TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute a contract and all necessary amendments, including term extensions, between the City of Long Beach and HLP Inc., in an amount not to exceed $130,000 for a three-year period, to procure and implement an integrated data management system. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The Department of Health and Human Services, Animal Care Services Bureau is requesting approval from the City Council to contract with HLP Inc., for procurement, implementation and ongoing licensing of Chameleon, which is a data management tool. This Windows-based, off-the-shelf application will replace the 25-year-old custom mainframe licensing BARKS system and provide Animal Care Services with an automated dispatch, kennel inventory, medical care and licensing database. Currently, information for over 18,500 calls for service and medical information for over 12,000 animals per year are maintained on hard copy records. A tremendous amount of staff time is lost to the hand-count, filing and ongoing search for information related to law enforcement and animal care activities.
As one of the largest and well-respected animal control agencies in the State of California, the City of Long Beach is known for its professionalism and animal care. However, the agency remains far behind its peers in the area of information technology. The automation of core operations at Animal Care Services will improve response times to emergency calls; improve medical record keeping that promotes health and adoptability of animals; and provide residents with a more efficient online dog licensing system, all contributing to greater cost recovery and revenue generation to maintain core animal care services.
It is estimated that the implementation of a system that integrates these specialized functional areas will save the City over $320,000 per year in staff time currently committed to administrative tasks associated with record keeping, accounting and inventory management, as well as to increase revenues related to citations, license renewals and dog licensing by providing online renewal options.
SELECTION PROCESS
Beginning March 2009, a comprehensive Request for Proposals (RFP) process was conducted by the Health and Human Services Department to identify best practices in information management and animal control services. For months leading-up to the release of the RFP, a committee including representatives from Technology Services and Health and Human Services departments contacted animal care and control agencies throughout the nation, and compiled a list of nineteen (19) leading information management vendors in the specialized field of animal control. These vendors were targeted for their demonstrated success in the management of highly specialized data, including:
· Public Safety Dispatch
· Shelter Management
· Integrated Online Lost-and-Found (Petfinder)
· Medical and Veterinary Record Management
· Vaccination and Follow-up Care
· Dog Licensing and Renewals (including web-licensing)
· Rabies Control Information
· Animal lnvestigations
· Citations
· Billing
· Point of Sale
Ultimately, six (6) proposals were received that met the specialized business and technological requirements listed above. The finalists were evaluated for their demonstrated experience in the field, and their ability to provide an off-the-shelf solution to the unique operational needs of Animal Care Services. Interviews were conducted and HLP Inc.'s Chameleon product was selected for its time-tested record in the animal control field (over 25 years), and its use by the major animal control agencies in Southern California which provide mutual aid for the City of Long Beach Animal Care Services (including the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles and Orange counties). The selected application also provides reporting functions unique to the legal requirements of the State of California (including mandatory reporting required for Hayden Bill reimbursements).
The Technology Services Department has endorsed the selected application and the Director has endorsed the process implemented by the Health and Human Services Department to make a selection.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Linda Trang on June 24, 2009 and Budget and Performance Management Bureau Manager David Wodynski on June 22, 2009.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on July 14, 2009 to ensure that the application can be implemented in time for the start of the new fiscal year. The implementation of Chameleon is a critical component to improving service levels at Animal Care Services in FY 10 and is an important piece of the FY 10 Budget reduction strategy.
FISCAL IMPACT
The procurement of the Chameleon application will require both one-time costs for conversion of information from the existing database, training and installation, as well as ongoing costs for annual licensing and updates. It is estimated that the one-time cost for implementation will not exceed $70,000 in FY 09. Ongoing licensing costs for FY 10 and beyond are currently estimated at $30,000 per year (including applicable taxes).
Animal Care Services has identified $70,000 in FY 09 savings (a combination of personnel and material savings), to pay for the one-time implementation costs of Chameleon during the current fiscal year. For future years, offsets have been identified to accommodate the $30,000 enhancement required for ongoing licensing and maintenance costs. There is no impact to the General Fund.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
RONALD R. ARIAS
DIRECTOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
NAME |
APPROVED: |
TITLE |
|
|
|
|
PATRICK H. WEST |
|
CITY MANAGER |