TITLE
Recommendation to adopt Specifications No. RFP TS 14-011 and authorize City Manager to execute agreements, and all related documents with recommended firms, including one Long Beach business, to provide as-needed professional and technical services related to system analysis, system development, system implementation, project management, and technical support for information technology projects and systems, in an annual aggregate amount not to exceed $950,000 for a period of two years, with the option to renew for two additional one-year periods, at the discretion of the City Manager. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The City of Long Beach leverages new technology to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and improve service delivery. To facilitate the adoption of new technology, the Department of Technology Services uses professional and technical services from private sector firms on a project basis to assist in upgrading, replacing, and implementing information and communications systems.
This sourcing strategy is cost-effective and responsive to customer department needs. It allows the Department of Technology Services to quickly acquire the specific technical expertise required for a project, while not incurring ongoing fixed costs once it is complete and the specific skills are no longer needed. Additionally, it provides a mechanism to rapidly address temporary support responsibilities for critical production systems.
Over the next two years, professional and technical services will be necessary to support several planned technology projects. This includes enhancements to the recently implemented utility customer information system (CIS) and migration to a new business license system in which temporary project staffing is required to carry out the technical tasks to complete the transition. Examples of other scheduled projects requiring temporary resources include implementation of the City's cloud email and office productivity system, upgrades to the land management and revenue system, implementation of environmental health systems, upgrade of the parks and recreation system, and various other critical business information systems, as well as enhancements to the City's geographic information system (GIS) and work order management systems.
The request for proposals (RFP) was advertised in the Press Telegram on October 30, 2013 and 3,174 potential proposers specializing in Information Technology Professional Services were notified of the RFP opportunity. Of those proposers, 210 downloaded the proposal via our electronic bid system. The RFP document was also made available from the Purchasing Division, located on the seventh floor of City Hall, and the Division's website at www.longbeach.gov/purchasing. A RFP announcement was also included in the Purchasing Division's weekly update of Open Bid Opportunities which is sent to 30 local, minority and women-owned business groups. Thirty-nine proposals were received on November 27, 2013. Of those 39 proposers, five were Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MBEs), five were Women-owned Business Enterprises (WBEs), four were certified Small Business Enterprises (SBEs), and one was a Long Beach business (Local).
Local Business Outreach
In effort to align with our outreach goal, Long Beach businesses were encouraged to submit proposals for City contracts. The Purchasing Division assisted businesses with registering on the Bids Online database in order to download the RFP specifications. Through outreach, 355 Long Beach vendors were notified to submit proposals, of which ten downloaded and one submitted a bid. The Purchasing Division is committed to continuing to perform outreach to local vendors to expand the bidder pool.
A team of managers from the Department of Technology Services evaluated the proposals based on criteria set forth in the RFP, including, but not limited to, cost and demonstrated competence working with specific applications used by the City, as well as providing other required technical services. Based on the review of the proposals received, the following 16 companies, including one Long Beach-based business, are recommended for selection:
• Apollo Professional Solutions, Inc.
• Baker Crew Consulting, Inc.
• Black and Veatch Corporation
• C3G Solutions, Inc.
• Cardon Solutions, LLC
• Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI)
• Five Point Partners, LLC
• Intellibridge Partners, LLC
• Intratek Computer, Inc.
• Meridian Integration, LLC
• NorthSouth GIS, LLC
• Power Engineers, Inc.
• The Ryte Professionals
• Simpler Systems, Inc.
• Sol novo Inc.
• Total Network Solutions (Long Beach Business)
Multiple agreements are recommended to ensure a pool of qualified candidates is readily available for the Technology Services Department to quickly deliver technical services as they are needed.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Gary J. Anderson on December 30, 2013 and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on January 2, 2014.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this matter is requested on January 21, 2014 to ensure that projects can proceed on schedule.
FISCAL IMPACT
Expenditures for as-needed professional and technical services will not exceed an annual total of $950,000 and will be made within existing departmental appropriation. Sufficient funding has been budgeted in the General Services Fund (IS 385) and in the Technology Services Department (TS) to support this activity. Costs are recovered from client departments and are budgeted in the annual TS MOU. There is potential for additional jobs to be created as a result of this action as all recommended firms committed to using best efforts to provide Long Beach residents with employment for City projects.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
CURTIS TANI
DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
JOHN GROSS
DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER