Board of Estimate and Contract:
RESOLVED, that an Ordinance adopted by the City Council on August 12, 2026, and signed by the Mayor on August 13, 2026, authorizing the Mayor to Enter into Addendum No. 1 to the Software-As-A-Service (SaaS) Agreement with Sunlight Technologies, Inc. (D/B/A “Readly”) for the Two-Year Renewal of the City’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Platform and Authorizing Payment Therefor - (funding shall be charged as follows:
• Management Services Account A1680.216 - Twenty-Eight Thousand Dollars ($28,000.00) for Contract Year One (June 1, 2026, through May 31, 2027); and
• Management Services Account A1680.216 - Thirty-Three Thousand Six Hundred Dollars ($33,600.00) for Contract Year Two (June 1, 2027, through May 31, 2028).
; be, and the same is hereby approved.
City Council:
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR
TO ENTER INTO ADDENDUM NO. 1 TO THE
SOFTWARE-AS-A-SERVICE (SaaS) AGREEMENT
WITH SUNLIGHT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (D/B/A
“READYLY”) FOR THE TWO-YEAR RENEWAL OF
THE CITY’S ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)
PLATFORM AND AUTHORIZING PAYMENT THEREFOR
Whereas, in correspondence dated July 15, 2026, the Commissioner of the Department of Management Services formally requested that the City Council authorize the Mayor to execute Addendum No. 1 to the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Agreement between the City of Mount Vernon and Sunlight Technologies, Inc. (d/b/a “Readyly”), together with such non-material modifications as may be approved by the Corporation Counsel, to renew the City's Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform for an additional two-year term commencing June 1, 2026, and continuing through May 31, 202; and
Whereas, in March 2025, the City Council approved a twelve (12) month pilot program with Readyly to provide an AI-powered platform integrated with the City’s OpenGov system, offering multilingual AI chatbots, voice-based AI agents, email response agents, and advanced analytics to improve access to City services and enhance resident engagement; and
Whereas, the pilot program successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of AI technology in improving municipal customer service and operational efficiency by providing:
1. Five Thousand Five Hundred Fifty-One (5,551) resident sessions during the pilot period;
2. Fourteen Thousand Four Hundred Three (14,403) resident inquiries answered;
3. A Ninety-Eight and Eighty-Nine Hundredths Percent (98.89%) first-contact resolution rate, allowing routine inquiries to be resolved without staff escalation; and
4. An estimated Seventeen Thousand Eight Hundred Dollars ($17,800.00) in staff-time savings during the pilot year, based upon Readyly’s call-deflection-adjusted estimate; and
Whereas, based upon the successful completion of the pilot program, the Department of Management Services recommends transitioning the platform from a pilot project to full production; and
Whereas, Addendum No. 1 extends the Agreement for a period of twenty-four (24) months, commencing June 1, 2026, and terminating May 31, 2028; and
Whereas, the renewed Agreement will continue to provide twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week multilingual AI chat and search capabilities for residents, while expanding AI-powered voice support for public-facing telephone services beginning with the Buildings Department; and
Whereas, the Agreement further includes AI-assisted City Clerk workflows for marriage license and passport appointment scheduling, expansion of Voice AI to additional public-facing departments including Public Works, and ongoing analytics, monitoring, configuration, content management, and technical support provided by Readyly; and
Whereas, Addendum No. 1 provides for eighty thousand (80,000) interaction units during the first contract year and ninety-six thousand (96,000) interaction units during the second contract year, with additional interaction units billed at Thirty-Five Cents ($0.35) per interaction unit, no additional onboarding fee, and unused interaction units expiring at the conclusion of each contract year; and
Whereas, one (1) interaction unit is defined as one digital resident session or one phone transfer, while two (2) interaction units equal one AI-handled voice call; and
Whereas, the total cost of the twenty-four (24) month renewal shall not exceed Sixty-One Thousand Six Hundred Dollars ($61,600.00), allocated as follows:
• Twenty-Eight Thousand Dollars ($28,000.00) for the period June 1, 2026, through May 31, 2027; and
• Thirty-Three Thousand Six Hundred Dollars ($33,600.00) for the period June 1, 2027, through May 31, 2028; and
Whereas, funding for this Agreement has been identified within the Department of Management Services budget under Account No. A1680.216 for each applicable fiscal year; and
Whereas, the City Council finds that renewing the Readyly AI platform will improve access to municipal services, enhance customer service, increase operational efficiency, reduce routine administrative workloads, expand multilingual communications, and further the City’s commitment to responsible and carefully monitored implementation of artificial intelligence technologies.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Authorization to Execute Addendum No. 1. The Mayor is hereby authorized and directed to execute Addendum No. 1 to the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Agreement between the City of Mount Vernon and Sunlight Technologies, Inc. (d/b/a “Readyly”), extending the Agreement for a period commencing June 1, 2026, and ending May 31, 2028, together with such non-material revisions as may be approved by the Corporation Counsel.
Section 2. Authorization of Expenditures. The Comptroller is hereby authorized and directed to make payments to Sunlight Technologies, Inc. (d/b/a “Readyly”) in accordance with the terms of Addendum No. 1 in an amount not to exceed Sixty-One Thousand Six Hundred Dollars ($61,600.00), subject to annual appropriations and the availability of funds.
Funding shall be charged as follows:
• Management Services Account A1680.216 - Twenty-Eight Thousand Dollars ($28,000.00) for Contract Year One (June 1, 2026, through May 31, 2027); and
• Management Services Account A1680.216 - Thirty-Three Thousand Six Hundred Dollars ($33,600.00) for Contract Year Two (June 1, 2027, through May 31, 2028).
Section 3. Contract Administration. The Department of Management Services is authorized to administer the Agreement, monitor contract performance, oversee implementation and deployment of AI services, review usage analytics, approve invoices, and coordinate the expansion of AI services to additional City departments in accordance with the terms of the Agreement.
Section 4. Scope of Services. The services authorized under Addendum No. 1 shall include, but not be limited to:
(a) Twenty-four (24) hour, seven (7) day multilingual AI chat and search services for residents;
(b) AI-powered Voice AI support for public-facing telephone lines, beginning with the Buildings Department;
(c) AI-assisted City Clerk workflows for marriage license and passport appointment inquiries;
(d) Expansion of Voice AI services to Public Works and other public-facing departments as determined by the Department of Management Services;
(e) Eighty Thousand (80,000) interaction units during the first contract year and Ninety-Six Thousand (96,000) interaction units during the second contract year;
(f) Ongoing analytics, monitoring, configuration, software updates, content management, and technical support provided by Readyly.
Section 5. Additional Usage. Should the City’s usage exceed the interaction units included in the Agreement, additional interaction units may be purchased at the contractual rate of Thirty-Five Cents ($0.35) per interaction unit, subject to available appropriations and compliance with applicable purchasing procedures.
Section 6. Authority to Execute Related Documents. The Mayor, Comptroller, Commissioner of Management Services, Corporation Counsel, and such other City officials as may be necessary are hereby authorized to execute all documents and take any actions necessary to carry out the intent and purposes of this Ordinance.
Section 7. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or provision of this Ordinance shall be declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance.
Section 8. Repealer. All ordinances, local laws, resolutions, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency.
Section 9. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council and subsequent approval by the Board of Estimate and Contract.