Title
Adopt a Resolution to Approve Amendment No. 2 to the Master Services Agreement with Visionary Integration Professionals, LLC for Development and Improvements to the Accela Permitting System to increase the total amount by $763,745
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the City Council approve a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an Amendment to the Master Services Agreement (MSA) for the services needed to improve the Accela Permitting System.
BACKGROUND
The Accela permit system is used by the Community Development, Engineering and Transportation, and Public Works Departments’ staff as well as Alameda County Fire Department staff to manage planning/zoning permits, building permitting and inspection services. The system is used to calculate and collect permit fees, track plan-check comments and approvals, issue permits, maintain permit and inspection history and schedule inspections. The Accela system, a cloud computing application, was implemented in February 2015 to replace the Tidemark Advantage permit system, which was obsolete and no longer supported.
In 2020 staff used a competitive process to select a vendor to perform a needs assessment for the Accela system. Visionary Integration Professionals (VIP) was selected for the quality of its response, track record of success with the Accela system, and strong references. In turn, the MSA was developed to implement the recommendations put forth in the 2020 needs assessment report, which include structural changes and improvements to the Accela system, making more services available online, improvements to workflow assignments, and enhanced and redesigned reporting functions, among other improvements.
The increase in cost is requested to include further updates to the system to incorporate additional functionality and features to support the Engineering module including enhancing inspections, accounting, and offering online applications.
Analysis
In 2020 staff solicited competitive bids to identify a consultant for Accela services. Five firms responded, including: Visionary Integration Professionals, LLC, [s]Cube, Accela Professional Services, Gray Quarter, and Etech. Given its deep expertise in Accela and GIS software, track record of success, and strong references, Visionary Integration Professionals, LLC was selected.
Several areas of need were identified in the final needs assessment report, completed in September 2020. The following improvements and enhancements were identified:
• Setup new record types for all modules, including forms and data conversion
• Update records with new custom fields, workflows and scripts
• Configuring GIS access within Accela
• Update Scripts to new Accela standard
• Update and create new reports
• Configure Communication Manager for automated emails
• Configure ACA to allow for full online submissions of applications, particularly for building permits.
In April 2023, the City went live with improvements to the Building module that included online applications and integration with GIS data.
In May 2023, City Council approved an additional budget for $736,215 for VIP to further improve the Accela permitting software, in particular, improvements to the Engineering module to include online applications, better reporting, and improved accounting for the Engineering and Transportation Department. Continuing with the system enhancements will make it easier for the public to apply for all types of permits online, provide better transparency in the permitting process within the different City Departments, improve availability and convenience of online payments, allow for better reporting, and provide real time updates to the public across the different departments from an integrated software.
The maximum amount of compensation under the MSA would be increased by $763,745, resulting in a combined amount of all SOWs executed under this MSA cannot exceed $1,421,945.
Legal Analysis
The City Attorney’s office reviewed and approved the original Master Services Agreement, the staff report, resolution, and Statement of Work for this amendment.
Fiscal Impacts
Budget for this project was approved by Council during the Fiscal Years 2023-2024 & 2024-2025 Biennial Budget Process and $736,215 has been allocated in 010-42-020-8315. The additional $27,530 will come from revenue already collected in the account 010-3301 and therefore will not have any additional fiscal impacts.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Resolution
Attachment B: Amendment No 1
Attachment C: Original Master Services Agreement
PREPARED BY: Ramya Sankar, Innovation Technology Analyst, Information Technology Department