City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: NOVEMBER 7, 2018
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Resolution to Approve Change Orders to the City’s Contract with Tyler Technologies to Provide Additional Services to the APEX (Permitting Land Use Management IT System Replacement. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
BODY
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ISSUE: Consideration of an action to authorize change orders to the City’s contract with Tyler Technologies, the contractor for the permitting system replacement project.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council authorizes the City’s Purchasing Agent to issue up to $300,000 in additional change orders to expand the contract with Tyler Technologies for a total contract amount of $2,341,732 to acquire and implement a new multi-department Permitting Land-use Management IT System.
BACKGROUND: The City's current land development process is operated by multiple City agencies, many workflow processes, and several computerized systems. These processes and systems support the administration of land use, commercial and residential permits for building and trade work, fire prevention, outdoor dining, elevators, noise permits, and the residential rental inspections program, etc. Additionally, the City must continue to support administrative and City ordinance processes such as site plans; developmental special use permits; special use permits; Board of Architectural Review cases; Board of Zoning Appeal cases; certificates of occupancy; Code modifications; vacant building registrations; unfit properties; hauling; reserved parking; complaint processes regarding maintenance of existing structures; civil penalties; fire inspections; occupancy and tenant/landlord complaints. The City's primary computerized permitting system is approximately 25 years old and has reached the end of its useful life. The City began replacement of this legacy software in February 2017 with Tyler Technologies Energov Permitting Software. The City’s project for this replacement is called APEX.
DISCUSSION: The initial contract with Tyler was for $1.67 million and included the core software and professional services. During the implementation, staff in the primary stakeholder departments (Planning & Zoning, Transportation & Environmental Services, Information Technology Services, and Code Administration) evaluated additional modules of the Tyler system that are now available. Through this evaluation it was determined that additional user licenses, additional processes (functionality of specific land-use management processes) and new modules (Tyler Cashiering and Munis Accounts Receivable) were needed, as well as training and technology resources. Previously approved change orders totaling $365,149 were made to the contract, including the purchases of a site license granting unlimited user access for $250K and $115K in additional processes. The site license was procured as the project team realized that more staff would benefit from using the new system. Considering the current Permitting system has been in use for over 20 years, the team felt that this was an appropriate way to ensure that the City fully utilizes its rights to the software moving forward.
Staff now are requesting an additional $300,000 in change orders to address the following needs:
1. Information gathered over the course of the implementation highlighted the need for additional data and reporting than what was anticipated at the outset. These are related to the desire to not simply replicate current processes in the new system, but instead to take advantage of the capabilities of the new system to have more efficient processes. As the team learned more about the new system and its capabilities, some of the process requirements were modified, which involved some added cost.
2. Through implementation, staff have determined that additional features including an integrated cashiering system, integrated electronic plan review, and integration with Laserfiche (electronic document management) will make the system more functional and better integrate into other City systems, including other Tyler systems (Munis). When the original contract was being developed, these features were anticipated to be added as later initiatives.
3. Training: The project team has conducted extensive outreach to the future staff users of the system who are involved in developing each specific land-use management process flow and testing them. This coordination has highlighted for the team that more training (pre- and post-go-live), will be needed for City staff and customers.
4. Technology Resources: A highly desired element of the new system is expanded capabilities for staff to access the system while in the field, which allows for real time updates. To best leverage access to real-time information, additional security measures must be in place and additional equipment procured and deployed. This will provide a secure, improved user experience, and will allow information to be more readily accessed.
It is anticipated that adding authority for $300,000 to the Tyler contract will provide sufficient funding to address these needs. While including these will exceed the 25% threshold for change orders that City staff is authorized to execute, it is in the City’s interest to include these additional acquisitions now along with the base system, to ensure the software is configured and optimized appropriately prior to its launch. The system is anticipated to go-live October 2019.
Staff recommends that Council authorize the Purchasing Agent to approve up to $300,000 of additional funds to the Tyler Technologies contract referenced in this document. The amounts outlined above would increase the total contract authority to $2.34 million.
FISCAL IMPACT: The original contract with Tyler Technologies for the APEX project totaled $1.67 million. If all the change orders described in this memorandum are approved, the total amount of the engagement with Tyler would increase to $2.34 million. Change orders up to this new maximum would be approved by the Purchasing Agent using the same requirements as change orders under the current contract. The new contract price would be within the overall $4.43 million budget for this project. All the funding for this project is originating from the Permit Enterprise Fund which is 100% funded by permit fees paid by developers, builders and others.
ATTACHMENT: Resolution to Approve Contract Change Order for Permitting Land-Use Management System Replacement Project Contract with Tyler Technologies
STAFF:
Laura Triggs, Deputy City Manager
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
Gregg Fields, Director, Department of Code Administration
Vanetta Pledger, Director, Department of Information Technology
Karl Moritz, Director, Department of Planning and Zoning
Yon Lambert, Director, Department of Transportation and Environmental Services
Randy Burns, Purchasing Agent, Department of Finance
.