Title
a. Authorize the Chief Information Officer to execute a non-standard Software Subscription Agreement with Siteimprove, Incorporated for support services in the administration of the County website in the amount of $60,000 for the period of January 13, 2025 through January 12, 2029; and
b. Accept non-standard contract provisions as recommended by the Chief Information Officer; and
c. Authorize the Chief Information Officer or designee to sign up to four (4) additional renewals to this Agreement, each extending the term by one year, where the additional costs per year do not exceed 10% of the prior year’s cost, with a potential overall Agreement aggregate not to exceed amount of $136,577.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Authorize the Chief Information Officer to execute a non-standard Software Subscription Agreement with Siteimprove, Incorporated for support services in the administration of the County website in the amount of $60,000 for the period of January 13, 2025 through January 12, 2029; and
b. Accept non-standard contract provisions as recommended by the Chief Information Officer; and
c. Authorize the Chief Information Officer or designee to sign up to four (4) additional renewals to this Agreement, each extending the term by one year, where the additional costs per year do not exceed 10% of the prior year’s cost, with a potential overall Agreement aggregate not to exceed amount of $136,577.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
It is requested that the Board of Supervisors authorize the Chief Information Officer to sign a non-standard Agreement with Siteimprove, Incorporated to continue to provide the following services for the County’s website:
1. Quality Assurance to identify website quality issues, allowing County departments to work proactively to eliminate typical mistakes such as broken links, misspellings, and consistency issues.
2. Accessibility with PDF scanning to check County website content and PDF files for accessibility compliance.
3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to identify technical and content-related issues affecting search engine rankings and traffic to the County website.
4. Website monitoring service that reports on County website availability and performance around the clock.
5. Usability service that provides data to understand County website users’ experiences with Heat Maps, Scroll Maps, Click Maps, Online User Survey, and Internal Search Statistics.
The County’s website is used by all County Departments to provide information to residents, visitors, and businesses of Monterey County. The website allows users to request services, register businesses, report issues, and contact relevant County departments. The website also provides online payments of fees and taxes, amongst other services. During emergencies, the County website is updated to provide the public with immediate guidelines. In addition, the County’s website is a primary resource for County employees, in that it provides employment policies, Memorandum of Understandings and benefits, as well as employee email access.
The proposed agreement will allow Siteimprove to continue to provide support for the County website and will ensure that the website is equipped with the latest tools and technologies for quality assurance and accessibility.
The Chief Information Officer recommends the approval of this agreement with Siteimprove.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel has reviewed this non-standard Agreement. The Auditor-Controller has reviewed the Agreements but does not agree with the non-standard payment provisions.
FINANCING:
The funds in the amount of $11,640 for Fiscal Year 2024-25 have been included in Adopted Budget for the Information Technology Department, ITD 1930, Appropriations Unit INF002. Transactions relating to each fiscal year will be included in each respective Requested Budget.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
The services provided pursuant to this agreement will support the quality and accessibility of the County’s website.
__Economic Development
X Administration
__Health & Human Services
X Infrastructure
__Public Safety
Prepared by: Sandra Shaffer, Management Analyst III, 759-6957
Approved by: Eric A. Chatham, Chief Information Officer, 759-6920
Attachments:
SiteImprove, Inc. Agreement
SiteImprove Quote FY 2024-2025