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Date: 4128/2003 Item o: Iii. A. Department.Approval: Manager Approved: Agenda Section: LW: N&Z�b Presentations Item Description: Request to Prepare and Distribute a Request for Proposal (RFP) to replace the City's Telephone System Background The use of communication and information technology remains central to the successful provision of services to the community. During the Past several years, the City's communication and information systems have increasingly become interdependent. The effectiveness of these systems is reliant upon the underlying infrastructure and equipment upon which it is utilized. Over the past decade the emergence of digital, high -speed technology has allowed the City to maintain pace with the increasing demand for services and information. Most of the City "s key information systems have already been converted to these nearer technologies, with the notable exception of the City's telephone and voicemail systems. The City's current telephone and vo icemail systems are approximately eight (8) years old and are at the end of their used lives. The phone system is unstable, falling at an increasing rate, and has reached its maximum number of extensions. In addition, the current system is analog -based and cannot support most digital -based technologies. For these reasons and others, Staff feels it is in the City's best interest to replace the current phone and voicernail systems. To begin the process of evaluating the City's current and future needs,, City Staff, under the direction of the City Council, participated in a joint study with the cities of New Brighton and Shoreview, and the North Suburban Communications Commission. The Study would help detennine not only whether a shared system was feasible and/or desirable, but also would identify the City of Roseville's needs if it were to purchase a stand-alone system. The Study was conducted. by Haigh, Todd & Associates (HTA) a communications consulting firm. An executive overview of the Study is included as Attachment A,, and summarized below Results of the Study After a month -long study, HTA concluded that each jurisdiction install and maintain its own phone system with a common network architecture. This will allow each ,jurisdiction to provide basic services, while preserving the ability of one or more jurisdictions to share the cost of higher -end features or value- added services. It would also provide the capability of smaller cities connected to the llet to be able to share in technology that might otherwise be Fost prohibitive.