Posting Language
Title
Authorize negotiation and execution of a contract for cloud cross connect subscription services with Equinix Inc., for a term of one year in an amount not to exceed $175,000.
[Note: This contract is exempt from City Code Chapter 2-9B (Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program); therefore, no subcontracting goals were established].
Body
Lead Department
Financial Services Department.
Client Department(s)
Austin Energy.
Fiscal Note
Funding in the amount of $43,750 is available in the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Operating Budget of Austin Energy.
Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets.
Purchasing Language:
Critical Business Need.
For More Information:
Direct questions regarding this Recommendation for Council Action to the Financial Services Department - Central Procurement at: FSDCentralProcurementRCAs@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2500.
Council Committee, Boards and Commission Action:
July 15, 2024 - To be reviewed by the Electric Utility Commission.
Additional Backup Information:
This contract will provide cross connection services that connect telephone, billing, and other Austin Energy systems. These services establish stable, reliable connections between cloud providers, enhance network connectivity, and are critical to Austin Energy’s data infrastructure.
The current contract expires on June 30, 2025, and was established under an emergency exemption during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, cross connect services were needed for additional Austin Energy systems, and the authorized funding is now depleted. Austin Energy declared a Critical Business Need to enter into a new short-term agreement with the same contractor to avoid service disruption while waiting for a new long-term contract to be executed.
A delay in contract approval could impact Austin Energy’s customer telephony, billing and related services.