SR-111296-6B
Contraot 6562 (CCS) 6 R
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NOY , 2 1996 -
EPWM EP JM JH dynasty
Council Meeting November 12, 1996 Santa Monica, California
TO Major and City Council
FROM City Staff
SUBJECT Recommendation to Authorize City Manager to Negotiate and Execute an
Agreement with Dynasty Software, Inc , for Utility Billing Software and
Related Services
Introduction
This report recommends the City Council authOrize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute an agreement With Dynasty Software, Inc I for the purchase of the
UTILlTY/2000 for Windows utility billing software The agreement also Includes
conversion of utility data and training of City staff
Backaround
The UtJlltles Billing Office produces a utility bill for water, sewer, refuse and other
charges for approximately 16,000 residents and businesses of the City The current
bill1ng software was purchased and Installed In 1989 and runs on the Hewlett-Packard
mainframe computer located In City Hall The Utilities Billing Office, located at 1212 5th
Street. IS connected to the mainframe through the City's network
CIty staff recommends that the eXIsting mainframe-based billing software be replaced
With PC-based, networked software PC-based, networked systems are replaCing
mainframe technology, are less expensive to maintain and, are more flexible for
generating reports and supporting new business requIrements In addition, while the
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NOY , 2 1996
Utilities staff has had satisfactory support from the eXisting software vendor, staff has
found that the software IS difficult to use, costly to re-program and lacks tools for
creating and generating reports Funds were budgeted In FY 1994-95 for this proJect
DIScussion
A request for Information was sent to nine software companies In July 1995 Five
companies did not respond, and one company declined to participate The three
remaining companies were asked to demonstrate their software to the Utilities and
Information Systems staff While all of the software products were networked
PC-based systems. only Dynasty Software, Inc 's UTILlTY/2000 IS Windows based
which allows the user to work In dIfferent areas of the billing system at the same time
Also, Dynasty Software, Inc , prOVIdes a full customer service staff while the other
companies' customer support was limIted Staff recommends that Dynasty Software,
Inc 's UTILlTY/2000 be selected for the follOWing reasons
- network based
- operates under Windows 95
- uses the City's standard ACCESS database
- contains an on-line "help" feature
- allows the user to easily define and create reports
- customer service IS available at all times during regular working hours
- Dynasty has over 300 customers throughout the United States
- excellent references
- Dynasty IS located In Southern California
In addition to purchasing the software, the agreement Will prOVide for conversIOn of
eXisting utility data, and training of City staff
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Budaet/Flnanclallmoact
The cost of the software, conversion and training IS $42,400 Funds are available as
follows
Account Number Budaeted ReaUlred
25-760-671-20095-8900-99315 $ 31,518 $ 17,000
31-760-661-20095-8900-99315 50,000 17,000
27-760-441-20095-8900-99315 25,000 8.400
$106,518 $ 42,400
Recommendation
Staff recommends that City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute an agreement with Dynasty Software, Inc , for the UTILlTY/2000 software,
conversion of eXisting utility data, and tralmng of City staff
Prepared by Craig Perkins, Director of EPWM
Jory Wolf, Manager of Information Systems
John Mundy, Utilities Manager
Jean Higbee, Semor Administrative Analyst