sr-022812-3bCity of City Council Report
Santa Monica
City Council Meeting: February 28, 2012
Agenda Item: 3 —b
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Jory Wolf, Chief Information Officer
Subject: LightSquare, LLC Network Operation Center (NOC) Services for Fiber
Optic Network
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a professional services
agreement with LightSquare LLC, a Nevada -based company, in an amount not to
exceed $365,000 to provide 24x7 Network Operation Center services to the
City's fiber optic network for a maximum term of five years.
2. Authorize the Chief Information Officer to issue any necessary change orders to
obtain as needed services within budget authority.
Executive Summary
Currently, staff is responsible for monitoring, and responding to network alerts to support
the City's internal network, free public Wi -Fi services, and City Net fiber optic services to
Santa Monica businesses. Procurement of Network Operation Center services would
ensure that the City maintains service level obligations and industry standard network
response times to customers that rely on the City's secure fiber optic network for critical
operations and business continuity. City staff would continue to maintain and support
the City's internal network and free public Wi -Fi services. The Network Operation
Center services include development of managed service operational processes and
procedures for approval by City staff, providing an operations guide, implementation of
monitoring systems, and delivery of ongoing 24x7 network monitoring and network
support to the city's fiber optic customers. Network Operation Center services from
LightSquare would not exceed $365,000 for the five year period.
Discussion
The City provides fiber optic services to Santa Monica businesses to transmit data,
voice, and video files. The City obtains revenue to support all required hardware and
support of its fiber optic services. The telecommunication industry standard for such
fiber optic service is to provide 24x7 network support and response in a Network
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Operations Center. While staff will continue to provide network support for the City's
internal network, the significant increase in fiber optic customers has increased the
number of sites and hardware devices to support beyond existing staff resources. Staff
recommends LightSquare, a third party network operations support vendor, to support
the City's fiber optic services as the cost effective alternative to hiring four additional
FTE Network Engineer positions.
Contractor Selection
On September 15, 2011, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for qualified
Network Operation Center vendors to submit proposals for 24x7 NOC services. The
RFP was posted on Planet Bids, the City's online bidding website, and staff received
proposals from five vendors prior to the closing deadline of October 17, 2011. A
selection committee comprised of Information Systems staff responsible for the City's
fiber optic services evaluated the proposals. The firms were evaluated against criteria
that included technical competence, experience, project team qualifications, and best
price.
Staff recommends LightSquare as the best bidder for Network Operation Center
services, based upon their experience, project team qualifications, customized
solutions, customer portal, and most competitive cost that will allow the City to continue
to provide reliable fiber optic services as the network expands.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The professional services agreement to be awarded to LightSquare will not exceed
$365,000 over the five year term. The cost for network operation center services for
March 15, 2012 through March 14, 2013 is $67,500. Funds in the amount of $67,500
for FY 2011 -2013 are available in the following account:
0010469.589000 Fiber Optic Network $67,500
TOTAL $67,500
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Budget authority for subsequent years will be requested in each budget cycle for
Council approval. Future funding is contingent upon Council approval should the city
continue service throughout the four remaining annual extension periods.
Prepared by: Gary Carter, Senior Administrative Analyst
Approved:
Jory
C
Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
Reference Contract No.
9552 (CCS).