Title
Amend Intergovernmental Agreement to Continue Building Community Wireless Network (Digital Divide Cooperative Network) (Ordinance S-47962)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to amend Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) 154496 with Phoenix Union High School District, its 13 public elementary feeder schools and Maricopa County Community Colleges District (the "Parties") to add $10 million to continue building the community wireless network (digital divide) project. Further request authorization for the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item. There is no impact to the General Fund. Funding is available through the City’s allocation of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) received from the federal government and is under the Citywide Wireless Network Project and Partnership with Phoenix Union program.
Report
Summary
On May 14, 2020, City Council approved a budget of $2 million from the City's allocation of federal Coronavirus Relief Funds (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. Members of the core group included the City of Phoenix, Phoenix College (PC), Phoenix Union High School District (PUHSD), the Greater Phoenix Economic Council and the Arizona Commerce Authority. This group has been working together since that time.
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. As was reported at the Oct. 27, 2020 City Council Policy meeting, many areas of the country have little or no access/connection to the internet, including areas in the City of Phoenix and throughout Arizona. Even when there is internet availability, economic barriers prevent many residents from accessing the internet. As the working group presented to the City Council, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the gap in the digital divide has become wider and wider. Households that have internet connection are able to provide the opportunity for their children to continue their education at home during a time when schools are closed. Coming out of the pandemic, and as schools are opening again, that gap remains. Students who have connectivity are able to continue with a robust hybrid learning program and can complete their online homework in their home, while students who do not have connectivity struggle with completing their work assignments and must go to a public location to access the internet.
On Dec. 16, 2020, City Council approved entering into an IGA with PUHSD and its feeder elementary schools and Maricopa County Community Colleges District relating to digital divide solutions for under-served areas. In order to continue this formal partnership and the roll-out of the Digital Divide Solution, IGA 154496 was created and signed by the Parties.
Since approval of the initial $2 million, the team of partners has successfully installed and conducted testing at several beta-sites within the broader proposed area of service for viability. The beta-test sites included the PC campus, Maryvale High School, the PUHSD offices and their respective staff and students. Data collected during this process gave the partnership positive feedback and critical data on user experience and overall use of the system. Now that data has been collected from the beta-site testing, the project is now ready to scale-up and increase the wi-fi system's capacity and reach for the broader community.
On June 8, 2021, City Council allocated $28.8 million of the approximately $198 million ARPA funds to Youth Sports, Recreation, Education and Wireless projects, with $10 million set aside for the Citywide Wireless Network Project and Partnership with PUHSD.
Staff requests to amend the existing IGA with the Parties to add the $10 million in ARPA funds to implement the next phase of the digital divide project to expand the existing wi-fi system to a four square mile area to allow access to over 1,000 students who otherwise wouldn't have had reliable access to the internet at home.
Contract Term
The term of IGA 154496 is from April 1, 2021 to June 30, 2025 with an automatic renewal effective for the next five fiscal year period (to June 30, 2030) unless terminated earlier by the Parties.
Financial Impact
Total funding for the amended IGA will not exceed $12 million. This includes the initial $2 million allocation of federal CRF in addition to the current request of $10 million in ARPA funds. There is no impact to the General Fund. The request for $10 million in funding is available through the City's allocation of ARPA funds.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The City Council:
- Approved an allocation of $2 million from Coronavirus Relief Funds to broaden Citywide Wi-Fi on May 14, 2020 at the City Council Policy meeting;
- Heard an update of the activities of the digital divide efforts on Oct. 27, 2020 at the City Council Policy meeting;
- Approved entering into an Intergovernmental Agreement relating to Digital Divide Solutions for under-served areas on Dec. 16, 2020 at the City Council Formal meeting; and
- Allocated $10 million in ARPA funds to continue building the community wireless network project at the June 8, 2021 City Council Policy meeting.
Location
Council Districts: 4, 5, 7, and 8
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Managers Ginger Spencer and Toni Maccarone and the Community and Economic Development and Information Technology Services departments.