Title
Discuss and consider action to approve two four-year contracts for the development and maintenance of a mobile phone application and authorize the City Manager to execute same.
Summary
City staff has been investigating the use of mobile phone apps. Cities in the area are using the apps in a number of different levels. Staff is recommending using two separate companies to develop a phone app that will do two things: it will work through the existing citizen request tracker process that is available through the city's website to provide instant information and pictures of citizen concerns; and provide information on city events and festivals. It is not simply a link to the city's website. Instead it would include buttons for Deutschen Pfest, Chili Pfest, and Pfirecracker Pfestival, news, social media and bill pay. A resident could download the app in advance of a city festival or event, view the stage band/entertainment schedules and share their event schedule with friends. Residents could post pictures to Facebook/Twitter and comments about city events via the app and plan in advance what booth vendors or activities they want to visit before they even arrive. Residents wouldn't need a paper map onsite as their phone would provide immediate access to the festival area map and schedule, without needing internet access. To promote the app, banners could hang at city festival stages saying "Who is up next? Download the PflugervilleTX App." In addition, the app would be promoted in the Pflugerville movie theater. The preferred app would have push notification features available to notify guests of emergency alerts and reminders to their phone.
The 2012 Pflugerville Citizen Survey indicated that approximately 65% of Pflugerville residents have a smart phone (Iphone/Android). Nielsen ratings indicate that America's mobile app use went up 28% in 2012 and that the average user has 41 apps on their device. AT&T reports that 40% of adult mobile phone users have downloaded mobile apps to their smartphone. In observing these recent mobile trends, the public information office has explored a phone app for the City of Pflugerville. Cedar Park has implemented a new city citizen request tracker app which allows residents to report potholes, graffiti and suggest work order improvements via a mobile phone app. The city of Plano implemented a similar app 18 months ago and said it has been quite successful.
In 2012, city website user data indicate that more than 47,603 Pflugerville web searches were conducted on blackberry, mobile safari, Samsung and Iphone devices regarding Pflugerville. Roughly 10% of 526,030 interactions with the city website in 2012 was through a mobile device. Other area cities have explored the option and at the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers Conference in 2012 phone apps was a hot topic with a special feature on city phone apps slated for the 2013 conference.
Request for proposals were solicited from companies who do this work. Following staff evaluation, it was determined that in order to receive the best functionality for the total app, the recommendation from staff is for two separate contracts with two companies for the design and maintenance of the app for a period of four years. Crowd Torch will develop and maintain the event portion of the app at a total cost of $77,600 for four years. Citysourced, Inc. will develop and maintain the citizen request tracker portion of the app at a total of $26,000 for four years. The four year total is $103,600. The two apps will integrate and appear as one City of Pflugerville mobile app to the user. The City Attorney has reviewed the contracts.
Deadline for City Council Action
Action is requested on February 26, 2013.
Fiscal Impact
The media budget within the Administration Department in the General Fund has funds available for this purchase.
Staff Recommendation
Approve two four-year contracts for a telephone application and authorize the City Manager to execute same.
Drafter
Terri Waggoner
Public Information Officer