HomeMy WebLinkAbout25I - AGMT - CABLE AUDIT SRVSREQUEST FOR
COUNCIL ACTION
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE:
JULY 2, 2012
TITLE:
AGREEMENT AMENDMENT WITH
COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT GROUP
FOR CABLE AUDIT SERVICES
CITY MANAGER
RECOMMENDED ACTION
CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY:
APPROVED
? As Recommended
? As Amended
? Ordinance on I" Reading
? Ordinance on 2nd Reading
? Implementing Resolution
? Set Public Hearing For
CONTINUED TO
FILE NUMBER
Authorize the City Manager and Clerk of the Council to execute the attached amendment to
agreement with Communications Support Group for cable audit services in an amount not to
exceed $20,000, for a total not to exceed amount of $98,000, subject to non-substantive
changes approved by the City Manager and City Attorney.
DISCUSSION
On January 25, 2011, the City entered into an agreement with Communications support group to
perform a cursory franchise fee and specialized Public, Education and Government (PEG) fee
review of both Time Warner Cable (TWC) and AT&T California (ATT). This Phase 1 review was
designed to better understand how both companies have been remitting franchise fees and PEG
fees and determine if there was potential to recover additional unpaid fees. Phase 1 was also
intended to provide information to the City that would assist in determining the costs and benefits
of proceeding with a full audit. The cost for Phase 1 of the project was $18,000.
On June 23, 2011 Communications Support Group submitted a preliminary procedures review
that addressed the findings in Phase 1 of the project. This report lists estimated unpaid
franchise fee revenue of $77,000 and estimated unpaid PEG revenue of $427,000. These
amounts are one time monies that are in addition to the quarterly franchise fees and PEG fees
that are remitted to the City. To confirm these cursory estimates staff recommended a full audit
of TWC and ATT (Phase 2).
On August 1, 2011, the City amended the agreement to complete Phase 2 of the audit. Phase 2
included a full three-year audit of TWC and a one-year audit of ATT. In Phase 2 the estimated
findings in Phase 1 were revised to $21,761 in unpaid franchise fee and interest and $495,720 in
unpaid PEG fees ($517,481 total). On May 16, 2012, the City mailed TWC a Request for
Payment in the amount of $517,481 and is working with TWC to clarify any questions related to
the audit findings and facilitate payment.
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Communications Support Group Agreement
July 2, 2012
Page 2
This second amendment includes an additional $5,000 for additional detailed work that was
needed to prepare the TWC Request for Payment and prepare for meetings with TWC. This
amendment also includes a $10,000 contingency for Phase 2 support as we continue to work
towards collection of the $517,481. Also included in this amendment is an additional $5,000 for
completion of the ATT one-year audit, for a total amendment amount of $20,000, and a total not
to exceed agreement amount of $98,000.
Franchise fees are fees paid into the General Fund and PEG fees are fees paid into Fund 21
and restricted for PEG capital and equipment purchases. The City receives approximately
$1,175,000 in franchise fee annually. The City projects approximately $232,000 in PEG fees
annually.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for this agreement are available in the PRCSA Administrative Services contract services
account (no.01113200 62300).
Gerar o Mouet,
Execu ive Director
Parks, Recreation and
Community Services Agency
APPROVED AS TO FUNDS AND ACCOUNT:
Francisco Gutierrez,
Executive Director
Finance and Management Services Agency
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SECOND AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT
THIS SECOND AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT is entered into on July 2, 2012, by
and between Communications Support Group, Inc., a California corporation ("Consultant") and
the City of Santa Ana, a charter city and municipal corporation organized and existing under the
Constitution and laws of the State of California ("City").
RECITALS:
A. The parties entered into that certain Agreement N-2011-012, dated January 25, 2011,
(hereinafter "said Agreement") by which Consultant has provided cable television/video
provider franchise audit services.
B. The parties executed Amendment to said Agreement, A-2011-195, dated August 1, 2011, to
include a full franchise audit, and increase compensation to pay for audit services.
C. When Consultant commenced the audit of AT&T's franchise and PEG fees, Consultant was
informed by AT&T that several quarters of data had been lost in the AT&T system, resulting
in delays and added costs while Consultant worked with the franchisee to determine an audit
method based on extrapolated data.
