Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Mark Church, Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Chief Elections Officer
Subject: Agreement with Mikasoft, Inc. to Provide Consulting and Project Management Services for the Assessor Property Assessment System
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution:
A) Authorizing an agreement with Mikasoft, Inc., to provide consulting and project management services for the Assessor Property Assessment System (APAS) for the term of July 1, 2019 through December 31, 2021, for an amount not to exceed $959,508; and
B) Waiving the competitive bidding process to select Mikasoft, Inc., as a sole source provider for consulting and project management services.
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BACKGROUND:
At the core of the business operations of the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder-Elections’ (ACRE) Appraisal Services Division is a digital data management system which stores and processes data relating to the ownership, characteristics, and appraisal values of all taxable properties in the county. This Board approved Resolution #076320 at its December 11, 2018 meeting, authorizing the Assessor Property Assessment System (APAS) Project to replace the Assessor’s legacy system. This Board approved a three to three and one-half year contract with Sapient Corporation to develop the APAS Solution. The APAS project was launched in January 2019.
From the APAS project inception, project management services and consulting; data assessment; cleansing; and conversion tasks necessary to implement APAS have been provided by Mikasoft, Inc. and its CEO, Paul Paulose. Ongoing work includes successful end to end program management of the APAS project through active leadership and engagement at both a strategic and detailed program level. ACRE’s current contract with Mikasoft (approved by this Board as Resolution #076155) ends on June 30, 2019. ACRE management is recommending a new contract with Mikasoft, Inc. to be implemented effective July 1, 2019 through December 31, 2021 specific to all project phases identified in Exhibit A of the Mikasoft contract.
This recommendation will ensure Mikasoft, Inc. provides project management services coterminous with the Sapient APAS project contract. The proposed Resolution herein would execute the Mikasoft contract from July 1, 2019 through December 31, 2021 and expand services, for an amount not to exceed $959,508 for the 30-month contract.
DISCUSSION:
Under the new agreement, Mikasoft, Inc. will: (1) continue to manage the APAS Definition Phase and ensure that Definition Milestones are completed and accepted by ACRE; (2) lead and manage the implementation stage of the project which spans multiple phases; (3) provide program management services to the APAS data cleansing and conversion project; (4) prepare strategy and plan for the APAS valuation project implementation approaches; (5) provide project management for the APAS project; and (6) assist in the discovery and implementation of methods and measures that will extend the useful life of existing business applications while the APAS system is being developed and implemented.
The APAS project will have a transformative effect on a mission-critical business operation. It will automate many processes, modernize tools, improve workflows, and streamline internal and external interfaces with system users, fiscal stakeholders, and constituents. The expertise and labor of expert consultants is essential to supplement the efforts of ACRE staff, both in appraisal and IT teams.
ACRE is requesting that this Board waive the competitive bidding process for consulting and project management services for the APAS project due to the ongoing nature of the APAS project and evolving consulting needs. Mikasoft’s program manager has specific APAS related knowledge and understanding of ACRE systems that is required to continue the project management role on the APAS project. Contracting with Mikasoft allows ACRE to leverage the APAS project knowledge and information technology industry skills to advance the APAS project through all the developmental and implementation phases without delay. Mikasoft’s continued leadership of the APAS project is a logical and cost-effective extension of its prior work with the APAS project and will support the ACRE leadership team in managing the project budget, vendor adherence to contract terms, project governance, and reduction of project risk.
A top priority in the Department’s Strategic Plan 2020, the successful and timely completion of the APAS Project is essential to the continuing reliability and excellence of the technology that enables us to satisfy Constitutional mandates in the administration of California’s property tax program.
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
Approval of this resolution contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of Collaborative Community, by facilitating the implementation of property assessment technology to provide accurate, efficient, and accountable property tax administration.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of the agreement is July 1, 2019 through December 31, 2021. Appropriations to cover the costs of this agreement are included in the Assessor-County Clerk-
Recorder-Election’s FY 2019-20 Recommended Budget and will be included in future budgets. These costs will be fully funded by a transfer from Non-Departmental Services.