City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council: (1) approve a purchase order for the
acquisition of 109 Personal Computers (PCs) from Dell in an amount not-to-exceed
$149,004.41, and (2) approve a professional services agreement with Robert Half
Technology to facilitate deploying the newly purchased PCs throughout the
organization in an amount not-to-exceed $19,200.
BACKGROUND:
Personal Computers (PCs) are a primary component of almost all office jobs in the
City. Even field workers (inspectors, engineers, firefighters, etc.) often use PCs after
returning from the field to input data, write reports, and communicate with peers,
supervisors, and the public. In addition, PCs are often attached to critical systems
that run devices and services. Examples include building monitoring, identity card
creation, specialized printers, and many others.
Until 2005 the City was replacing approximately 20-25% of the PC inventory each
year. Fiscal constraints dictated that the City stop the annual purchases with the last
purchase occurring in October 2005. A gap of two and a half years followed until the
next major purchase of 126 PCs was approved on March 24, 2008. Since 2008, the
Ctiy has only purchased one or a few PCs at a time due to constrained budgets.
Meeting Date: 05/26/15 Item Number: C-4
CITYY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Approval of (1) a Purchase Order for the
Acquisition of 109 Personal Computers from Dell in an Amount Not-to-Exceed
$149,004.41and (2) a Professional Services Agreement with Robert Half
Technology (Los Angeles, California) for Personal Computer Deployment in an
Amount Not-to-Exceed $19,200.
Contact Person/Dept.: David Leuck 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 (05/21/15), Robert Half Technology. (Ryan
McDaniel: 05/12/15), Dell, Inc. (Stan Temple: 05/11/2015)
Department Approval:
Michele Williams (05/14/15)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (05/19/15)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (05/20/15)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (05/21/15) City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Purchase approvals were based on the need for more capability, system failures, or
compliance requirements for specialized software.
As a result, the majority of the City’s PCs were five (5) or more years old by 2013.
The older machines began to experience intermittent failures, which have impacted
the production of the staff using them. The original 3 year warranties have expired on
the majority of the City’s systems.
The installation of security patches to the operating system and the increasing load
on systems from antivirus and antispyware systems have impacted the
responsiveness of the older systems. In 2011, to allow the installation of the next
generation of operating system (Windows 7) and productivity software (Office 2010)
the oldest PCs were retro-fitted with additional RAM (random access memory), larger
hard disks, and new video cards. In its original state the older PC hardware inventory
was not compatible with Windows 7, but the upgraded hardware components enable
it to run. This made it possible to continue using the existing hardware for another few
years without a significant budget expenditure.
In October 2013 the City Council approved the purchase of 137 modern PCs with
updated processors, high speed RAM, dedicated video cards, and increased storage
space. That purchase replaced approximately one-third of the City’s complement of
PCs and allowed the oldest units to be retired.
DISCUSSION:
As a best business practice, PCs have an expected life of 4-5 years and are typically
purchased with three year warranties. After three years the individual components
(hard disk, memory, power supply, and motherboard) of a PC are at increasing risk of
failure and potentially require replacement.
Another key factor influencing replacement is the fact that over time, software vendors
release new software or upgrades to existing software that require PCs with more
speed, processing power, or memory in order to function adequately. Current
versions of software recommend 4 Gigabytes (GB) of RAM for systems to run
effectively with 8GBs a common standard for 64 bit systems. With the move to 64 bit
operating systems applications are able to use more than 4GB of RAM, and systems
are being configured with 8, 12, and 16GB of RAM on a normal basis. This trend is
not just for desktops; it also applies to Laptops, Netbooks, and Tablets. More RAM
allows the user to have multiple applications (including web browsers) open
simultaneously without slowing down the system.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Due to budget constraints the City has extended the life cycle of the PC inventory to
approximately 6-7 years. Approved in October 2013, 137 PCs were replaced and
represented about one-third of the City’s PC inventory. Staff recommended
reinstituting a formal replacement schedule with that purchase. This request
represents the second round and will be followed in Fiscal Year 2015/2016 with the
final request to complete the refresh of the City’s remaining inventory. After 3 years
of replacing PCs, there will be two years of maintenance before the cycle will begin
again. This schedule will allow for a 5 year target lifecycle for each PC in inventory.
At the 5 year mark IT can assess both budget and present technology in deciding the
needs of the next replacement cycle.
The City has deployed flat panel monitors for all of the PCs and retired the old style
CRT (cathode-ray tube) screens. The existing flat panels are being reused with the
new PCs as much as possible to reduce costs where the screens are compatible.
Newer video cards utilize more advanced video connections not present on some of
the older screens. As a contingency 50 monitors will be purchased to provide spares
and to retire some of the older screens where necessary. By purchasing the 50
screens with the PC the screen is discounted compared to only purchasing the screen.
