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STAFF REPORT
Office of the City Manager
DATE: February 4, 2014
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Dominic Lazzaretto, City Manager
By- Linda Garcia, Communications, Marketing and Special
Projects Manager
SUBJECT: APPROPRIATE $36,280.95 FROM PUBLIC EDUCATION GRANT
(PEG) FUNDS FOR THE SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE OF
BROADCAST SYSTEM EQUIPMENT AND INSTALLATION FROM
STUDIO SPETRUM, INC.
Recommendation: Approve
SUMMARY
An element of the system the City uses to operate Arcadia Community Television is no
longer working and needs to be replaced. This report describes the proposed purchase
and recommends that the City Council authorize said purchase and installation on a
sole source basis with Studio Spectrum, Inc. in the amount of $36,280.95.
DISCUSSION
The broadcast graphics system used to display graphics, images, names and agenda
titles on the screen during City Council meetings recently broke and is not able to be
permanently repaired. The City is currently renting equipment to continue broadcasting
with graphics until the needed purchase is made. Since the first installation of
broadcast equipment, the City has been diligent with maintenance and very prudent
when a decision had to be made on repair versus replacement of an item. The care
that has been given to the equipment has resulted in it lasting, by industry standards, a
very long time; it is believed that this system was purchased in the 1990's. At this point
however, this particular piece of the system is non - operational and outdated, and needs
to be replaced.
The determination of which broadcast system to purchase was made in consultation
with Studio Spectrum, Inc., the City's audiovisual consultant. The goal is to have a
system in place that enables the City to produce a quality product in an efficient
manner. The purchase of a NewTek Tricaster 860 media production system
Purchase of Broadcast System Equipment
February 4, 2014
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accomplishes this goal; it fixes the current problem with graphics; modernizes the
recording, playback, mixing, and switching operations to function at a 2014 level; and
contains additional and updated features that will benefit the broadcast of City Council
meetings, the scrolling Community Bulletin Board, and other ACTV programming. The
TriCaster is a core component of the video system, one that is central to all other
aspects of filming and broadcasting for the channel.
In terms of pricing, the Tricaster is a "fixed price item," meaning that the manufacturer
mandates all of its distributors sell it for the same price of $29,995. On top of this
amount is the cost of two monitors and monitor mounts, cables, installation and tax,
which brings the total project cost to $36,280.95.
Studio Spectrum, Inc. installed the original audiovisual system in the Council Chambers
and they have maintained and monitored it since that time. Their oversight and
recommendations over the years have enabled the City to produce an excellent product
in a cost - effective manner. This history of excellent work and service, along with the
fact that the Tricaster is a fixed price item, combine to result in a recommendation to
sole source the purchase and installation to Studio Spectrum, Inc.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total cost of purchasing and installing new broadcasting equipment is $36,280.95.
If approved, this purchase will be paid for with Public Education Grant (PEG) funds
provided through the local cable operators. This funding can only be used for capital
expenditures related to the operation of the City's government access channel. The
purchase of this equipment is a proper use of these funds. As such, there will be no
impact to the General Fund.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council appropriate $36,280.95 from Public Education
Grant (PEG) Funds for the sole source purchase of broadcast system equipment and
installation from Studio Spectrum, Inc.