D. Consultant has completed the audit of Time Warner franchise and PEG fees and has been
requested to provide expert support to the City in the collection of unpaid franchise and PEG
fees.
E. In accordance with the terms and conditions of said Agreement, the parties wish to amend the
Scope of Services and increase compensation to pay for the additional services provided.
WHEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants contained in said Agreement, and subject to all
the terms and conditions of said Agreement, except those amended in this Second Amendment to
Agreement, the parties agree as follows:
1. Section 1, SCOPE OF SERVICES, shall be amended to provide that Consultant shall
complete the franchise fee and PEG fee audit of AT&T, and provide support in City's
collection from Time Warner of unpaid franchise fees and PEG fees, as set forth in Exhibit A
attached hereto and incorporated by this reference.
2. Section 2, COMPENSATION, shall be amended to increase compensation by $20,000, to pay
for the additional services as follows:
a. Prepare Time Warner franchise fee and PEG fee audit findings to support the City's
collection of unpaid fees, for a not to exceed amount of $5,000; and
b. Provide administrative and expert witness support in City's collection of unpaid Time
Warner franchise and PEG fees in a not to exceed amount of $10,000; and
c. Complete agreed-upon procedures review of AT&T franchise fee and PEG fees for a
one year period for an amount not to exceed $5,000.
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The total amount for audit services provided under said Agreement shall not exceed
$98,000.00 during the term of said Agreement.
3. Section 4, TERM, shall be amended to extend the term through June 30, 2013.
4. Except as hereinabove amended, all terms and conditions of said Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Second Amendment to
Agreement on the date and year first written above.
ATTEST:
MARIA D. HUIZAR
Clerk of the Council
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
SONIA R. CARVALHO
City Attorney
By:
Laura Sheedy
Assistant City Attorney
CITY OF SANTA ANA
PAUL M. WALTERS
City Manager
COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT GROUP, INC.
JOHN RISK
President
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EXHIBIT A
SCOPE OF SERVICES
Time Warner Franchise Audit and PEG Audit
Consultant shall provide, at the request of the Santa Ana Parks, Recreation and
Community Services Agency, advice regarding the preparation of City's Request for
Payment of unpaid franchise and PEG fees. Such advice shall include preparation of
reports necessary to substantiate the City's claim for unpaid fees, meetings with the
franchisee to explain the audit process and findings, and audit recalculations which may
be necessary as a result of additional information provided by the franchisee. Audit
services shall be paid at the rate of $200.00 per hour.
Additionally, Consultant will provide expert witness services if the City is required to
initiate collection procedures against Time Warner for the franchise fee or the PEG fees.
Expert witness services shall be paid at the rate of $285.00 per hour for time spent at
mediation or arbitration hearings, including production of documents pursuant to
subpoena, and depositions, and $300.00 for time spent at trial.
In addition to the consultant's hourly charges for services, Consultant will charge for all
out-of-pocket costs incurred including, but not limited to, overnight mail charges,
copying services at cost, and administrative assistant services at an hourly rate not to
exceed $60 per hour. For matters such as preparation of exhibits, posters, or slideshows
requiring outside printing or graphic services, CSG will bill costs plus 10%.
Refined/modified spreadsheets, provided at the request of City, will be provided on a
time and materials basis.
AT&T Franchise Audit and PEG Audit
Consultant has substantially completed the audit of AT&T's PEG support obligation.
However, Consultant will input actual subscriber counts into the AT&T PEG liability
spreadsheet in order to arrive at a calculation of PEG fees due from AT&T. Consultant
will prepare a report of findings regarding the PEG fees owed by AT&T which may be
utilized by City in any necessary collection proceedings against AT&T.
Consultant will continue to audit AT&T franchise fees for the 2009 audit period.
Consultant will complete the franchise fee audit and deliver to City a report of findings
regarding franchise fees pursuant to DIVCA. Services provided to complete the AT&T
franchise and PEG audit will be at the direction of the Santa Ana Parks, Recreation and
Community Services Agency.
Services provided in relation to the AT&T audits will be billed at the rate of $200 per
hour.
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