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Staff Report
MEMORANDUM
To: City Council
From: David J. Deutsch, City Manager
Subject: Audio Visual Services for New City Hall – R-23-10
Date: April 5, 2010
The construction of the new City Hall will require audio visual components for the new Council Chambers and for meeting rooms throughout this facility.
The City publically advertised a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for audio visual services on January 25, 2010. In response to the RFQ, the City received seven proposals from the following firms:
- Baltimore Sound Engineering, Inc. – Baltimore, Maryland
- Corbett Technology Solutions, Inc. – Chantilly, Virginia
- Design & Integration – Baltimore, Maryland
- Lee Hartman & Sons Inc. – Baltimore, Maryland
- Nelson White Systems – Baltimore, Maryland
- RCI Sound Systems – Beltsville, Maryland
- The Whitlock Group – Richmond, Virginia
As a result of this evaluation, it was determined that three firms, Baltimore Sound Engineering, Inc., Corbett Technology Solutions, Inc. and RCI Sound Systems met the City’s criteria to be qualified to participate in this bidding process. These three firms were provided detailed plans and specifications regarding the audio visual components of this project to prepare their bids. Bids from Qualified Contractors were due by March 30, 2010. The following bids were received from these contractors:
- Baltimore Sound Engineering, Inc. $724,20
- Corbett Technology Solutions, Inc. $550,004
- RCI Sound Systems $ 597,104
These proposals were again evaluated by Grimm + Parker and Convergent Technology to ensure that the bid packages were complete and that there was a full understanding of the components of this project. Since all three contractors were deemed to be qualified contractors, price was the sole criteria that was evaluated at this point once it was determined that there was a full understanding of the components of the project in these proposals.
Based on the review of the submittals provided it has been determined that Corbett Technology Solutions, Inc. submitted the lowest price for this project among qualified contractors at $550,004. The FY 2010 budget for this segment of the project is $542,100. This difference can easily be absorbed by the significant cost savings already achieved on the City Hall project.
It should be noted that this expenditure will be totally funded by the 3% accumulated Public, Educational and Governmental (PEG) grant funds collected from Comcast and Verizon. These funds are restricted in use to capital purchases for cable related purposes.
It should also be noted that the first list of audio visual equipment proposed for this project in September 2008 by Convergent Technology after initial meetings with City staff to determine our needs and desires was estimated at $880,655. City staff subsequently worked with Convergent Technology to reduce the amount of equipment required in conference rooms and the City Council Chambers, and to eliminate the need for high end equipment, like high definition cameras in Council Chambers that subsequently lowered the price for this segment of the project.
Staff Recommendation
Grimm + Parker and Convergent Technology both recommend awarding the contract for audio visual services at the new City Hall to Corbett Technology Solutions, Inc. Staff concurs with this recommendation.
