HomeMy WebLinkAbout _ 4.3(a)--Request to approve issuance of RFP for VoIP phone system
CITY OF REDDING
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
Recommendation
Approve the issuance of Request for Proposals to update the City of Redding’s Voice over
Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone software and hardware.
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact associated with the issuance of this Request for Proposals (RFP). Upon
identification of a solution, the necessary contracts, budget resolution(s), and short-term and
long-term fiscal impacts will be presented for the City Council’s (Council) consideration. It is
anticipated the cost of this solution will range between $600,000 and $900,000 and will be
funded by the Information Technology Department’s reserves.
Alternative Action
The Council could choose not to approve the issuance of an RFP and provide alternative
direction to staff.
Background/Analysis
In 2014, the City of Redding (City) underwent a large project to update the previous analog
phone system to an on-premise Cisco-based VOIP system. This system provides voice
communication services City-wide, covers nearly 1,000 staff members in a multitude of
departments and locations, and is critical to day-to-day operations. The last update to the system
was done in 2017; however, the equipment and operating system of the current system are no
longer supported and are beginning to show signs of failure.
While there is some redundancy built into the system, the lack of support on the current system
has resulted in three (3) servers that are not fully functional, and these malfunctions are causing
issues across the phone system. Recently, various departments and divisions have started to
MEETING DATE: March 21, 2023
ITEM NO. 4.3(a)
FROM:
***APPROVED BY***
tvanboekel@cityofredding.org
btippin@cityofredding.org
SUBJECT: 4.3(a)--Approve Issuance of Request for Proposal related to the City of Redding's
VoIP telephone system
Tony Van Boekel, Chief
Information Officer/IT
Director
Report to Redding City Council March 16, 2023
Re: 4.3(a)--Request to approve issuance of RFP for VoIP phone system Page 2
experience performance issues including, but not limited to, call delays, call trees not working
correctly, and an inability to simply add users to the City’s internal instant messaging platform
which is facilitated through the phone system. Major issues could result in a full phone outage
that would affect emergency services; without support, there may not be an immediate viable
option to fix the issue. While the criticality of issues may vary, the system as a whole is critical
by nature and must be updated and/or replaced.
Since the system was last updated, new technologies have become available. The City is looking
to issue an RFP in order to leverage new technologies (such as a hosted solution) in order to
enhance performance, reliability, security, and user safety.
Environmental Review
This is not a project defined under California Environmental Quality Act, and no further action is
required.
Council Priority/City Manager Goals
• Government of the 21st Century – “Be relevant and proactive to the opportunities and
challenges of today’s residents and workforce. Anticipate the future to make better
decisions today.”