LiveU, Inc., for live video transmission systems in the annual amount of $18,162 plus 15% change order authority, for a 3-year term through June 30, 2026, for a total not-to-exceed amount of $62,658.90.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve a Seventh Amendment to the Software License and Hardware Maintenance and Support Agreement for Uplink Solution with LiveU, Inc., for live video transmission systems in the annual amount of $18,162 for a 3-year term through June 30, 2026; Authorize 15% change order authority of $2,724.30 each year, for maintenance and support services; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Seventh Amendment, including all necessary documents related to change order authority, and making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Riverside has had an agreement with LiveU Inc. (LiveU) for a bonded cellular video transmitter and receiver since August 2011. Since that time, the contract has been extended six times for a total contract amount of $309,650.86. The most recent contract expired on August 31, 2022.
DISCUSSION:
The proposed Agreement with LiveU includes software license fees and maintenance and support for hardware units that allow for live television and social media coverage for the City Manager’s Office of Communications and RiversideTV coverage. The Office of Communications continues to need and use the services provided by LiveU. A summary of the servers and services are described below:
Servers
LU10-SV-VR02 - Return video server which allows video to be sent from the studio back to the field units. This allows remote teleprompter feeds, or for live interview to communicate back and forth remotely.
LU2000 (B Stock) - Single channel video receiver. The field unit sends the video to this server which then ties into the TV channel. This unit allows video to be sent to studio as well as headend.
Services
LU-SMART - Allows remote cellular and laptop connections to send live video from the field to the headend at the City Council Chambers. This allows great flexibility to cover live events and emergency situations.
LU-VRPRO - Return video service
LU-MATRIX - Annual service that allows the City’s headend receivers to obtain video from other agencies. An example of this would be live feeds from the Governor’s office for daily COVID-19 updates. This also allows RiversideTV to share live signal with other LiveU matrix users, mainly LA based television stations.
Maintenance and Support (Service Level Agreements)
SLA for LU600 – Maintenance and support for backpack transmitter as needed.
SLA for LU610 – Maintenance and support for server/receiver as needed.
SLA for LU10-sv-1ul04 – Maintenance and support for server/receiver as needed.
Formal bidding is not required per the City Purchasing Resolution 23914 Section 602(q) which states that “Competitive Procurement through Informal Procurement and Formal Procurement process shall not be required in any of the following circumstances: …(q) When the Procurement is for the renewal of maintenance, license(s), support, or a similar need for existing technology systems, including hardware, and the items are procured are from the owner/developer of the software/hardware or from a sole source provider, and the Manager is satisfied that the best price, terms, and conditions have been negotiated”.
The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommended action to approve the amendment is in compliance with Purchasing Resolution 23914, Section 602(q).
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
The Seventh Amendment to the Agreement with LiveU contributes to Strategic Priority 5 – High Performing Government and Goal 5.2 - Utilize technology, data, and process improvement strategies to increase efficiencies, guide decision making, and ensure services are accessible and distributed equitably throughout all geographic areas of the City and Goal 5.3 - Enhance communication and collaboration with community members to improve transparency, build public trust and encourage shared decision-making.
The Agreement aligns with the five Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – The ability for the Office of Communications to broadcast uninterrupted live video feeds allows the City to be transparent by giving the community the opportunity to view and participate in public meetings and events in real time. This helps to build community trust and results in greater public good by ensuring that all citizens have an avenue to voice public comments on issues that affect the community.
Equity – Ensuring that live video feeds remain uninterrupted supports equity by allowing members from the community to view and participate in public meetings even when they may not have the means to physically be in attendance. This ensures that all members of the community have equal access to their right to be informed about decisions throughout the City and exercise their right to make public comment.
Fiscal Responsibility – The Office of Communications is being fiscally responsible by utilizing the Public, Educational, and Governmental Access Fund (PEG) that is specifically provided by the cable operators to finance the day-to-day operations of public-access channels for the payment of all Live U costs. PEG funds are restricted for use related to government-access channels and are allocated each fiscal year. PEG Fund use for the Live U Purchase Agreement results in no fiscal impact to the General Fund.
Innovation – The Office of Communications is committed to identifying creative solutions to make live broadcasting of meetings and events throughout the City possible by exploring options such as the equipment and service that LiveU provides which made live streaming from any location possible.
Sustainability & Resiliency – During the pandemic resiliency became even more critical and viewing public meetings remotely became the only available option for a period of time. Without the LiveU equipment and service, the City would not have had the means to broadcast meetings and live events remotely. Giving the community a way to view public meetings remotely could reduce environmental impact in the long-term by reducing vehicle emissions that would have occurred from driving to meetings and events.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this action is $62,658.90 which includes maintenance and support services and 15% change order authority for the duration of the three-year agreement with LiveU, Inc., ending on June 30, 2026. Sufficient funds are budgeted and available in the Grants & Restricted Programs Fund, CM-Communications, PEG expenditure account number 1140001-450055. Appropriations for future fiscal years will be included in the Department’s Budget submissions for those fiscal years to be presented to the City Council for approval.
Prepared by: Kaitlin Reierson, Marketing Officer
Certified as to
availability of funds: Edward Enriquez, Interim Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer/City Treasurer
Approved by: Mike Futrell, City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachment: Seventh Amendment to Agreement with LiveU, Inc.
LiveU Software License Hardware Maintenance/Support ● Page 3