Consideration and Approval of Contract:  Purchase of Materials and/or Services with Northern Arizona University for Fiber Services

1. Approve a contract with Northern Arizona University (NAU) in an amount not to exceed the FY2020 budget of $90,000 to connect fiber optic cable between City of Flagstaff and Northern Arizona University.
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents.

Northern Arizona is our current Internet Service Provider and community partner. The City of Flagstaff currently utilizes a Suddenlink point to point fiber connection to NAU at a cost of $9,600 annually. This connection caps our Internet speed at 100MB. This would allow us to own the fiber from the City of Flagstaff to NAU. It would also allow us to collaborate on low-cost Internet circuits at higher speeds than 100MB. Finally, it would also allow us the opportunity to offer fiber connectivity to other government partners in the community, should they desire.

A one-time cost not to exceed $90,000 on a reimbursement basis for actual expenditures.  This amount is budgeted in FY 2020 in account number 002-01-014-0044-1-4407.

Council Goals

• Economic Development: Grow and strengthen a more equitable and resilient local economy: Promote internet connectivity throughout the community.

Strategic Plan
 

• Provide Exceptional Service: Provide employees tools, training and support.

No

1. Approve the contract with Northern Arizona University not to exceed $90,000 for a fiber optic connection between the City of Flagstaff network and the Northern Arizona University network.
2. Continue to pay $9,600 annually for a 100MB point to point connection to Northern Arizona University.

The City of Flagstaff has collaborated with Northern Arizona University for over 10 years for Internet service. Northern Arizona University has consistently provided higher speeds at lower costs as it has negotiated wholesale circuits to Phoenix. Currently, our Internet speed is capped by our point to point fiber connection over Suddenlink with an ongoing cost of $9,600.

City IT staff have met with Northern Arizona University to collaborate on extending our existing fiber on Butler Avenue to Northern Arizona University's campus. Northern Arizona University will follow its procurement rules to obtain bids for the construction of the fiber pathways and termination of the fiber optic cables. The City of Flagstaff will pay for 50% of the costs in an amount not to exceed $90,000 on a reimbursement basis for actual expenditures. The City will own and be responsible for all maintenance of the fiber optic cable from a vault in the alleyway between Butler Ave and DuPont Dr next to Building #57 as indicated on the proposed pathway. Northern Arizona University will own and be responsible for all maintenance of the fiber optic cable from that same vault to its Building #88.

Should the City of Flagstaff decide to lease our fiber capacity to educational or government partners, it could provide a long-term revenue stream to the City.

This fiber optic cable would allow us to extend connectivity between the educational agencies in Flagstaff as well as any other government partners that want to collaborate on Internet pricing.

None