Staff recommends purchasing the Dell OptiPlex 9020 which is the same model as last
year. It was selected because it was at the beginning of its release cycle. In discussion
with Dell it is expected that this model will be available for one more cycle before it is
superseded.
The City’s software license agreement with Microsoft automatically licenses the latest
version of Windows, Office, and several other tools as they are released. This
hardware will be able to run all the existing software versions and the anticipated future
updates.
The PCs taken out of service will be evaluated, and parts that can be reused on
remaining systems will be removed (i.e. hard disks, video cards, RAM chips, DVD
drives) to form a spare parts inventory. The remaining units and components will be
turned over to the Purchasing Division for sale or recycling per City Policy.
Vendor Selection
For some time the City has standardized on Dell business class computers. Dell
provides a number of advantages as the City’s vendor. These include:
? Industry compatibility - As one of the largest PC makers, Dell leads with
standards in quality and compatibility.
? Free shipping - Purchased under the California Multiple Award Schedule
(CMAS), municipalities pay no shipping costs on systems. City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
? Automatic upgrade to 3 year warranty on all PCs. Next business day service
on parts and labor.
? Call in support for hardware on a 24x7 basis.
? Longer product support life cycle. Dell is able to provide parts for their own
systems from a worldwide support system. Custom built clone systems can
only be supported as long as the local manufacturer can secure parts.
? The City has been standardized on Dell PCs for some years. From a
maintenance and support perspective it is far more efficient to support a
standardized inventory.
Low Energy and Recyclable PCs
Efficient energy usage and recyclable components have become a focus of computer
makers and the City since the mid-2000s. The Information Technology Department,
starting with the 2008 purchase, chose PCs that were environmentally friendly, more
energy efficient, and can be broken down for recycling with less waste than past
generations of hardware.
The US Environmental Protection Agency provides a consumer rating tool, Electronic
Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) to assist buyers with identifying
environmentally preferred equipment. Products are measured against both required
and optional criteria. A product must meet all of the required criteria to be added to
the registry. The ratings are:
? Bronze (Meets all required criteria)
? Silver (Meets all required criteria and at least 50% of the optional criteria)
? Gold (Meets all required criteria and at least 75% of the optional criteria)
The Dell Optiplex 9020 PCs have earned the EPEAT Gold level rating.
Pursuant to Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Section 3.07.045.G, this purchase of
PCs is excepted from formal competitive bidding requirements, as they may be
procured from the State of California’s CMAS program (which is a competitively bid
program administered by the State of California and offered to local governments if
they choose to participate).
The purchase will be made from the State of California’s CMAS program directly from
Dell. This program gives the City preferential pricing using the buying power of the
State of California. The CMAS contract is overseen by the Department of General
Services. Public Contract Code (PCC) Sections 10290 et seq. and 12101.5 include
approval for local government agencies to use CMAS for acquisition of information
technology and non-information technology products and services. AB 2866 and AB City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
1684 authorize local government agencies and school districts to use CMAS and other
Department of General Services agreements without competitive bidding.
PC Deployment Services
Should the City Council approve this proposal, 109 PCs will be deployed across all
City sites while at the same time maintaining daily IT operations and projects already
in progress. The IT Department’s goal is to deploy approximately 25 units per week.
Using existing internal staffing to deploy the newly purchased hardware would result
in a significant strain on resources.
Pursuant to CCMC Section 3.07.085.A, professional services do not require
competitive bidding provided the purchase order or contract shall be based upon
competitive quotations, whenever practical, as determined by the City Manager.
Competitive quotations for supplemental staffing was solicited from Robert Half
Technology and three additional vendors. Robert Half was the lowest responding
bidder. The contract is billed at $32.00/hour.
Robert Half Technology staff will work with IT to prepare and deploy PCs according to
plan. They will work in conjunction with IT staff who will perform follow-up and quality
control/troubleshooting of issues that come up.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
Funding to support this project has been appropriated in the City Council Adopted
Budget for Fiscal Year 2014/2015 - Computer Replacement Fund
(30724100.732150). Purchasing 109 PCs will result in an expenditure of $149,004.41
including tax and environmental fee (with free shipping). There is sufficient funding in
the computer replacement fund to support this project expenditure.
Contracting with Robert Half Technology to provide professional deployment services
will result in an expenditure of $19,200. This includes 3 full-time technicians working
at a rate of $32 per hour for five (5) weeks.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1. Approve a purchase order for the procurement of 109 Personal Computers
from Dell, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $149,004.41; and,
2. Approve a professional services agreement with Robert Half Technology for
professional PC deployment services in an amount not-to-exceed $19,200;
and,
3. Authorize the Chief Information Officer to approve up to an additional 10% of
the professional services contract ($1,920) as a contingency if deemed
necessary by the Chief Information Officer; and,
4. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and,
5. Authorize the City Manager and Purchasing Officer, as applicable, to execute
such documents on behalf of the City.