SR-6-F (7)
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C/ED ADMIN:PC:JLA:lwk:cont yj~C 1 2 1989
council Meeting 12/12/89 Santa Monica, California
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TO: Mayor and city Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Recommendation to Authorize the city Manager to
Negotiate and Execute a Contract for a Computer Based
Permit Issuance and Tracking System Known as "PERMITS"
with Sierra Computer Systems, Inc.
INTRODUCTION
This report recommends that the city Council authorize the City
Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with Sierra Computer
Systems, Inc. for computer services to install and lmplement a
computer driven permit issuance and tracking system in the amount
of $106,392.18 for the Community and Economic Development,
General Services and other City Departments.
BACKGROUND
The City Council previously authorized staff to begin a study of
computer driven permit issuance and tracking systems that would
enable the city to fully automate its Building and Safety
Division's permit process. Staff was to evaluate the needs of
Building and Safety, along with those of the Planning Division
and other city departments; and existing and potential computer
capabilities; alternatives for map generation; and develop a
system to link as many users as feasible.
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The study was performed by Environmental System Research
Institute (ESRI) . The ESRI report demonstrated that not only
were such tracking systems available and reliable, but that the
data collected and maintained within these systems could be made
available to a geographic information system (GIS) for automated
mapping and spatial analysis.
The ESRI report evaluated Sierra's PERMITS in conjunction with
two other geographic information systems: ESRI's ARC/INFO and
Delta Systems' DELTA MAP. Included in the report was a
recommendation for a phased approach towards computer driven
systems for permit tracking and map generation with PERMITS
representing the first step toward automation, the mapping
component the second step.
SELECTION OF THE VENDOR
To solicit proposals from a broad range of vendors, the Community
and Economic Development Department prepared a Request for
Proposal (RFP) . The RFP contained a request for services aimed
at developing a permit issuance and tracking system that could be
linked to a GIS system in the near future. A selection committee
was formed and consisted of a group of interested city staff
members, Department Heads and the Assistant City Manager. The
committee attended presentations by several vendors and reviewed
their software systems. The Sierra Computer Systems, Inc.
product, PERMITS, was selected by the committee. PERMITS is
installed at over 35 sites, has an active, well-organized user
community, and of the PERMITS system users surveyed, including
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the city of Beverly Hills, all were enthusiastic about the
software and support.
SCOPE OF SERVICES
The Sierra system's team will provide the City with the computer
progranuning systems necessary to implement PERMITS, and provide
technical and user training to City staff. Most of this
assistance will be in customizing the software to meet the City's
needs in terms of permit issuance, tracking and report
generation.
The vendor will meet with the City's department and division
staff management to collect permit and related activities'
information and then "program" computer screens and output forms
to meet these requirements. The vendor will return these to the
City for approval. Sierra will also assist the City in the
conversion and verification of several recently established
databases containing such information as address and parcel
identification. In addition to issuing and tracking Building and
Safety, General Services and Planning and zoning permit types,
Sierra software will provide the ability for all users to
retrieve ownership, land use, hazardous material storage,
conditional use and a variety of other data items for every
address or parcel in the City. Additional programming assistance
has been arranged with Sierra to provide customized logs and
reports for building activity, financial summaries, inspection
and scheduled events, complaint and violations, Landmark
Designation, Architectural Review Board, and others.
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Staff anticipates that initial components of the system will be
operational by the end of the fiscal year.
COST OF SERVICES
The planned expenditures included in the PERMITS budget will be
spent in the purchase, installation and implementation of
PERMITS. The chart below is an estimate of these expenses.
ITEM AMOUNT COMMENTS
Purchase PERMITS $75,392.18 Software, Source Code and Tax
Estimated Instal- 12,000.00 200 Hours at $60/Hour
lation Assistance
Estimated Instal- 7,000.00
lalation Travel
Training User 2,400.00 3 Days at $800/Day
Technical 1,600.00 2 Days at $800/Day
Estimated Training 2,000.00
Software Maintenance 6,000.00 Due 90 Days After Installation
(Annual Expenditure)
TOTAL $106,392.18
BUDGET/FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funds have been appropriated for this project and are in account
number 01-720-266-20686-8915-99004 (Permits), in the amount of
$175,627.67. The contract for the Permits system and
installation is $106,392.18. The remaining balance will be used
for the GIS Manager contract, intern assistance in database
development, programming charges, and the purchase of additional
computers and printers for issuing permits.
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Council authorize the City Manager to
negotiate and execute a contract with Sierra Computer Systems,
Inc. for the PERMITS computer system, in the amount of
$106,392.18.
Prepared by: Peggy Curran, Director
Joan L. Akins, Assistant to the Director,
Community and Economic Development
Richard V. Armida, Geographic Information Manager
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