Agenda Item Wording:
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Website and Services Contract - Authorize the City Manager to enter into a (5) year service and software license agreement with CivicPlus for web services, including a new website, 311 resident service request system, public records request management system, social media monitoring and archiving, and accessibility monitoring, attaching to a General Services Administration contract for a total of $570,000.
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Prepared by:
Allison Mackey, Communications & Brand Manager, 559-713-4535 allison.mackey@visalia.gov
John Howson, IS Manager, 559-713-4122 john.howison@visalia.gov
Renee Nagel, Finance & Technology Director, 559-713-4375 renee.nagel@visalia.city
Department Recommendation: It is recommended that the Visalia City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into a (5) year service and software license agreement with CivicPlus for web services, including a new website, 311 resident service request system, public records request management system, social media monitoring and archiving, and accessibility monitoring, attaching to the General Services Administration (GSA) Contract GS-35F-0124U, for a total of $570,000.
Summary:
The City’s current website was developed in 2014 and launched in January 2015. City staff have been asked to modernize the City's digital presence, enhance access to services, and foster greater civic engagement. The proposed solution from CivicPlus will provide a modern, accessible, mobile-friendly, website. Residents will be able to easily find information, submit service requests online or through a mobile app, and submit public records requests easily from the city website.
Background Discussion:
The City’s current website was developed in 2014 by Civica Software and launched in January 2015. In October 2015, Civica Software was acquired by Granicus. Following the acquisition, no further development was made to the Civica platform.
As a result, the website has become outdated and increasingly inadequate in meeting current standards. Notably, it lacks optimization for mobile devices, presents difficulties in submitting service requests, and does not comply with upcoming accessibility regulations.
Compliance with Accessibility Requirements
The U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division is requiring that websites and mobile applications comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act Title II web accessibility rules. The City must achieve full compliance by April 24, 2026. The current platform does not meet these requirements, making modernization both necessary and time sensitive.
Modernization Initiative
In response to these challenges, City staff were tasked with evaluating and recommending a modern solution to better serve residents, employees, and the broader public. A dedicated committee was formed to assess the current platforms and develop a forward-looking solution.
Key Goals of the Website Modernization
• Replacement of Existing Website: Implement a modern, government-focused website platform.
• Technology Integration: Leverage up-to-date web, mobile, and social media technologies to enhance civic engagement.
• User Experience: Create a well-designed, intuitive, and easy-to-navigate website that offers a positive user experience.
• Content Management: Provide a streamlined, user-friendly content management system for staff to efficiently publish and manage content.
• Workflow Automation: Implement electronic review, approval, and publishing processes.
• Information Architecture: Redesign the structure and navigation of the City’s website for improved usability and content discoverability.
• Program Compatibility: Ensure compatibility with existing programs and seamless integration with future tools, particularly those enabling virtual services and community engagement.
• Constituent Relationship Management (CRM): Integrate a CRM tool that allows residents to submit questions or service requests and centralizes all related communication, documentation, and task tracking.
• Visual Identity: Develop a visually cohesive and brand-aligned website that reflects the City’s logo and color palette.
• Accessibility and Compliance: Ensure full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and all applicable federal, state, and local accessibility standards.
• Multilingual Access: Enable content translation to serve non-English-speaking residents and visitors.
• Data Security: Meet security standards consistent with local, state, and federal requirements.
• Content Migration: Migrate all key documents and content from the existing website into the new system.
• Public Records Act Request Management: Allow for the submission and central management of public records requests.
• Social Media Management: Archive and oversee multiple official social media accounts.
Security Enhancements
A critical benefit of moving to a new website platform is the significant improvement in cybersecurity. The current site, built on an unsupported and unmaintained platform, poses security risks and limited compliance with modern data protection standards.
The new solution will:
• Be hosted on secure, government-grade infrastructure.
• Include regular updates and security patches to protect against emerging threats.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local data privacy regulations.
• Offer role-based permissions and audit trails for administrative access.
• Reduce the risk of data breaches through modern encryption and secure authentication systems.
