COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA2 COMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY AND3 INFORMATION SERVICES4 5 6 Room 400, City Hall7 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, December 9, 20108 9:35 a.m. 9 10 PRESENT: COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL, CHAIR11 COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILMAN FRANK DiCICCO12 COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO, JR.13 14 BILL 100843 - An ordinance authorizing the City Solicitor, on behalf of the City, to15 enter into a multi-year contract with a provider of codification, editing, and16 marketing services to produce printed and electronic versions of the 10th edition of The17 Philadelphia Code and the 2011 Reprint of the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, with periodic18 supplements to each, all under certain terms and conditions.19 20 - - -21 22 23 24 25 2 1
I'd like2 to call this meeting to order of the3 Committee on Technology and Information4 Services for Bill No. 100843.5 We have established a quorum.6 To my left is Councilman Rizzo. To my7 right is Councilman DiCicco and8 Councilman Jones and Council President9 Verna.10 I'd like to call up any11 witnesses for this bill.12 (Witness approached witness13 table.)14
Could you15 identify yourself, spell your name and16 proceed.17
Thank you, Chairman18 O'Neill.19 Good morning, Chairman O'Neill20 and members of the Committee. I'm Richie21 Feder, Chief Deputy City Solicitor for22 Appeals and Legislation. I'm here to23 testify in support of Bill No. 100843,24 which will allow the Law Department to25 3 12/9/10 - TECHNOLOGY - BILL 1008431 continue its practice of entering into2 four-year contracts with an outside code3 publishing company to produce regular4 updates of The Philadelphia Code and the5 Home Rule Charter. And I have samples6 here, if anybody would like to see them.7 Since 1985, the Law Department8 has been producing new editions of the9 Code on a four-year cycle with three10 annual updates or supplements during each11 four-year period. Since 1998, we have12 been entering into arrangements with13 various code publishing companies to14 place the Code on the Internet for free15 public use and to produce a CD-ROM with16 sophisticated search capabilities for17 more intensive users, including all City18 users, as well as to produce traditional19 hard copies of the Code. In recent20 years, we've also begun including an21 update to the Charter with each new22 edition of the Code, given the increasing23 frequency with which the voters have been24 amending the Charter.25 4 12/9/10 - TECHNOLOGY - BILL 1008431 Our current four-year contract2 with American Legal Publishing Company3 expires this year, and we recently posted4 a request for proposals for a new5 four-year contract. Under the Charter,6 any contract for more than four years7 requires Council authorization. This8 Council most recently approved our9 current four-year contract through Bill10 No. 060335. The current bill would renew11 this authorization for another four-year12 contract.13 In recent years, the Code14 publishing contract has cost the City15 almost nothing. The current contract16 expiring this year provides that American17 Legal keeps whatever profits it makes18 selling hard copies and CD-ROMs of the19 Code and the City only has to pay for20 whatever books the various departments of21 the City purchase, as well as a nominal22 fee for production of three annual hard23 copy supplements. I cannot promise you24 that the proposals we receive in response25 5 12/9/10 - TECHNOLOGY - BILL 1008431 to the current RFP will provide for the2 same pricing structure, but I do not3 anticipate any substantial costs to the4 City as a result of this contract.5 Personnel throughout City6 government, including, of course,7 Councilmembers and their staff, as well8 as private attorneys, court personnel and9 members of the public, all rely on access10 to up-to-date and accurate editions of11 our Charter and Code. The City has a12 strong record of publishing these13 materials, along with regular14 supplements, on a consistent and15 predictable schedule. This bill will16 allow us to continue that effort.17 I, therefore, respectfully18 request that the Committee report out19 Bill No. 100843 with a favorable20 recommendation. Finally, we hope to be21 in a position to execute the anticipated22 four-year contract before Council returns23 from its winter recess. So I would ask24 for a suspension of the rules so as to25 6 12/9/10 - TECHNOLOGY - BILL 1008431 allow first reading later today and final2 passage next week.3 Thank you for your time4 attention, and thank you to the Chairman5 in particular for working with us to get6 this through at a very busy time.7
Mr. Feder,8 first, I'd like to thank you publicly for9 all the service, excellent service, and10 quick response time you give all11 Councilmembers, including myself. You12 made it very easy for me to make a13 decision to try to squeeze this in --14
