Placement: Consent Agenda
Action Requested: Motion / Vote
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Approve Contract 20250121 for Closed Captioning Services with Captioning Services, LLC d/b/a Florida Captioning Services.
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Submitted By: Alaina Knofla, Acting Procurement Manager, Procurement Division.
Strategic Plan Link: The City's Goal of a high-performing city government organization.
Summary Brief (Agreements/Contracts only)
1. Prepared by: Alaina Knofla, Acting Procurement Manager, Procurement Division.
2. Parties: City of Port St. Lucie and Captioning Services, LLC d/b/a Florida Captioning Services (“Florida Captioning Services”).
3. Purpose: Provide closed captioning services for City Council meetings.
4. New/Renewal/Modified: New.
5. Duration: Effective May 1, 2025, and expires on April 30, 2030 (5-years).
6. Benefits to Port St. Lucie: Provides an efficient means of closed captioning service for Council meetings.
7. Cost to Port St. Lucie (Annual and Potential): Estimated annual expenditure $30,000.00 with a total contract amount of $150,000.00 for the 5-year period. Contract provides for a $2/hour price increase per year.
Presentation Information: N/A
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council approve Contract #20250121, per City of Ordinances, Section Chapter 35.08(a)(16) (exception to formal bidding for “[l]icensed computer software, web-based applications and maintenance for such software and applications, so long as it is part of an existing system”), for Closed Captioning Services.
Alternate Recommendations:
1. Move that the Council amend the recommendation and approve Contract #20250121 with Florida Captioning Services.
2. Move that the Council not approve Contract #20250121 with Florida Captioning Services and provide staff with direction.
Background: The City has been using the same closed captioning service for over ten years. In 2018, staff explored other options, including automated machines, but the startup costs and monthly fees were too high. Staff also looked into other live captioning services, but none offered the combination of affordability ($88 per hour), 24/7 availability, and national certification that the current provider does.
When it came to encoding videos, the alternatives staff considered had longer turnaround times of around seven days and charged $145 per project, making the City’s current service much more reliable and efficient. Cloud-based systems were also evaluated, but they didn’t meet the City’s standards for quality. Ultimately, staff found that human captioning provided superior accuracy and service compared to automated solutions.
After thorough consideration, the City signed a contract with Florida Captioning Services in 2014. Their unmatched reliability and expertise have made them indispensable to the City’s operations.
Issues/Analysis: Staff has reviewed the compensation and level of services to be provided and finds that it is fair and reasonable.
Financial Information: General Funds/Communications/Other Contractual Services (001-1311-564000).
Special Consideration: N/A.
Location of Project: N/A.
Attachments:
1. Contract #20250121.
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
Internal Reference Number: 25091-16; 25100-06
Legal Sufficiency Review:
Reviewed by Alyssa Lunin, Deputy City Attorney. Approved as to Legal form and sufficiency by Richard Berrios, City Attorney.