TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Chris Sternal, Director of IT
SUBJECT:
title
Award of Contract to Avolve for the Three-Year Renewal of ProjectDox Premium Bundle in the Amount of $129,210.00
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BACKGROUND:
ProjectDox is the City’s cloud-based electronic plan review system that supports digital plan submission, parallel departmental reviews, and 24/7 applicant access. It improves transparency through real-time tracking and centralized collaboration, and enhances efficiency and accountability with automated workflows, audit trails, and version control that ensure all departments work from the most current plans.
CONCLUSION:
Upgrading to the Avolve ProjectDox Premium Bundle strengthens the City’s development review operations by adding GIS integration, mobile field tools, AI-assisted review features, expanded analytics, and data warehouse connectivity. These capabilities support more efficient inspections, greater reviewer productivity, and improved insight into workload and performance trends.
This upgrade also positions the City to broaden the use of electronic plan review and aligns with industry direction, which emphasized the importance of integrated GIS workflows, mobile access, analytics, and AI as core components of modern permitting operations.
Three-Year Renewal Cost (Premium Bundle)
|
Year |
Annual Subscription Cost |
|
2026 |
$40,710.00 |
|
2027 |
$42,480.00 |
|
2028 |
$46,020.00 |
This item was recommended for City Council approval by the Communication, Technology and Information Systems Committee at the May 6, 2026 meeting.
Section 2-438 of the City of Joliet Code of Ordinances states that purchases whose estimated cost is in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) may be awarded without written specifications or bidding under certain circumstances. Three of these circumstances apply:
(b) Purchases for additions to and repairs and maintenance of equipment owned by the City which may be more efficiently added to, repaired or maintained by a certain person;
(f) Purchases when authorized by a concurring vote of two-thirds of the Mayor and City Council;
(g) Purchases of professional services.
Sufficient Funds exist utilizing the Information Technology Applications Contractual Services budget (Org 04012000, Object 524200, $40,710). This will be budgeted for appropriately in years two and three (2027 and 2028).
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Based on the above, it is recommended that the Mayor and City Council award a contract to Avolve for the three-year renewal of ProjectDox Premium Bundle in the amount of $129,210.00.
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