City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council (1) approve an amendment to the existing
Software Maintenance Agreement with Accela, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed
$55,857 to support the City’s Enterprise Permitting, Citizen Relationship Management
(CRM), and Code Enforcement Tracking systems; and (2) authorize the City Manager
to extend the Agreement for three additional one-year periods for a cost not-to-exceed
the prior year by 10%.
BACKGROUND:
On November 24, 1997, the City Council authorized entering into a contract with
Sierra Computer Systems to obtain software and data conversion services for
upgrading the City’s permit tracking system. Primary users of the enterprise
permitting system include staff from Building Safety, Finance, Fire Prevention,
Planning and Engineering. In 2000, Sierra Computer Systems merged with Open
Data Systems to form the company that is now known as Accela, Inc
Meeting Date: 03/23/15 Item Number: C-4
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Approval of an Amendment to the Existing
Software Maintenance Agreement with Accela, Inc. in an Amount Not-To-Exceed
$55,857 to Support the City’s Enterprise Permitting, Citizen Relationship
Management (CRM) and Code Enforcement Tracking Systems; and (2) Authorize
the City Manager to Extend the Agreement for Three Additional One-Year Periods
for a Cost Not-To-Exceed the Prior Year by 10%.(1) Approval of an Amendment to
the Existing Software Maintenance Agreement with Accela, Inc. in an Amount
Not-to-Exceed $55,857 to Support the City’s Enterprise Permitting, Citizen
Relationship Management (CRM), and Code Enforcement Tracking Software
Systems; and (2) Authorize the City Manager to Extend the Agreement for Three
Additional One-Year Periods for a Not-to-Exceed Cost Exceeding the Prior Year
by 10%.
Contact Person/Dept.: Michele Williams Phone Number: (310) 253-5950
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: Meetings and Agendas – City Council (03/18/15)
Department Approval:
Michele Williams (03/12/15)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (03/16/15)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (03/17/15)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (03/18/15) City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
On September 9, 2005, the City Council authorized the software licensing of a Citizen
Relationship Management (CRM) module and a Code Enforcement Tracking System
from the vendor Government Outreach. The CRM module is a software system that
provides a way for the public to send inquiries, comments, and issues to the attention
of City staff. This system is available online via the City’s website, and, in addition, a
mobile app can also be used to submit and track issues. The Code Enforcement
Tracking System is primarily used by Code Enforcement staff to track violations and
manage the workflow associated with citations and enforcement issues.
DISCUSSION:
In October 2014, Accela Inc. acquired Government Outreach. Accela has
incorporated the suite of software products previously offered by Government
Outreach into their Civic Software Platform. They also provide maintenance and
support for all of the products related to permitting, code enforcement, and citizen
relationship management.
Accela’s maintenance program provides direct telephone access to software
technicians. If a problem is encountered that cannot be resolved over the telephone,
remote diagnostic assistance is also available to further facilitate resolution. This
maintenance program also ensures that software upgrades are immediately provided
to the customer without an additional cost. Participating in the maintenance program
is a critical component to the success and smooth operation of the software modules.
The following table outlines the maintenance cost for each software module. It should
be noted that the enterprise permitting software includes various components (online
permitting, geographical information systems integration, inspections, workflow, and
point-of-sale) which explains the higher maintenance cost compared to the other
modules.
Accela Software Annual Maintenance
Enterprise Permitting System $42,057
Citizen Relationship Management $9,000
Code Enforcement Tracking $4,800
Total $55,857
The City currently has an existing maintenance agreement with Accela, Inc. to support
the enterprise permitting system. Staff recommends modifying this agreement to City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
include incorporating support for the citizen relationship management and code
enforcement tracking software systems.
Pursuant to Culver City Municipal Code Section 3.07.045.E, the extension of this
Agreement is exempt from the competitive bidding process as it involves computer
software and software maintenance services.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
Approval of the proposed amendment would result in a total expenditure not-to-
exceed $55,857.00.
Funding is appropriated in the Information Technology Repairs and Maintenance
budget (10124100.600200) to cover the payment for this fiscal year.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1) Approve an amendment to the existing software maintenance agreement with
Accela, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $55,857.00; and,
2) Authorize the City Manager to extend the agreement at the end of the initial term
for three additional one-year terms for a cost not-to-exceed the prior year by 10%;
and,
3) Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and,
4) Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.