Title
Resolution - Review and Approval of Election Services Provider Contract - S Romero
Other Info
Submitted By: Sylvia Romero
Department: Legal Services
Financial Impact and Cost/Benefit Considerations: Expenditure of Cooperative funds estimated not to exceed $230,000 (amount includes contingency for increase in postage costs, increase in printing costs, membership increase, and number of pages required for 2 district bio booklets) currently planned to be included in the Cooperative's 2022 operating budget. Pricing and costs subject to negotiation or procurement.
Contract Costs
2021: $223,943 - actual
2020: $205,084 - actual
2019: $242,295 - actual
Discussion
The Board's Election Policy and Procedures at Section 4 provides that "[a]t or before the August Regular Board meeting each year, the General Counsel will recommend to the Board whether to extend the contract for the services of the Election Service Provider then retained by the Cooperative under the Bylaws and the Board will make a determination whether to extend the contract or seek an alternate Election Service Provider. Any such extension may be implemented without competitive procurement, notwithstanding any PEC policy or procedure." It further provides that "[w]hen the Board decides to solicit for election service providers, the Board shall direct the General Counsel to initiate a competitive procurement to identify and recommend to the Board the most qualified Election Service Provider. In any such decision the Board should recognize that such procurement will typically take between four and six months. Unless the Board directs otherwise, a competitive procurement will be performed every three years."
A competitive solicitation was utilized in 2019 to select an election services provider to service future elections beginning with the 2020 election through 2022. On August 16, 2019, the Board approved the execution of a contract with Survey & Ballot Systems ("SBS") for a one-year term with two optional one year contracts. SBS' final one-year renewal ended with the completion of the 2021 Election services.
Pursuant to the Election Policy and Procedures the Board may either direct:
1. Procurement of an election services provider through competitive solicitation for the 2022 election.
2. Extension of the existing contract with SBS for one-year for the 2022 PEC elections.
The extension for one-year would complete a 3-year cycle for the election of all 7 Directors utilizing similar election services (2020-2022). A one-year contract would provide for consistent use of the independent election services provider through election of all 7 Board Directors. A one-year contract would provide another year of experience utilizing integrated enterprise platforms for balloting - SBS' integration with PEC's member portal, email messaging, SmartHub, and use of QR codes.
Body
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS that the General Counsel, or designee, is authorized to negotiate and execute an additional one-year contract with Survey & Ballot Systems for Election Services Provider on behalf of the Cooperative.