HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2d: Purchase of Computer Equipment: Computer Replacement Program 1161011 k
r4,c°41'ORATSV-.°°° STAFF REPORT
Administrative Services Department
Date: November 1, 2011
To: Mayor and City Council
From Hue Quach, Administrative Services Director
Jeff Wagner, IT Consultant
Subject: Purchase of computer equipment and related peripherals in
accordance to the City's Computer Replacement Program
Recommendation: Approve
SUMMARY
Staff is recommending the City Council authorize a purchase in the amount of
$54,925.08 from Dell Computer Corporation for replacement of (44) computer
workstations, monitors, and software. The formal bidding requirements have
been satisfied and funds were approved for this acquisition as part of the Fiscal
Year 2011-2012 Budget.
BACKGROUND
Computer technology continues to develop and advance but these changes also
create on-going compatibility challenges between software and hardware.
Standardization of computer hardware and software is necessary in order to use
the available technology efficiently. The Computer Replacement Program is an
effort to reduce the dependency and the inclination to purchase the "latest" by
carefully planning our needs with a centralized management of computer
resources and standardization of the desktop computing environment. The
overall goal of the program is to ensure that computing resources are up-to-date,
cost effective, and available to all staff but with consideration to limited budget
resources that are available. Other goals of the Computer Replacement
Program are to:
• Assure that each staff member who uses computing resources in their
position has access to a computer of sufficient capability to support basic
computing needs in fulfillment of their work responsibilities.
• Assure that appropriate computing resources are available in
departmental offices in support of the mission of the City.
• Implement minimum standards for computing resources by increasing the
supportability of the City's installed base of equipment.
• Streamline the specification, acquisition, and deployment of new
equipment and re-deployment or disposal of old equipment.
• Staying current to allow continuing efficiency and productivity but also
remain compliant with newer technology for ongoing support from
technology corporations such as Microsoft.
• Review and analyze with the purpose of determining the cost
effectiveness and economic benefits of going to new versus keeping older
technology.
DISCUSSION
An assessment of the City's IT program was conducted in past years and among
the recommendations was to incorporate the industry standard of replacing
computers over a five year life cycle. To achieve this goal, the City would need
to replace approximately 70 computers annually.
Arcadia's desktop computers, at one time, were on a 5.8 year life cycle. Due to
budgetary constraints, the city is currently replacing approximately 13% of the
existing 350 computers annually which equates to a life cycle of 8 years for each
computer. Although our extended life cycle can create limitation and functionality
issues with newer software, our IT staff has adopted the policy to put a priority on
computers that are used more heavily and contain applications which require
greater performance hardware in hopes of limiting consistencies and functionality
problems.
To further minimize computer problems, it is essential that we replace/upgrade
computer hardware for their functionality aspect. As an example, software such
as Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2010 require specific minimum
requirements, which many city machines do not meet. Adversely, not keeping up
with newer technology would create compliant issues that could prevent the City
to "upgrade" to those programs and consequently prevented from receiving
technical support in the event of software/hardware issues.
Given those reasons and in conjunction with the current computer replacement
program, staff is proposing to complete the acquisition of replacement
workstations in the respective departments for the current fiscal year:
Administrative Services 5 Workstations
City Clerk 2 Workstations
City Manager 1 Workstation
Development Services 8 Workstations
Fire 5 Workstations
Library 4 Workstations
Recreation 2 Workstations
Police 17 Workstations
Total: 44
The City frequently utilizes other agency's formal bidding process as an efficient
method of purchasing equipment while still remaining within the City's adopted
rules and procedures. The Western States Contracting Alliance solicited
competitive bids for computer equipment and entered into purchasing contracts
with Dell, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, Howard, IBM, and MPC-G. Staff has
reviewed the bidding process as well as the contract with Dell and is confident
both measures meet City requirements and specifications.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total cost of proposed computers and monitors replacement is $54,925.08.
Funds have been budgeted and approved in the Fiscal Year 2011-2012
Equipment Replacement Fund for this acquisition.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended the City Council:
Authorize a purchase of computer workstations and monitors from
Dell Computer Corporation in the amount of$54,925.08 and authorize
a cooperative purchase using the Western States Contracting
Alliance bid contract.
Approved:
Don Penman, City Manager