-- before17 the recess.18 I just wanted to mention one19 item. It's not a problem with this, but20 it's something that a lot of people are21 hoping happens within the next year and,22 that is, the Zoning Code change, the new23 Zoning Code. How will that fit into24 this? That would be something people25 7 12/9/10 - TECHNOLOGY - BILL 1008431 might be interested in buying actually2 because it will be brand new, if it3 happens, and I'm hoping it happens. So4 could you just comment on that?5
Sure. We've been6 talking with staff of the Commission, and7 we're anticipating that possibility and I8 would very much expect that whatever --9 although it won't be in the -- it's not10 in the RFP itself right now, but I would11 anticipate entering into a supplement to12 that contract with the code publishing13 company, but probably separate volume of14 the Zoning Code, because I do expect that15 will be a popular piece of literature.16
Just real19 quick. We had a public comment last week20 about the reduction of paper, and just to21 underscore your testimony, is it going to22 save us a couple of dollars?23
I'm anticipating24 the contract will cost us almost nothing.25 8 12/9/10 - TECHNOLOGY - BILL 1008431 The only books that are produced are2 books that individual departments want to3 purchase, and, frankly, every four-year4 cycle, departments purchase fewer books5 and rely much more on the electronic6 versions, but there are still some7 departments that do like the feel of the8 hardcover books.9
Mr. Feder,15 what you're asking a contractor to16 provide does represent a continuation of17 what the City currently receives under18 the soon-to-expire contract. Is there19 anything being enhanced going forward or20 is it pretty much exactly the same thing?21 And to put it another way, are taxpayers22 or anyone else who uses the Code or23 Charter getting any additional services?24
It will depend on25 9 12/9/10 - TECHNOLOGY - BILL 1008431 the nature of the proposals we get to the2 RFP. We encourage in the RFP the3 proposers to submit new and creative4 ideas, because they're the best ones who5 would know how these are done throughout6 the country.7
Yes. Every four10 years, there's always some enhancement,11 more frequent updates. It depends on12 what the vendors propose.13
Okay. And14 why are we doing again a four-year15 contract rather than one-year with16 three-year renewals?17
Because the Code18 publisher we feel wants the certainty to19 know that in order to lay the upfront20 cost of producing the big volume21 initially, each year when they produce22 the supplement, they want to know that23 they're going to get some money for it.24
Again, that money2 comes from purchasers of the Code,3 whoever that may be.4
I5 understand that the RFP for this contract6 opportunity was posted on eContract7 Philly on December 1st and that the8 closing date is December 21st?9
Do you12 anticipate that you will receive one or13 more suitable responses given this14 timeframe?15
In past years,16 we've received -- there are four17 high-quality publishers throughout the18 area, and we received good proposals from19 all of them using this exact same20 timeframe.21
Okay. I22 see from the RFP that part of the23 requirement is The Philadelphia Code and24 Charter be published on a website that25 11 12/9/10 - TECHNOLOGY - BILL 1008431 people can access through a link on the2 City's website. What browsers will be3 supported? For example, will I be able4 to view the Code and Charter using5 Firefox or Google's Chrome, or am I6 limited to Internet Explorer? I've heard7 reports that not all browsers work8 equally well on the City's website.9
I access at home10 The Philadelphia Code and Charter on the11 Internet through Firefox and Safari12 without any problem. I anticipate that13 the next contract would provide the same.14
We're in15 pretty good shape on that.16 Any other questions?17 (No response.)18
Hearing19 none, the Committee hearing is adjourned.20 We'll go into a public meeting.21 I call on Councilman DiCicco to22 make a motion -- you do want a rules23 suspension, correct?24
Yes, Mr. Chairman.25 12 12/9/10 - TECHNOLOGY - BILL 1008431 I would appreciate that.2
--3 (continued) for a motion on Bill No.4 100843.5 COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you,6 Mr. Chairman. I move that Bill No.7 100843 be reported out of this Committees8 with a favorable recommendation and that9 the rules of Council be suspended so as10 to permit first reading today, which is11 our next meeting of City Council.12 (Duly seconded.)13
Councilman17 Rizzo also.18 The ayes have it. It's19 unanimous, and the bill will be reported20 out today at the City Council meeting21 with a favorable recommendation.22 Thank you.23 And a suspension of the rules.24 Thank you.25 13 12/9/10 - TECHNOLOGY - BILL 1008431 (Committee on Technology and2 Information Services concluded at 9:453 a.m.)4 - - -5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 14 1 CERTIFICATE2 I HEREBY CERTIFY that the3 proceedings, evidence and objections are4 contained fully and accurately in the5 stenographic notes taken by me upon the6 foregoing matter on December 9, 2010, and that7 this is a true and correct transcript of same.8 9 10 11 12 --------------------13 MICHELE L. MURPHY14 RPR-Notary Public15 16 17 18 (The foregoing certification of this19 transcript does not apply to any reproduction20 of the same by any means, unless under the21 direct control and/or supervision of the22 certifying reporter.)23 24 25