HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-09-12 - AGENDA REPORTS - INTEGRATED PERMIT SYSTEM (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
City Manager Approval
Item to be presented by: __YjBg Zaengle
CONSENT CALENDAR
DATE: September 12, 2000
SUBJECT: INTEGRATED PERMIT SYSTEM
DEPARTMENT: Administrative Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council award contract to Tidemark Solutions, Inc. for an amount not to exceed
$261,604 to provide the City with an integrated permit issuance and tracking system. The
funds have been budgeted in FY 2000/01 in account #2311-7360 and 2312-7360. Authorize
City Manager or designee to execute all documents, subject to City Attorney approval.
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The City processes approximately 10,000 permits and development applications per year
with associated revenues of over $4 million. This includes all aspects of the development
Process, home improvement projects, encroachment permits and much more. The City has
several computer applications and databases in place to handle these transactions, but
these in-house systems are separate, not integrated, and several are reaching the end of
their useful lives. The City would like to take advantage of the advent of various new
technologies to realize the following benefits:
1. Improve customer service by giving residents, contractors and developers high -
availability, high-speed methods of interacting with the City.
2. Increase efficiency during the permit and inspection process by using current
technology to automate processes and eliminate redundant data entry.
3. Coordinate the efforts of the various City departments and outside agencies involved
in the process by streamlining the process from beginning to end.
4. Enable decision -makers to have more data and tools at their disposal for analysis and
statistical reporting purposes.
Selection Process
The following six companies responded to an RFP that was sent to 15 potential vendors:
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APPROVED
Integrated Permit System
September 12, 2000
Integrated
Te e, AZ
Pentamation
Bethlehem, PA
Sierra Systems
Visalia, CA
Tidemark Solutions
Seattle, WA
A cross -functional team of City staff evaluated the responses, and three vendors were
invited to give hands-on demonstrations. Based on the team!s evaluation and site visits,
Tidemark's product, called Permits Plan, was selected as the system best able to meet the
City's needs.
Next Steps
Pending City Council approval, staff will continue with the implementation of the new
Integrated Permit System as outlined in this report. The tentative target date to begin
using the new system is January 1, 2001. Some system features such as on-line permitting
and use of field technology by inspectors will be phased in during the later months of 2001.
Between now and January 1, 2001, staff will be working to design the new system and put
in place the technology to support it.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Alternatives investigated by staff that the Council should be aware of include the following:
1. Reengineer the existing systems with the goal of stabilizing them to prevent down time
and data loss. The cost would be substantially less, but the additional features and
integration could not be added.
2. Build a new system in house. Staff could hire outside expertise to build a new system
from the ground up, and the cost would be approximately the same. However, it is
beneficial to purchase a pre -built system from an established vendor so the software is
upgraded periodically and the City shares in innovations other agencies push for.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost of the new system, estimated at $330,000, was included in the 2000/01 Fiscal Year
Budget. It is estimated that $261,604 will be used for the vendor contract with Tidemark.
The remaining $68,396 will be used for desktop computers, handheld computers, printers,
database software and licenses, and other costs necessary to implement the new system
successfully. The $330,000 was budgeted in the following accounts: $190,000 in 2311-7360,
$105,000 in 2312-7360, and $35,000 in 2312-8610.
ATTACHMENTS
Tidemark Solutions License and Services Agreement (available in City Clerles reading file)