TO: Committee of the Whole - Public Safety and Human Services
FROM: Mayor Angela Birney
DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR CONTACT(S):
|
Executive |
Lisa Maher |
425-556-2427 |
DEPARTMENT STAFF:
|
Executive |
Zach Houvener |
Deputy - Equity & Strategic Services |
TITLE:
title
Approve Contract for Fully Managed Video Production for Public Meetings
OVERVIEW STATEMENT:
recommendation
Staff are seeking approval to contract with Granicus LLC for a fully outsourced, end-to-end video production service that will modernize and stabilize the City’s public meeting broadcast operations and support compliance with upcoming WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility requirements. Under this service model, Granicus will provide multi-camera, professionally managed livestreams and recordings of all public meetings held in Council Chambers, including Special and Regular Business Meetings, Study Sessions, Committee of the Whole, and Commission meetings. This approach will ensure consistent technical quality, reduce operational risk, enhance public accessibility and transparency, and leverage dedicated expertise with responsive support. The same production capabilities can also be utilized for other City presentations or meetings, providing a unified and reliable experience.
This contract will be established through the City’s use of the OMNIA Partners cooperative purchasing agreement, in line with City Purchasing Policy. OMNIA is a nationally recognized cooperative procurement program that provides competitively solicited contracts for public agencies, ensuring compliance with applicable procurement regulations while reducing administrative burden and accelerating acquisition timelines. Granicus LLC is an awarded vendor under an active OMNIA contract for video production and digital engagement services. By utilizing this cooperative agreement, the City can leverage pre-negotiated pricing, standardized contract terms, and documented competitive procurement, allowing staff to secure the required services efficiently and in a cost-effective manner.
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☒ Additional Background Information/Description of Proposal Attached
REQUESTED ACTION:
☐ Receive Information ☒ Provide Direction ☐ Approve
REQUEST RATIONALE:
• Relevant Plans/Policies:
o N/A
• Required:
o Per Bidding and Signing Approval levels, Council provides authorization for the Mayor or Designee to sign contracts over $50,000.
• Council Request:
o N/A
• Other Key Facts:
o This fully managed service enables the City to meet and sustain compliance with ADA requirements and certain components of the upcoming WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards across all public meeting broadcasts.
o The product has provided this managed model to over 800+ local governments since 2003 and is used by cities, counties, and school districts in the USA, Canada, and Australia. Local jurisdictions using this same service include Lynnwood, WA, Kennewick, WA, Richland, WA, Battleground Public Schools, and Camas School District.
o The City will retain full control over all Zoom and Teams meeting functions, including processes such as remote or in-person public comment. This system will not affect our ability to conduct those activities on either platform. The Granicus service is limited to video production and streaming and it does not manage or operate the meeting itself. All existing safeguards and procedural controls remain in place.
OUTCOMES:
Accessibility compliance: Meets ADA and WCAG 2.1 Level AA requirements, including live captions and captions for pre-recorded video, ahead of upcoming compliance mandates. Spanish translation is included in the current scope, with additional language translation services being introduced over time.
Improved broadcast quality: Professional multi-camera switching, live remote directing, and direct integration of agendas with video segments. These capabilities are unavailable among other vendors.
Staff Capacity: Would eliminate the need for Communications staff to manage A/V for public meetings, freeing time for higher-value work and existing service gaps following a staffing retirement.
Workflow integration: Direct compatibility with Legistar, which supports Agenda Memos and existing workflow processes.
Editing/Troubleshooting: Post-production editing is included, which our City Clerk currently performs to make recorded sessions available to the public with timestamps for easy navigation. The system also includes multiple redundancies to ensure recordings remain accessible even in the event of a power loss, supported by dedicated UPS battery backup for the equipment. Staff also have direct access to the production director by phone and email for any needed adjustments to the production.
• How support works during meetings:
Granicus staff are not physically present in chambers. Instead, a professional director at Granicus’ operations center is assigned to each meeting and actively manages it live from start to finish (controlling cameras, switching feeds, displaying graphics, and monitoring audio and video quality in real time). This is not a passive "set it and forget it" stream, it’s a trained person watching and producing our meeting the entire time.
• If an issue arises mid-meeting:
Because a director is already monitoring the broadcast live, most streaming, camera, and production issues are identified and resolved remotely in real time. Granicus also provides staffed live meeting phone support with extended hours covering all of our evening meetings, and their support staff are specifically trained in remote troubleshooting of A/V, network, and streaming issues. In practice, if something goes wrong, our staff have a direct line with the person who is already watching our meeting and can act immediately.
• What remains the City's responsibility:
A few in-room tasks remain on our side: someone will need to turn on the chamber lights and microphones before the meeting. The room equipment, most notably the podium microphones, and the physical A/V hardware in the production room remains City owned and maintained, supported by our TIS team. This is the same division of responsibility we have today, what changes is that the production/broadcast layer moves from a single Communications staff member to a dedicated professional team with redundancy behind it. Notably, the December chambers A/V upgrade will also modernize much of that in-room equipment (wall screens, dais screens, cabling, microphones, assisted listening devices, etc.) reducing the likelihood of hardware issues going forward.
COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH AND INVOLVEMENT:
• Timeline (previous or planned):
o N/A
• Outreach Methods and Results:
o N/A
• Feedback Summary:
o N/A
BUDGET IMPACT:
Total Cost:
• One-time implementation/installation fees, including equipment: $71,079.34 + Washington State Sales Tax (WSST)
• New Subscription Fees (Annual): $98,996.78* + WSST
*Due to having an existing contract with Granicus for non-fully managed video production services, the new net annual amount is $81,895.01
Approved in current biennial budget: ☒ Yes ☐ No ☐ N/A
Budget Offer Number:
0000293
Budget Priority:
Strategic and Responsive
Other budget impacts or additional costs: ☒ Yes ☐ No ☐ N/A
If yes, explain:
Annual service fees will be included in the 2027-2028 budget under BTIP.
Funding source(s):
General Fund - One time
Budget/Funding Constraints:
N/A
☐ Additional budget details attached
COUNCIL REVIEW:
Previous Contact(s)
|
Date |
Meeting |
Requested Action |
|
N/A |
Item has not been presented to Council |
N/A |
Proposed Upcoming Contact(s)
|
Date |
Meeting |
Requested Action |
|
11/2/2026 |
Business Meeting |
Approve |
Time Constraints:
Council chambers’ A/V upgrades are scheduled for December 2026. This integration will occur concurrently with that work, avoiding additional configuration costs, repeat chamber downtime, and a second disruption to meeting broadcasts. Additionally, upcoming WCAG 2.1 compliance deadlines make timely implementation important to avoid a compliance gap.
ANTICIPATED RESULT IF NOT APPROVED:
We would revert to the previous model of a Communications employee or supplemental managing A/V for public meetings. The City would also face increased staff time and potential costs to meet WCAG 2.1 accessibility requirements without vendor support, and would miss an efficiency window to integrate during the December council chamber’s upgrade.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: OMNIA Cooperative Purchasing Contract - Scope of Work
Attachment B: Proposal - Pricing Summary
Attachment C: Master Agreement Document - OMNIA Partners for Software and SaaS Solutions
Attachment D: Information Privacy and Security Agreement
Attachment E: Addendum - Licensed Granicus AI Systems