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...
Click here for full text