Investing in a secure platform is not only a best practice-it is essential for maintaining public trust and safeguarding sensitive City and resident data.
Vendor Selection Process
On August 6, 2024 the City issued request for proposals (RFP) 23-24-60 for website redesign, implementation, & management services. After reviewing all responses, the evaluation committee determined that none fully met the stated requirements.
The committee then consulted with peer agencies and evaluated leading government website providers, including CivicLive, CivicPlus, Granicus, and Revize. After reviewing demonstrations, checking references, and analyzing comparable websites, the committee unanimously selected CivicPlus based on its comprehensive service offering, ease of use, and alignment with City goals.
CivicPlus has been providing City websites and services for over 25 years, with over 10,000 local governments using their products. In California, it is used by City of Bakersfield, City of Modesto, City of Kingsburg, City of East Palo Alto, City of Escondido, City of Santa Rosa, City of Diamond Bar, City of Woodland, City of San Bernardino, City of Arroyo Granda, City of Chino Hills, and many more.
The public records request system, NextRequest, is used locally in Fresno County and Kern County.
The CivicPlus proposal includes:
• Website (Municipal Websites Central): A new government focused website, design services, and migration of existing web content. Website will integrate with other government tools already used by the City and include technical support.
• ADA Compliance (AudioEye & Acquia Optimize): Automated ADA and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 compliance monitoring and added accessibility features. This includes review of content quality, broken links and other usability issues, such as color contrast and recommendations on correcting and updating content.
• Public Records Management (NextRequest): Public records request management tool that receives records requests through an online portal via the City website, routes those requests to staff automatically, providing tracking and document production for proof of compliance.
• Service Request Management (SeeClickFix 311 CRM): Resident and staff service request and tracking system. Will be similar, but an improved and more technologically advanced Visalia Works type system.
• Social Media Tools (ArchiveSocial): Social media archiving and management tool that captures and preserves all the content the City posts and engages with, including deleted, edited and hidden posts and comments. Allows for reply of any records in their original context with digital signatures, timestamps and metadata
The CivicPlus proposal allows the City to consolidate several independent initiatives into a single, efficient platform managed by one vendor. This consolidation will streamline staff responsibilities, reduce costs, and improve service delivery.
Notably, a separate project, and budget, for public records request management is fulfilled by this proposal, saving staff time and reducing the budget.
The Police Department currently uses ArchiveSocial; expanding its use to the Administrative Services Department’s Communications Division will further optimize licensing and support costs.
Staff recommend entering into an agreement with CivicPlus to secure the promotional pricing and reserve a position in the design queue. The goal is to launch the new website by early 2026, ensuring full ADA compliance ahead of the federal deadline.
Staff will provide City Council with regular updates and design drafts for review prior to the new website’s launch. In addition, a formal communications plan will be developed to inform and engage the public throughout the transition.
Fiscal Impact: The website implementation cost is budgeted for $75,000 in a capital project. The CIP will fund Year 1 (FY 25/26) of this project’s $74,805 (CIP 3880-72000/CP0762-999). Years 2-5 (FY 26/27-29/30) will be funded in the department’s operating budget which will be included in future budgets.
Year (1) includes a promotional discount of $47,726.
Prior Council Action: 12/16/24, Council approved appropriating funds for the remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) projects. The approved projects included the website refresh.
Alternatives: Direct staff to expedite the re-issue of the request for proposal to meet the April 24, 2026 ADA compliance deadline.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
Authorize the City Manager to enter into a (5) year service and software license agreement with CivicPlus for web services, including a new website, 311 resident service request system, public records request management system, social media monitoring and archiving, and accessibility monitoring, piggybacking the General Services Administration (GSA) Contract GS-35F-0124U, for a total of $570,000.
Deadline for Action: 6/16/2025
Attachments:
Quote - 20250604 - CA - Visalia - GSA SOW - Multiproduct.pdf
Proposal - CA - Visalia - Web+Acc+311+SMA+NR - 632025.pdf