Vienna council approves iTech phone system contract; cites Zoltis platform and local support

The Vienna City Council voted to accept a bid from iTech for the purchase, installation and service of a new municipal phone system, approving a proposal the city’s budget and finance committee recommended.

Under the approved arrangement the city will contract with iTech; the vendor’s platform will use a third-party provider called Zoltis. Councilman Sassen told the meeting he and his executive assistant reviewed the Zoltis platform with company representatives and were impressed with its web- and app-based features for call transfer, conferencing and mobile use.

Sassen said the recommended bid is $1,852.54 per month with a one-time charge of $2,574.85 and that the project will be funded from the city’s general fund pending council approval. He also emphasized that the city’s agreement is with iTech — not Zoltis — so local points of contact will be available through iTech for account and service issues.

Council discussion noted bid variations among vendors and a clerical confusion in another vendor’s submission that listed high monthly fees in one place and a large one-time charge elsewhere. A council member noted the apparent cost parity would break even in roughly four-and-a-half years when comparing different bids but that iTech is offering a three-year contract structured as three one‑year renewals.

An iTech representative was present at the meeting and council members said the vendor’s commitment to first‑line human support and local backup service were important factors in the decision. The motion to award the contract passed unanimously. Council members said they expect the new system to reduce ongoing communications costs and to add functionality (mobile app, web client, texting and conferencing) not available in the current system.