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Council authorizes standing orders for on-demand photography services up to $50,000 per vendor
Summary
The council adopted a resolution authorizing the Department of Information Technology to use standing orders/outline agreements with two preapproved photography vendors, each not to exceed $50,000 per year for fiscal year 2024–25. Public comment urged broader local outreach.
The Richmond City Council unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing the Department of Information Technology to use standing orders and outline agreements for on‑demand photography services with two preapproved vendors, capped at $50,000 per year per vendor for fiscal year 2024–25.
IT staff said the request followed a May 2023 RFP; 43 vendors were notified, 17 downloaded the proposal and three submitted proposals. The contract language requires the city to own rights to photographs and drafts, a term that some smaller photographers will decline because they rely on retained image rights for revenue.
Don Gosney, a local photographer and frequent public commenter, urged the city to improve outreach to local firms. "How many other photographers might have been interested or even met the criteria but never even knew about this opportunity?" he asked, noting his own longstanding catalog of photographs of Richmond that has been used by the city in the past.
City staff said they advertise on the city bids portal and attempt local outreach; they noted that some photographers decline the city's ownership terms. Council approved the resolution on a unanimous roll call.
