TITLE
title
APPROVE CONTRACT WITH EVERBRIDGE FOR A SHARED COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM
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SPONSOR
sponsor
Jim Albright
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BACKGROUND
background
In 2010, Guilford County, the City of Greensboro, and the City of High Point utilized Homeland Security Grant funding to create the GEANI (Guilford Emergency Notification and Information) system to provide seamless notifications to residents within Guilford County for public safety alerts. From 2010 to 2014, Homeland Security Grant funds were used to maintain and support the system. In 2014, Guilford County, the City of Greensboro, and City of High Point entered into an inter-local agreement to share the ongoing maintenance costs of the system. In 2016, and again in 2021, the inter-local agreements were renewed to maintain the shared notification system.
The notification system will be procured under a GSA Contract for software as a service. This proposed system will provide emergency and non emergency notifications to residents, businesses, and employees in a coordinated manner without the need for local hardware costs.
Additionally, non-public safety agencies can use the system to communicate with customers on issues such as water outages, interruptions in service, press release distribution, and employee notifications. The system includes the ability for agencies to upload customer databases, employee databases, and a portal for individuals to opt-in for notifications on cell phones, text message, e-mails, or voice calls. This system has been used extensively over the last 18 months to support the COVID-19 pandemic, and other emergency incidents within Guilford County.
The system will be funded through an inter-local agreement with the City of Greensboro, City of High Point, and Guilford County splitting the costs with a 1/3 share. This interlocal was renewed on September 2, 2021 by the BOC, under item A.(2).
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BUDGET IMPACT
budget impact
NO ADDITIONAL COUNTY FUNDS REQUIRED
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REQUESTED ACTION
requested action
Approve contract with EverBridge, in substantial form, for the provision of a community notification system, in the amount of $123,553.90 for an initial term of one (1) year, with two (2) one-year renewal options; consistent with the inter-local agreements approved during the BOCC September 2, 2021 meeting. This project is shared countywide with Greensboro, High Point, Guilford County and available to the towns.
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