sr-112211-3bCity Council Meeting: November 22, 2011
Agenda Item: 3B
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Barbara Stinchfield, Community and Cultural Services Director
Jory Wolf, Chief Information Officer, Information Systems
Subject: Modification of Agreement Related to the Homeless Management
Information System (HMIS)
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract modification to
increase the purchasing authorization in the existing Software License and
Maintenance Agreement with Bowman Systems, LLC, a Louisiana -based
company, from $214,030 to $308,790, for a total increase of $94,760; and
2. Appropriate the budget increases as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget
Actions section of this report.
Executive Summary
The modification to Software License and Maintenance Agreement No. 8903 (CCS) with
Bowman Systems, LLC includes additional system support, on -site training and upgrade
costs. The upgrade of the City's current internet -based case management and database
system for homeless service agencies was recommended in the Urban Institute Report,
and is part of the City's Action Plan to Address Homelessness in Santa Monica adopted
by City Council in February 2008. Implemented in September 2009, the new Homeless
Management Information System (HMIS), ServicePoint, has not only provided for better
data collection, analysis and program planning and evaluation, but also brings the City
in compliance with federal data standards. With the additional appropriation of $40,000
of General Fund from department wide savings in FY 2010 -11, this request for
modification is within the scope of funds approved for this project in the Adopted FY
2011 -2012 City Budget.
Background
In 1995, the City of Santa Monica installed a computerized network for homeless
service agencies to track client demographics, services and outcomes. In 2006, the
Urban Institute conducted an evaluation of Santa Monica's homeless Continuum of
Care and recommended the purchase of an updated Homeless Management
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Information System (HMIS) compliant with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) data standards. The purchase of an updated HMIS is also an
element of the Citys Rctior7 P €sn to Address_ Homelessness inSants_Monica adopted by
the City Council in February 2008.
As part of the Adopted FY 2007-08 City Budget, Council approved first -year startup
costs associated with the implementation of a new HMIS in the amount of $322,604 and
ongoing funding for this project in the amount of $71,804. A Federal Supportive Housing
Program (SHP) grant awarded through the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
[Contract 8857 (CCS) and subsequent renewal grants] provides resources in support of
staffing.
On PJ arch 25 2008 . Council authorized an agreement with Bowman Systems, LLC to
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provide software licensing and data hosting of an HMIS compliant with HUD standards
allowing for better data collection, analysis and program evaluation and planning.
.On Heber' ary 24, 20109, Council approved the modification of the agreement with
Bowman Systems, LLC, to cover costs for data migration and integration. While these
costs had been anticipated at the time the original contract was executed, the pricing
and scope of work could not be determined until the system was designed and
implemented.
The contract was amended again on September 2P, 2009. A vacancy in the HMIS
System Administrator position necessitated the modification to the agreement with
Bowman Systems, LLC, adding $20,000 to cover Bowman's costs for providing on -site
training and day -to -day project oversight until a replacement was hired.
Also in September 2009, the City implemented the new HMIS, ServicePoint, in
accordance with the agreement with Bowman Systems, LLC. Over the course of a year,
use of ServicePoint expanded to 155 users in 180 programs across eight homeless
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service providers. ServicePoint is now the single data warehouse for homeless services
provided in Santa Monica including data on the City's key initiatives: Service Registry,
Homeless Community Court and Project Homecoming, which were previously collected
in separate systems
Discussion
The requested contract modification and additional expenditures are necessary to keep
pace with the growing use of ServicePoint. Agencies and users have now been on the
system for two years and the City has moved past the implementation phase. As
agencies see the benefits of using ServicePoint, many of them have requested to add
non -City funded programs to the system. To support service providers in better data
management, improve data collection and analysis, and foster regional collaboration, 10
programs and 10 users were added along with a licensing and maintenance cost -
sharing formula based on the number of program participants that meet Santa Monica's
priority population. It is important for the City to have access to these non -City funded
programs and services in order to achieve a holistic view of services being provided
within the City, including who is accessing services, where they come from and how the
City's service infrastructure is integrated into the larger regional system of care. This
data is critical in establishing the City's capacity for services, as well as to inform and
influence regional policies regarding resource allocation and local responsibility.
However, the addition of programs also brings new sets of data that must be extracted
for non -City reporting, which requires additional programming and technical support
from the vendor. The requested modification would ensure that the system has the
capacity to continue to build a single data warehouse and meet growing data collection
and analysis needs.
Additionally, the changes will allow advanced training to administrators and users that
will enhance their ability to interface with the system, build in additional data migration
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support to improve the City's participation in the regional HMIS network, and provide
more comprehensive reporting tools.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The contract modification to be awarded to Bowman Systems, LLC is $94,760, for a
new total of $308,790. Funds in the amount of $54,760 are in the adopted FY2011 -13
budget. Award of the modification requires an additional appropriation of $40,000 to
account 012628.544390 75211 W.
Prepared by: Al Dave, Software Systems Manager
Setareh Yavari, Administrator
Approved:
Barbara Stinchfield
Director
Community and Cultural Services
Approved:
nformation Officer
stion Systems
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Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
Reference Amended
Contract No. 8903 (CCS).