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APPROVE AN ADDENDUM TO THE LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH ZENCITY TECHNOLOGIES
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council approve by motion:
1. Authorizing an addendum to the annual software license agreement with Zencity Technologies (Zencity) in the amount of $63,000 per year for an additional three (3) years, for a not-to-exceed amount of $189,000; and
2. Authorizing the City Manager to continue this annual Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) subscription through the regular budget approval process.
It is also recommended that the City Manager be authorized to take appropriate and necessary action to carry out the purpose and intent of this motion.
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Summary
In January 2022, the City entered into an administratively approved single-source agreement with Zencity Technologies, a technology platform supporting the City’s organizational performance and data analytics efforts. In December 2024, the City Council approved an extension of the agreement through March 2026.
Staff has determined that the Zencity platform continues to provide significant value in supporting the City’s strategic planning and implementation of Council priority goals. Approval of the proposed addendum will ensure continuity of services without disruption.
Staff is requesting City Council approval of the License Agreement Addendum (Attachment A), along with authorization to continue the annual software subscription moving forward.
DISCUSSION
Background
The City has prioritized the implementation of a comprehensive and integrated performance management program aimed at delivering services that are more efficient, responsive, and data-driven. A key component of this effort is understanding community sentiment and engagement.
To support this objective, the City evaluated available tools to capture real-time, organic public feedback. In January 2022, following a review of available platforms, Zencity was identified as the most suitable solution due to its specialization in local government analytics and civic engagement. The City subsequently entered into a license agreement with Zencity.
Zencity is an AI-powered community engagement platform used to gather and analyze resident feedback. By leveraging data from social media, local news, and digital surveys, the city identifies top community concerns to ensure decision-making aligns with resident needs. It collects thousands of "voices" quarterly from diverse digital platforms and measures public perception, safety, and trust to help public agencies move beyond traditional metrics. The technology uses census-matched data to ensure feedback reflects the entire community, not just the most vocal individuals.
Key aspects of Stockton's use of Zencity:
• Community Engagement: The platform assists in tracking resident feedback to validate city initiatives.
• Targeted Projects: Zencity was used for engagement on the "Thrive Downtown" initiative.
• Identifying Concerns: The technology highlighted the need for increased youth programming and safety measures based on community input.
• Data Analysis: Zencity analyzes feedback from various sources to produce actionable reports for the City.
Present Situation
The City currently utilizes Zencity under an annual Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) licensing agreement, which includes a base package and the option to add services such as targeted surveys as needed. This subscription-based structure is standard within the industry.
Due to the nature of SaaS platforms, it is both cost-prohibitive and operationally inefficient to conduct a new procurement or transition to a different platform on an annual basis. Maintaining continuity with the existing platform ensures consistency in data collection, trend analysis, and overall program effectiveness.
Staff is therefore requesting approval to renew the agreement at an annual cost of $63,000 for an additional three (3) years, and to authorize the City Manager to continue the subscription as part of the City’s ongoing budget process.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
Funds have been budgeted in FY 2025-26 and are available in the Non-Departmental Citywide Special Services account. To support continuity of services in subsequent years, costs will be budgeted in the same account and subject to Council approval during the annual budget development process. This will allow the City to maintain its base package under the subscription based, annual licensing agreement.
Attachment A - Zencity License Agreement Addendum