TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to execute a contract with Bitfocus, Inc., of Las Vegas, NV, for providing Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), on the same terms and conditions afforded to the Regional Taskforce on the Homeless of San Diego County, in an annual amount not to exceed $250,000, until July 31, 2021; and
Authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to amend the current Munis contract number 31900554 with Wellsky Corporation, for providing HMIS, to increase the contract amount by $75,000, for a not to exceed amount of $174,000, and extend the contract an additional six months to January 31, 2021. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into a contract with Bitfocus, Inc. (Bitfocus), to provide Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) software to collect client-level data and data on the provision of housing and services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
Procurement options were investigated, and it was discovered that several other agencies had completed an open, fair, transparent, and competitive procurement process. The City of Long Beach (City) reviewed several cooperative agreement options for HMIS services negotiated by other public health agencies, including Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the City and County of San Diego. All of the Continuum of Care (CoC) neighbors selected the same vendor, Bitfocus, for superior ratings in key categories such as user experience, data sharing, import, export, performance measurement and reporting, support and customer service, and cost effectiveness. San Diego’s contract was chosen by the City due to their similar size and HMIS operating procedures and requirements.
City Charter 1802 provides an alternate procurement method by permitting the City to purchase or otherwise obtain services, supplies, materials, equipment, and labor with other government agencies by purchasing under their contracts on a voluntary and selective basis when authorized by a Resolution of the City Council.
The transition to a new HMIS vendor is a very tedious and time-consuming process. Over 90,000 records must be cleaned, mapped, and converted, and over 125 users must be trained. Implementation requires significant coordination between the City, the current vendor (Wellsky Corporation) and the new vendor (Bitfocus). In addition, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will require data submission during the system transition period; Wellsky Corporation will be a very crucial tool in gathering the data. Therefore, a six-month extension to Munis contract 31900554 with Wellsky Corporation is requested and necessary to ensure that all HUD requirements are met.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Taylor M. Anderson on June 2, 2020, Deputy Finance Director Sandy Tsang-Palmer on May 29, 2020, and by Revenue Management Officer Geraldine Alejo on June 4, 2020.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on June 23, 2020, to ensure a contract is in place for a seamless system transition.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total annual contract amount with Bitfocus will not exceed $250,000, and the revised total contract with Wellsky Corporation will not exceed $174,000. Sufficient funds to support both contracts are currently budgeted in the Health Fund Group in the Health and Human Services Department, offset by CoC grant funding. This recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
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Respectfully Submitted,
KELLY COLOPY
DIRECTOR
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESS
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
ACTING CITY MANAGER