Title
Intergovernmental Agreement with Phoenix Union High School District and its Feeder Elementary Schools, Maricopa County Community Colleges District, and State of Arizona Relating to Digital Divide Solutions for Under-Served Areas (Ordinance S-47201)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Phoenix Union High School District (PUHSD), its 13 public elementary feeder schools, Maricopa County Community Colleges District and the State of Arizona to provide for technology services related to the Digital Divide. Further request authorization for the City Controller to disburse up to $2 million related to this item.
Report
Summary
On May 14, 2020, City Council approved the allocation of $2 million from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) to broaden Citywide wi-fi. Shortly thereafter, a core public and private group came together to discuss long-term solutions for the Digital Divide in Phoenix. The Digital Divide is defined as the economic, education, and social inequalities between those who have computers and online access, and those who do not. The working group outlined that even when there is internet availability, economic barriers prevent many residents from accessing the internet. During the COVID-19 pandemic, students have struggled with their education, and it has been particularly challenging for students in under-served areas with limited or no access to connectivity.
At the Oct. 27, 2020 City Council Policy meeting, City staff and representatives from PUHSD, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Arizona Commerce Authority and Phoenix College provided an update on the advances that this public-private partnership had been working on over the summer related to providing long-term solutions for the Digital Divide.
Over the past few months, this core group of public and private members came together to research hardware and software concepts that could provide connectivity to our students for educational purposes only. A Request for Proposals has been issued and is moving forward under PUHSD to select a company to validate the technology and install both a Micro Proof of Concept and, after successful testing, a Proof of Concept on a larger test area, prior to full installation in the area served by PUHSD.
To accommodate this joint effort, it will be necessary to execute an IGA between all governmental parties. This IGA may be expanded in the future to include other governmental agencies and school districts in the City of Phoenix.
On Dec. 8, 2020, City Council authorized staff to use approximately $40.1 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds to offset General Fund public safety salaries. This action freed up resources in the General Fund to continue previously approved CRF projects that would not be completed by the deadline of Dec. 30, 2020. This Digital Divide project will be funded from a portion of those freed up resources in the General Fund.
Contract Term
If approved, the term of this IGA would be for a period of five years.
Financial Impact
Total funding for the IGA would be up to $2 million. Funding is available in the Bridging the Digital Divide project budget.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
On May 14, 2020, City Council initially appropriated $2 million in federal CRF in the Distance Learning and Wi-Fi Access set-aside to broaden Citywide wi-fi to bridge the Digital Divide. On Dec. 8, 2020, City Council authorized staff to continue critical projects related to the City's response to the COVID-19 pandemic utilizing General Funds.
Location
Council Districts: 4, 5, 7, and 8
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Managers Jeff Barton and Toni Maccarone and the Community and Economic Development and Information Technology Services departments.