Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Mark Church, Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Chief Elections Officer
Subject: Amendment to Agreement with Mikasoft Inc., for Project Management Services for Assessor Property Assessment System Project
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing:
A) The execution of an amendment to the agreement with Mikasoft, Inc. (No. 13000-18-D022) to provide consulting services, for the multi-stage evaluation process to select a vendor for the Assessor Property Assessment System (APAS) and project management services for the APAS project by extending the present contract period from October 01, 2017 through June 30, 2018, in an amount not to exceed $261,800; and
B) The Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, or his designee, to execute subsequent amendments and minor modifications not to exceed $25,000 (in the aggregate) and/or modify the contract term and/or services within the current or revised fiscal provisions.
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BACKGROUND:
The Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder-Elections (ACRE) Department relies on its IT unit to support the business divisions in terms of day-to-day operations of the existing systems as well as to execute multiple projects to revamp, modernize and transform existing business applications to support the growing business needs.
In 2015, Gartner Group Inc. was contracted to perform an IT Organization Review for the ACRE IT unit. The Gartner IT Organization Review - Findings and Recommendations report dated May 28, 2015, recommended the addition of 3 - 5 FTEs to ACRE IT. ACRE IT since added three (3) Term Departmental Systems Analyst positions with the intention of converting these positions to FTEs. The added IT Term positions have been reviewed and approved by CMO.
ACRE issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the APAS custom development project to replace the department’s current 20 year old legacy system (EZ-Access System) in February 2017. The APAS project is a business transformation project that will automate many business processes, modernize the tools, improve workflows, and streamline internal/external interfaces in order to meet the needs of ACRE, its constituents and stakeholders.
The APAS project leverages and builds on the earlier Assessment and Tax Systems (ATS) project artifacts. ACRE expanded the ATS business use cases and developed additional detailed requirements necessary for a custom system development.
ACRE received multiple RFP responses in late May 2017 and the RFP Proposal Evaluation Committee, comprising of fourteen (14) ACRE staff in addition to staff from Purchasing, is currently evaluating the RFP responses. Due to the critical nature and complexity of the APAS project, ACRE also engaged Gartner Group Inc. to conduct a detailed review and analysis of the proposals and assess the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed technologies and advising the Evaluation Committee accordingly.
Should the RFP process result in the selection of a vendor and the subsequent execution of a contract by the Board of Supervisors (BOS), the ACRE and vendor teams will initiate the APAS project.
The APAS project is expected to span three to four years and will be implemented in phases.
DISCUSSION:
The Assessor has contracted with Mikasoft, Inc. and its CEO, Mr. Paul Paulose, to provide project management services for both the ATS and the current APAS project. His knowledge of the ACRE APAS project and his leadership continue to be invaluable to the Department in ensuring the success of the APAS project. The APAS RFP proposals submission deadline was May 2017, hence ACRE entered a contract with Mikasoft for FY 2017-18. The contract with Mikasoft, Inc. (No. 13000-18-D022) dated June 29, 2017 covered July 1 through September 30, 2017 (NTE $88,200), to span the initial proposal evaluation period.
In order to move forward with the multi-stage evaluation and selection of the APAS vendor and initiate the first phase of the project, ACRE is proposing to amend the existing contract period to October 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018 for an additional amount not to exceed $261,800; bringing the total cost of consulting services to $350,000.
The Scope of Services in the amended agreement will expand to include the multi-stage evaluation and selection of the APAS vendor, onboarding the APAS vendor to the project, and leading the project with the selected vendor.
Additionally, Mikasoft, Inc. will continue to assist the Assessor staff to survey and document approaches adopted by other California counties that have undertaken the replacement of similar Assessor’s legacy systems.
Mikasoft, Inc. will also assist the Assessor’s Department in finding ways to extend the useful life of the Department’s current business applications while the new APAS system is being developed.
Mikasoft will play a significant role to onboard a vendor to evaluate the Department’s current data quality and data cleansing requirements.
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
The replacement of the Assessor’s aging legacy system is imperative for the successful execution of the Department’s services, operations, and to ensure that the Department meets its constitutional mandates. This project is among the highest priorities collaboratively identified in the Assessor’s Strategic Plan 2020.
This amendment contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of collaborative community, by facilitating the successful implementation of a new APAS that will enable the accurate, efficient, and accountable administration of the County’s primary funding source.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The additional cost associated with this recommendation is included in the Department’s FY 2017-18 Approved Recommended Budget. The proposed amendment extends the existing contract period to October 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018, for an additional amount not to exceed $261,800; bringing the total cost of consulting services to $350,000.