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APPROVE A MOTION TO ENTER INTO A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH SHI GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS AND THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER, CITY DETECT INC. THROUGH OMNIA PARTNERS FOR TOTAL CLOUD SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council approve a motion to:
1. Authorize the City Manager to execute a cooperative agreement (Attachment A) with SHI Government Solutions and their authorized dealer, City Detect, to provide Total Cloud Solutions and Services through a cooperative contract with Omnia Partners Contract Number R220804, for a total not-to-exceed amount of $712,800, and a term from June 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025, with the option to renew for two (2) additional one-year extensions;
2. Approve findings pursuant to Stockton Municipal Code Section 3.68.070 in support of an exception to the competitive bid process; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to take necessary and appropriate actions to carry out the purpose and intent of this motion.
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Summary
The proposed cooperative agreement with SHI Government Solutions (SHI) and its authorized dealer, City Detect Inc., is for the purchase of professional services related to Total Cloud Solutions and Services. The SHI agreement was established through a competitive bid process conducted by Omnia Partners (Omnia).
It is recommended that City Council approve a motion authorizing the City Manager to execute a cooperative agreement with SHI Government Solutions and their authorized dealer, City Detect Inc, for a total not-to-exceed amount of $712,800, and a term from June 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025, with the option to renew for two (2) additional one-year extensions.
DISCUSSION
Background
The Stockton Police Department's Neighborhood Services Section (NSS) plays a crucial role in maintaining safety, health, and quality of life within the communities. They ensure that buildings, structures, and properties comply with local regulations, building codes, and zoning ordinances and enforce the Stockton Municipal Code.
NSS currently has 41 full time employee budgeted positions, 20 of which are Code Enforcement Officers (CEO). CEO’s respond reactively to violation complaints received by NSS. In addition, they are responsible for identifying violations proactively, which helps to prevent potential issues from escalating, ensures compliance with regulations, promotes public safety, and maintains community standards effectively.
Staffing challenges have caused NSS to primarily be reactive to complaints rather than proactively identifying violations and educating the public. Staff have worked to increase recruitment efforts related to the vacant CEO positions but have faced challenges. These vacancies impact staffs ability to monitor, prioritize, educate, and proactively address property violations and urban blight effectively. This often results in delayed responses, potential escalation of minor issues, and an increased burden on the team members thereby increasing the risks of burnout and workforce turnover.
In addition, current methods of property condition monitoring are subject to human interpretation and time constraints. These inefficiencies hinder informed, unbiased, data-driven decision-making in an evolving urban environment with rapidly fluctuating conditions. The lack of accessible data makes data-driven initiatives seem disconnected from the communities they aim to serve. Staff researched possible solutions to determine how to address the proactive and educational component of NSS.
Present Situation
City Detect is an artificial intelligence (AI) company that uses mounted cameras and computer vision to objectively and proactively detect, map, and report building decay and code violations. Leveraging cutting-edge AI and computer vision technology, City Detect provides detailed, near-real-time insights into the condition of the environment. Cameras are mounted to fleet vehicles and use proprietary AI algorithms to analyze various scenarios throughout communities. This results in detailed, actionable reports to inform decision-making and strategic planning. Its machine learning system analyzes housing stock and the built environment exponentially faster than traditional reporting methods. City Detect is the only authorized Code Enforcement Artificial Intelligence software providing this service, which offers solutions to the staffing challenges discussed above. By providing objective, data-driven insights into housing and urban conditions, City Detect can significantly enhance the City’s capacity for effective, efficient, and proactive urban management, leading to a more sustainable and well-maintained environment.
On January 26th, 2024, NSS completed a 1-week pilot program with City Detect. During a 5-day period, City Detect identified over 4,000 code violations on over 2,000 locations. Items such as overgrown lawns, vehicles parking on unapproved surfaces, peeling paint, boarded windows and graffiti were some of the violations identified. Once identified, locations are given a relative blight score, which is a numerical value or rating used to assess the level of blight or deterioration in a particular area or property relative to other areas or properties in order to allow NSS to prioritize resources and interventions for revitalization efforts.
The data City Detect provides would allow staff to begin with an educational approach with the community, rather than initiating with enforcement first. Community education plays a vital role in code enforcement by increasing public awareness of regulations, fostering compliance, and creating a sense of shared responsibility among residents to maintain standards, ultimately leading to a safer and more harmonious community.
The cooperative agreement with SHI Government Solutions and their authorized dealer, City Detect Inc., will provide the City access to competitive pricing for vehicle mounted cameras, artificial intelligence software, and maintenance services for a total estimated amount of $237,600, per year.
Year 1: $237,600
Optional Year 2: $237,600
Optional Year 3: $237,600
Total: $712,800
Staff and SHI’s authorized dealer, City Detect Inc, utilized the Omnia cooperative agreement for competitive pricing. The selection criteria for the professional services remains valid, and the Omnia cooperative agreement provides the City with professional services that will deploy advanced camera systems and AI to systematically collect, process, and analyze the condition of residential and public properties within the City of Stockton. City Detect, Inc. is the only Authorized SHI Dealer for AI service.
Staff recommends entering into a cooperative agreement (Attachment A) to utilize the Omnia Contract Number R220804 for Total Cloud Solutions and Services and award a contract with SHI Government Solutions and its authorized dealer, City Detect Inc., for a total not-to-exceed amount of $712,800 and a term from June 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025, with the option to renew for two (2) additional one-year extensions. Year one expiration date coincides with the terms of the cooperative agreement.
Findings
Stockton Municipal Code Section 3.68.070(A)(5) provides an exception to the competitive bidding process where the City accesses the terms of a competitively bid and negotiated cooperative purchasing agreement and where the City Council has approved findings that support and justify the exception.
The findings are as follows:
1. City’s Procurement Office recommends the use of this participating agreement and the City’s cooperative purchase agreement, as it meets the criteria as an exception to the competitive bidding process.
2. Procurement confirmed that the Omnia Partners contract was solicited and awarded by Region 4 Educations Services Center (ESC) through an open and competitive process and meets the City of Stockton’s procurement regulations.
3. City Detect Inc is the only Authorized SHI Dealer for Total Cloud Solutions and Services.
4. Participation in the Omnia agreement with SHI and its authorized dealer, City Detect Inc, will provide the City with significant cost benefits on prices.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
Budget for year one of this contract in the amount of $237,600 is included in the Fiscal Year 2023-24, Police Department’s NSS Measure A Operational Budget. Future year expenditures (years 2 through 3) will be included in the annual budget appropriation process.
Attachment A - Cooperative Agreement with Omnia Partners