The Raleigh City Council yesterday passed a measure to bring public WiFi to downtown Raleigh. The measure authorizes the city manager to enter a contract with WindChannel Communications, Inc for equipment and service as early as March of next year. The proposed measure is available below the fold.

Raleigh Downtown WiFi – Implementation Services
The City of Raleigh Information Technology (IT) Department issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a professional services firm to implement WiFi for Downtown Raleigh on March 3, 2009.
Responses were received from two companies: WindChannel and KompSys. Through a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the responses that included cost, the vendor’s experience in the market, the vendor’s design and methodology, local presence, and ability to support the system long term, the evaluation team rated the vendors in the following order:
WindChannel
KompSys
Recommendation:
Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract in the amount not to exceed $112,000, subject to negotiation of terms acceptable to City Administration, with WindChannel Communications, Inc. to provide professional services and auxiliary equipment to implement WiFi for Downtown Raleigh and, if a mutually acceptable contract cannot be negotiated with the selected vendor, authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with the next highest rated vendor.