Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Steve Monowitz, Community Development Director
Subject: Amendment to Agreement with Avocette Technologies, Inc.
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing amendment to the agreement with Avocette Technologies, Inc. for the provision of additional professional technical services, increasing the amount of the agreement by $465,750 to an amount not-to-exceed $845,750, and extending the term through January 31, 2021.
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BACKGROUND:
In January 2017, the Planning and Building Department (Department) entered into a contract with Avocette Technologies, Inc. (Avocette) to provide professional technical services to support the Department’s Accela permit tracking system, with a term of January 24, 2017 through January 23, 2020, and total contract amount of $180,000. The Department selected Avocette after conducting a Request for Proposal (RFP) process in November 2016. This Board approved an initial amendment to the contract in March 2019 for the provision of additional services to include Menlo Park Fire Protection District, increasing the contract amount by $200,000, from $180,000 to $380,000. This is the second contract amendment.
DISCUSSION:
Accela is the trademark name of the system that the Planning and Building Department uses to track and process permits. Among other things, it provides an on-line portal that contractors and property owners can use to apply for permits electronically.
In 2019, the Department embarked on an intensive project to upgrade the way in which Accela was initially configured, with the help of Avocette, to expand on-line permitting capabilities, streamline workflows, and make other improvements. The proposed amendment will enable the Department to continue this important work, which will increase the efficiency of the permitting process and enhance the on-line permitting system, which has proven to be an important component of the Department’s response to the current health emergency. During this time, the Department has increased its capacity to accept electronic plans for all types of proposed projects, developed procedures to perform electronic plan reviews, and taken other steps that not only enable the Department to provide its services remotely, but that also contribute to its long term interest in establishing a paperless on-line permitting system.
In order to ensure success in this regard, the Department has enlisted the assistance of an ISD Project Manager, who will help coordinate the efforts of the larger Accela project team, which includes Avocette and staff members from the Department’s Planning, Building, and Technical Services sections. As detailed by the Project Charter included as Attachment A to this report, an ISD Project Manager has been appointed to assist the Department with these efforts, and help the Department to implement a more streamlined, automated, and user friendly electronic permitting system. Avocette will be responsible for integrating these improvements within Accela, at an estimated one-time cost of $285,000.
The remainder of the funds covered by the proposed contract will be used to cover the costs of maintaining system operations during project implementation. This work is necessary to enable the Department to continue providing its services, and to make the improvements required to provide these services as efficiently and effectively as possible. In addition to providing the needed funding, the proposed amendment extends the Department’s contract with Avocette until January 31, 2021. This is consistent with the Department’s aggressive goal of completing the Accela upgrade project before the end of this calendar year.
County Counsel has reviewed the contract amendment and resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funds to support the contract amendment are included in the Department’s fiscal year 2019-21 budget.