TIS|Public Access Cable Channel Operator

1. General The Department of Technology (“DT”) of the City and County of San Francisco, California (“City”), through this Request for Proposals (“RFP”), is seeking proposals from qualified nonprofit organizations for the continued operation of the City’s public access cable television channels.  The current RFP is for the operation of the public access channels only; not for the educational or government channels. The channels appear throughout San Francisco on video services operated by Comcast, Wave, and AT&T. 
The City’s current operating agreement with the Bay Area Video Coalition (“BAVC”) terminates on September 30, 2025.  Under that agreement BAVC has been operating the public access channels, managing a studio for public access producer use and providing related training since October 1, 2013. BAVC has been operated San Francisco’s public access channels under a similar prior since 2009. The City seeks a nonprofit entity with the background and experience to operate the channel beginning on October 1, 2025.  These required service levels are described in more detail in the “Scope of Work” section below.
The grantee will be required to develop and enforce channel policies and procedures, including policies that make channel time available on an equitable basis to all qualified producers.  Neither the grantee nor City shall control the content of the programming placed on the pubic channel.  The grantee must keep the public access channel open to all potential users regardless of their viewpoint.
The City will award a two-year agreement, with options for renewal up to a total term of eight years, that will include:
(1) $180,000 per year for two years to operate Primary Service Level services, which must be provided immediately upon the award of the grant; and (2) Up to $360,000 in facilities and capital funding for equipment, supplies, engineering services and software depending on the needs of the grantee.  These funds may be used to equip studios, flash studios, editing suites, field cameras and associated equipment computer labs at a main studio and satellite locations. The City’s authority to require PEG channel capacity is set forth in Section 611 of the federal Cable Act (47 USC § 531) and in California’s state franchise statute, the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act (Cal. Govt. Code § 5800 et seq.) (“DIVCA”).  These laws grant local governments the authority to require video provides to provide both the channels and financial support. The City seeks proposals that demonstrate a realistic and achievable plan for immediately assuming channel operations.  In addition, the successful applicant should demonstrate that it has the capacity to raise additional revenues.    
Award of any funding for each year of the agreement is contingent on the availability of such funding and the final budget approval by the Mayor and Board of Supervisors.