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Finance committee approves one-year amendment to Zen City contract for $45,000 to add ‘pulse’ surveys
Summary
The Aurora Finance Committee voted 5-0 to approve a one-year amendment to the city’s Zen City Technologies contract to add up to four rapid “pulse” surveys, paid from the city’s existing contract for $45,000.
The Aurora Finance Committee on Nov. 14 approved a one-year amendment to the city’s agreement with Zen City Technologies U.S. Inc. to add a “pulse survey” feature to the existing resident-engagement platform. The committee voted 5-0 to authorize the $45,000 amendment.
Mike Piggies, chief information officer, said the addition would let the city run short, targeted surveys at any time to gather timely resident sentiment and “enhance decision-making transparency and performance.”
Maurice Klassen, chief operating officer for Zen City Technologies, described the proposed pulses as “four very fast digital surveys” that can be fielded on demand and returned in about four to eight weeks. Klassen said the surveys are customizable, offered in multiple languages, and are distributed digitally using targeted advertising and census-based weighting to reach a representative sample.
Klassen said Zen City has provided twice-yearly community surveys for Aurora since 2019 and that some clients wanted more frequent, short-form surveying on time-sensitive issues. He cited possible uses in Aurora such as community safety, the special census outreach, remote learning for at-risk communities, the Aurora Municipal Airport, and lead service-line replacement.
Piggies said the city expects to continue the twice-yearly core survey under the existing contract and use the pulses on demand in addition to that baseline schedule. When committee members asked whether the pulses would be scheduled quarterly, Klassen said the city could run them whenever needed.
Committee members asked about the total annual value of the broader Zen City contract; Piggies said he did not have that number at the meeting and offered to follow up with committee members.
Aldermen made and seconded the motion to approve the amendment; the committee recorded a unanimous vote of 5-0.
The resolution authorizes an amendment to the existing agreement to add the pulse feature at $45,000 for one year. The amendment will let staff field up to four rapid surveys with an option to expand to six if the city chooses to pay additional cost outside the current amendment.
