Submitted by: Laura Reams
Submitting Department: Communications
Agenda Section: Consent
Item Title:
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FY22 Hyattsville Life and Times Contract
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Suggested Action:
recommendation
I move that the Mayor and Council approve the FY22 contract for advertising in the Hyattsville Life and Times at a cost not to exceed $30,000, upon the review and approval of the City Attorney for legal sufficiency.
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Summary Background:
The City purchases space in the Hyattsville Life and Times to promote City news and activities. The ad purchase includes two (2) center pages, an additional page of advertisement which is split into two ½ pages, and a front-page ad mentioning that the Hyattsville Reporter is inside. Design services for the page layout are included. In FY21, the Council approved a 6% cost increase for this contract, at an annual contract value of $30,400, because there had not been a contact increase in four (4) years from FY17-FY20.
The Life and Times requested an increase of 3% for FY22 citing increased costs for paper, printing, postage, and inflation. Staff is agreeable with a 3% increase to the base of services and is proposing the inclusion of new services to the contract, at an additional cost of $1,000 annually. New services include the publication of up to three inserts in the newspaper and one cover sticker. The City has recently used inserts in the Hyattsville Life and Times to distribute the quarterly Economic Development Report and the FY22 Budget Guide. The City has also used cover stickers on the newspaper to promote the 2020 Census, Election, and Budget Guide. These have been effective tools for communication to residents. The City is currently paying for these services a-la cart, at a cost of $300 per item. The FY22 contract with the Life and Times includes three inserts and one cover sticker at an annual cost of $1,000, a $300 annual savings.
The proposed FY22 contract also includes a monthly credit for services in the amount of $260 per month. During negotiations for the FY22 contract, staff identified an unfilled contractual obligation for the contractor to print one of the City’s ½ page ad buys with preferred placement on pages 2 or 3 of the newspaper. This contract term was introduced and approved in the FY17 contract and was not met by the contractor. The contractor has offered a monthly credit in the amount of $260 for the FY22 contract. The proposed FY22 contract includes a provision for preferred placement of one of the City’s ½ page ad buys on pages, 2-4. This term meets the City’s desire for preferred placement in the first half of the newspaper while also providing more flexibility for the contractor.
A representative of the Hyattsville Life and Times will be available to answer questions from the Council.
Next Steps:
Upon approval, proceed with execution of contract with Hyattsville Life & Times for an amount NTE $30,000.
Fiscal Impact:
NTE $30,000 annually.
City Administrator Comments:
Recommend Support
Community Engagement:
Purchasing space in the Life and Times is a tool for community engagement.
Strategic Goals:
Goal 1 - Ensure Transparent and Accessible Governance
Legal Review Required?
Pending