TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to execute a contract, and any necessary documents including any necessary amendments, with CobbleStone Systems Corp., of Lindenwold, NJ, for contracts lifecycle data management for the Homeless Services Bureau, at no cost to the City, for a maximum six-month pilot period. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into a contract with CobbleStone Systems Corp. (CobbleStone), to pilot technology solutions to develop dashboarding tools and improve active contract management for the Homeless Services Bureau (HSB). The pilot project aligns with the Smart City Initiative by engaging the community, City staff, and the private sector to streamline the administration and subcontracting processes for external grants within the Long Beach Continuum of Care (CoC).
HSB manages a variety of local, state, and federal grant allocations for the Long Beach CoC, which requires purposeful and data-informed management of contracted services to improve service outcomes. Technology solutions offer meaningful opportunities for the HSB to streamline contracting processes, set and monitor performance metrics, collaborate with providers, facilitate real-time improvements to service delivery, and collect and report data.
This pilot opportunity is part of the City’s 2021 Smart City Challenge, which follows the principles of a challenge-based procurement, where City staff articulate their challenge without prescribing how they want it solved. It was powered by the Startup in Residence (STIR) program (<https://www.cityinnovate.com/stir/start>), which enables City departments to collaborate with technology companies to address civic problems. The pilot projects are intended to provide City staff with the opportunity to quickly understand how we might adopt technology and leverage partnerships to drive innovative service delivery for our residents. Interested submitters were requested to provide summarized information about their proposed solution, with the full scope and details of the solution finalized through subsequent rounds of interviews and scoping conversations.
The pilot opportunity was advertised through a variety of methods using the STIR platform and our City platform, with 26 potential proposers specializing in contracts management notified of the pilot opportunity. Information about the pilot opportunity was additionally made available from the Technology and Innovation Department’s Smart City Program, located on the seventh floor of City Hall and the program’s website at www.longbeach.gov/smartcity <http://www.longbeach.gov/smartcity> and the Purchasing Division, located on the sixth floor of City Hall, and the Division’s website at www.longbeach.gov/purchasing <http://www.longbeach.gov/purchasing>. An announcement was also included in the Purchasing Division’s weekly update of Open Bid Opportunities, which is sent to 35 local, minority-owned, and women-owned business groups. There were 13 responses received. It was determined that CobbleStone was the most qualified firm to participate in the pilot program.
CobbleStone was selected based on their qualifications, design approach, technology applicability to the scope of work, and a demonstrated understanding of the challenge that the City intends to address.
City Charter Section 1807 permits the City Council to authorize and award negotiated contracts, which are based on competitive proposals for the acquisition of electronic data processing and telecommunication equipment, systems, subsystems and related materials, goods and services, when authorized by a Resolution adopted by the City Council. In this case, a competitive process was provided and facilitated through the STIR platform.
Local Business Outreach
To align with the City’s outreach goal, Long Beach businesses are encouraged to submit proposals for City contracts. The Purchasing Division also assists business with registering on the PlanetBids database to download RFP specifications, and in this case, also provided assistance, as needed, regarding the STIR platform. The Purchasing Division is committed to continuing to perform outreach to local vendors to expand the bidder pool.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Taylor M. Anderson on October 4, 2021, Business Services Bureau Manager Tara Mortensen on September 1, 2021, and by Budget Analysis Officer Greg Sorensen on September 14, 2021.
EQUITY STATEMENT
The City has incorporated the Equity Toolkit in this recommendation, as requested by the City Council on April 21, 2020. By achieving new standards of transparency and accountability, the Smart City Initiative and the pilot projects from this agreement will work to ensure that all residents, regardless of technical ability, can trust the tools that are tested and deployed by City officials. This work will include investing in digital literacy, codifying robust privacy and data security standards, and partnering with communities to develop a collaborative approach to deploying civic technology, ensuring that HSB modernizes its ability to actively manage contracts resulting in improved service impact for persons experiencing homelessness.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council approval is requested on November 9, 2021, to ensure the contract is in place in a timely manner.
FISCAL IMPACT
The contract for pilot services will be provided at no cost to the City. This recommendation has minimal staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties, and no increase in personnel is requested. The program operation is consistent with existing City Council priorities. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
[Enter Body Here]
Respectfully Submitted,
Kelly Colopy
Health and Human Services Director
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER