A software deal to 2036, AI for property deeds and 15 more years of Red Rocks cell service: Denver's long contracts

Denver's executive order on contracts generally caps terms at five years, but it allows exceptions, and several deals moving through the City Council this fall use them. City request forms explain why each runs longer.

Why it matters: long contracts lock in vendors and prices for years, and most pass the Council by consent with no public discussion. The request forms are the main public explanation.

Technology: two contracts awaiting a Council vote

Both of these were approved by consent in the Council's Governance and Intergovernmental Relations Committee on Oct. 13 and listed for the Oct. 20 Mayor-Council meeting. Neither was on the Nov. 2 Council agenda, and as of Tuesday our records showed neither had reached a final vote.

Carahsoft, to September 2036. 26-1486 extends the city's agreement with Carahsoft Technology Corporation by eight years and seven and a half months, to Sept. 15, 2036, with no added money. The contract's ceiling stays at $41,811,476, according to the request. Carahsoft is a reseller through which the city buys software subscriptions and licenses from many companies under a cooperative contract run by NASPO, a procurement group for states, based on a solicitation conducted by the State of Utah. The city says it is aligning its end date with NASPO's new master agreement.

Just Appraised, AI for deeds. 26-1487 adds $683,607 and five years, through 2031, to the Assessor's Office contract with Just Appraised Inc., for a total of $1,029,607 (request). The request says the software uses "cloud computing and machine learning" to scan recorded deeds, pull out the property data the assessor needs and feed it into tax databases, replacing hand entry. It also processes senior and veteran property tax exemption applications. It was a single-source purchase, and the city cites continuity of service: the software has been configured for Denver and staff are trained on it. The money comes from the assessor's General Fund budget.

Red Rocks: cell service to 2041

26-1580 extends a license with New Cingular Wireless PCS, the AT&T company, to keep its distributed antenna system at Red Rocks Amphitheatre through March 31, 2041. The system gives concertgoers mobile service. The Parks, Art and Culture Committee approved it by consent on Oct. 27.

The request describes it as a revenue agreement: AT&T pays the city, and it maintains its own equipment (request). It lists the existing term as April 2010 through March 31, 2026, and says Verizon and T-Mobile also provide the service at Red Rocks under the non-exclusive arrangement. AT&T was not chosen competitively; the city cites continuity of service.

The dollar figures differ between documents. The resolution's title says it adds $814,019.51 for a total of $2,375,859.35. The request's contract table lists $814,019.51 as the current amount and $1,561,839.84 as the addition, with the same total. Our Oct. 29 story used the title's figure.

Already approved Oct. 26

• Airport retail, nine years. 26-1491 lets Love From USA Group, doing business as 5280 Activewear, design, build and run a 1,728-square-foot store on Concourse B. The airport gets a minimum of $528,768 a year or 18% of gross sales, whichever is higher. The airport picked the operator through a competitive request for proposals and is putting in no capital; the nine-year term lets the tenant pay off its buildout (request).
• Environmental cleanup, five years. 26-1490 is a $7.5 million on-call contract with Orion Environmental for asbestos and mold removal, emergency response and expert support in environmental litigation, chosen competitively (request). A similar $5 million contract with Peak Environmental passed committee Oct. 28, as we reported.

Both passed in the Oct. 26 consent block, 11-0 with Amanda Sandoval absent (roll call).

Also cleared committee: referees

26-1606 adds a year, through 2027, to the Parks and Recreation contract with Rocky Mountain Officials LLC for referees in adult and youth sports, with no change to its $750,000 ceiling (request). It passed the Parks committee by consent Oct. 27.

What's next

Items approved in committee usually reach the full Council within a few weeks. Any member can pull one from the consent block for a separate vote. Council agendas are posted on our meetings page.