To: Board of Supervisors
From: Marc Shorr, Information Technology Director
Report Title: Contract with Sentio LLC
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Chief Information Officer, or designee, to execute a contract with Sentio LLC in an amount not to exceed $15,000, subject to Sentio’s Terms of Service Agreement dated March 27, 2025, to provide call answering service for the period of September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost of this product is included in the Department’s FY 25-26 budget. 100% User Departments.
BACKGROUND:
The Department of Information Technology (DoIT), Communications Division, is responsible for receiving and responding to reports from County departments and employees regarding service outages, interruptions, or performance issues affecting the County’s telecommunications infrastructure. This includes, but is not limited to, telephone services, internet connectivity, and emergency communications systems.
To support these operations, the Communications Division utilizes call answering services provided by Sentio LLC, doing business as Emvia (formerly known as Call Center Sales Pro), under the following circumstances:
Daytime Call Overflow Management: During peak hours, or when staff are unavailable due to departmental meetings, calls can be redirected to Sentio’s answering service, ensuring that every call is attended to promptly.
After-Hours Call Handling: Outside of regular business hours, Sentio’s answering service will manage incoming calls, providing information, taking messages, or escalating critical issues to the appropriate on-call staff.
The Terms of Service Agreement provided by Sentio includes an indemnification provision in which the County agrees to indemnify Sentio for any claim arising from the County’s use of the services. It also contains a limitation of liability clause that caps Sentio’s liability to the lesser of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) or the total amount of service fees paid by the County during the twelve (12) consecutive months preceding the event(s) giving rise to the claim. Upon signing, both Parties may announce the Agreement; all other publicity requires prior written consent, not unreasonably withheld. Sentio may use the County’s name or logo in marketing materials only with the County’s prior written approval.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this request is not approved, the department may face challenges in effectively communicating with the public, other departments, and external partners, which could create operational difficulties.