City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: October 27, 2026
Agenda Item: 4.G
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Feroz Merchhiya, Chief Information Officer, Information Services Department Subject: Approval of Third Modification of Agreement with ELB US, Inc. for the Purchase of Audio-Visual Equipment, including System
Design/Implementation and Support Services for the Information Services Department
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute a third modification to Agreement #10935 in the amount of $220,000 with ELB US, Inc. (ELB) for the purchase of audio‑visual equipment, system design and implementation, and support services for the Information Services Department. This will result in an amended agreement with a new total amount not to exceed $715,855, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Summary
The City of Santa Monica contracts with ELB US, Inc. (ELB) to provide audio‑visual (A/V) equipment, system design and implementation, and ongoing support services for meeting rooms and operational facilities across the City. These services ensure the reliability of A/V systems used for public meetings, trainings, hybrid collaboration, and daily operational needs.
The current agreement, as modified through December 31, 2026, does not have sufficient authority to support planned A/V equipment replacements, system upgrades, and required support services through the extended project timeline. Staff seek 2 of 5
approval for a third modification to ensure continuity of service and to meet operational requirements. The request to extend this agreement has been approved by Procurement via ECB # 529 but still requires City Council authorization to execute the contract modification.
The City has completed a new solicitation and made an award recommendation for RFP No. 2026‑RFP‑00034 which sought proposals from qualified audio‑visual (A/V) systems integrators to provide comprehensive, citywide A/V services in support of conference rooms, event spaces, and other City facilities. Staff anticipate presenting the recommended vendor for City Council authorization before January 31, 2027 when the new agreement is ready to be executed. However, a modification to the existing ELB agreement is necessary to bridge the gap and maintain uninterrupted A/V support until the new contract from RFP No. 2026-RFP-00034 is executed.
The proposed third modification would add $220,000 in contract authority and extend the term to January 31, 2027. This provides the necessary time and resources to complete current installations, maintain reliability of existing systems, and support ongoing A/V modernization efforts. If approved, the total agreement amount would not exceed $715,855, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Discussion
The City relies on ELB to provide consistent, reliable audio‑visual (A/V) functionality across numerous meeting rooms and operational facilities. These systems support critical City functions, including public meetings, hybrid work environments, interdepartmental collaboration, and community‑facing events. As A/V demands have increased, ELB’s services have expanded to include system design, equipment procurement, installation, maintenance, repairs, and multi‑facility technical support.
Since the execution of the original agreement in 2019, two contract modifications, each within the Council‑approved authority, have been approved to extend A/V support services and incorporate additional facilities and room systems into ELB’s maintenance 3 of 5
program. These extensions were necessary to maintain continuity of operations and ensure stable support for the City’s A/V infrastructure. Through these prior modifications, the agreement was extended through December 31, 2026, and the scope was updated to reflect the City’s evolving A/V needs.
The current funding authority, however, is insufficient to support the ongoing A/V support services required through the end of the extended contract term. The additional $220,000 requested through this third modification will ensure sufficient capacity to complete system upgrades, replace end‑of‑life components, and respond to operational needs, including A/V reliability improvements in key public meeting and hybrid collaboration spaces.
In parallel, the City has completed the competitive solicitation process via RFP No. 2026‑RFP‑00034, which sought a qualified A/V systems integrator to provide comprehensive, citywide A/V services across conference rooms, event spaces, and other facilities. The City has made the recommended award, and staff anticipate returning to City Council with a recommendation to authorize a new agreement before January 31, 2027.
Because the new contract has not yet been negotiated and received City Council authorization to execute the agreement, this third modification is necessary to bridge the gap and ensure uninterrupted A/V support until the successor agreement is fully executed. Without this modification, the City risks service interruptions, delayed repairs, system downtime during critical public meetings, and degradation of A/V capabilities relied upon by staff and the community. It would also impede the City’s ability to effectively and efficiently complete the workspace optimization relocation that supports the January 2027 return‑to‑office initiative, which requires all conference rooms and A/V‑equipped spaces to be fully operational.
The request for an additional $220,000 is due to unanticipated costs associated with relocating A/V equipment from conference rooms and other A/V‑equipped office spaces, 4 of 5
as well as necessary repairs and modernization at the SMi Training Room, which are necessary to facilitate the implementation of the new return-to-office initiative.
The proposed extension through January 31, 2027, combined with the additional authority, will allow ELB to continue providing essential services while the City finalizes the competitive procurement and transitions to the new vendor selected through the RFP.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Description
09/10/2019
(Attachment A)
Agreement with ELB US, Inc. for the purchase of audio-visual equipment, including system design/implementation and support services.
Environmental Review
The proposed contract modification is exempt from the provision of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines (common sense exemption). The proposal is covered by the common sense exemption which states that CEQA does not apply, “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” The modification would not result in any adverse physical environmental effects as it encompasses services to upgrade existing systems in public meeting and hybrid collaboration spaces. Therefore, the modification to the agreement is exempt from CEQA and no further environmental review under CEQA is required.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve available funding from various funds to increase the total contract amount for Agreement No. 10935 (CCS) with ELB for the purchase of audio-visual equipment, system design and implementation, and support services. The cost is allocated to various funds based on the Department, Division, and/or CIP project requiring the work.
Contract Modification Request
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Agreement
#
Current
Authorized
Amount
FY 2026-27
Modified Request
Amount
Account
Number
Total Revised
Contract
Amount
10935 $495,855 $220,000 Various $715,855
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Prepared By: Carolyn Connolly, Administrative Services Officer Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. ELB Staff Report 09.10.2019
B. FY25-26 Oaks Initiative - ELB
C. Levine Act Form - ELB