TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager to execute a contract with Simpler Systems, Inc., for licensing of the City's EZ FAMIS software system and software consulting services, for a one-year term in the annual amount not to exceed $150,000 with two one-year options to renew the agreement, at the City Manager's discretion. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The Department of Financial Management requests approval to contract with Simpler Systems, Inc., (Simpler Solutions) for annual user licenses for Simpler Reporting (known as EZ FAMIS at the City) in the amount of $60,000 for a 12-month period, with the option to renew for two one-year periods. Additionally, the Department wishes to contract with Simpler Systems for anticipated development services for EZ FAMIS including software upgrades, new functionality and implementation of reporting for other datasets, in the amount of up to $90,000 for a 12-month period, with the option to renew for two one-year periods.
In FY 08, the City first contracted with Simpler Systems, Inc., to implement a query and reporting tool for users of FAMIS, the City's accounting system. EZ FAMIS had an immediate positive impact on all users of financial data in the City. In FY 09, the City approved a three-year contract with Simpler Systems, for $150,000 annually for software licensing and development. In the past three years, EZ FAMIS was enhanced to include new functionality such as detailed labor cost analysis, estimates to close (ETC) and budget development, and support of payment processing, such as linking to scanned voucher documentation.
The City's investment in EZ FAMIS has resulted in a burgeoning and robust reporting and querying environment, allowing more and more City staff to rely on EZ FAMIS to manage their organizations. Every department benefits from EZ FAMIS, and users across the City spend considerably less time accessing and analyzing their financial information. We plan to include new and expanded subject areas and processes in EZ FAMIS, such as enhanced budget development, fixed asset reporting, and procurement data from ADPICS. We are confident that with more enhanced functionality, staff time spent on the tedious aspects of data gathering, analysis and reporting will continue to be reduced. The contract with Simpler Systems would allow the City to meet these demands while continuing to leverage our investment.
Simpler Systems is the only company that licenses EZ FAMIS and provides upgrades and corrections to their proprietary software, SimplerScript, and is the only corporation, firm or individual that could or would bid to provide such licensing and services. Therefore, no useful purpose would be served by advertising for bids, and to do so would constitute an unproductive use of time and an unnecessary expenditure of public funds.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Gary Anderson on December 6, 2011 and Acting Budget and Performance Management Bureau Manager Shari Metcalfe on December 9, 2011.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on January 17, 2012, to allow for implementation of a software upgrade and to better support the budget development process that will be initiated in January 2012.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total contract request is $150,000, of which $60,000 is for annual licensing and up to $90,000 for anticipated software development and new subject area licensing. Sufficient funding is available in the General Services Fund (IS 385) in the Department of Technology Services (TS) to support the requested contract. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
BODY
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH SIMPLER SYSTEMS, INC., WITHOUT ADVERTISING FOR BIDS, FOR FINANCIAL SOFTWARE LICENSING AND RELATED SERVICES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $150,000.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
JOHN GROSS
DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT/CFO
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER