Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This ordinance authorizes the Directors of the Department of Technology and the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to modify a contract and increase funding with Ventyx, Inc. by $115,000.00 for professional services and enhanced maintenance to upgrade and customize the Columbus Utility Billing System (CUBS).
In 1994, the Department of Public Utilities initiated a contract (CT-15918) for software and services related to the Water and Sewer Information Management System (WASIMS) with SCT Utility Systems, which later changed their name to Indus Utility Systems, then to the current name Ventyx, Inc. The WASIMS system now referred to as the Columbus Utility Billing System (CUBS) is the billing system utilized by the Department of Public Utilities for customer billing for water, sewer and power. Section 12 of the original contract provided for modifications and changes in scope of service.
The original contract was most recently modified by authority of ordinance 0607-2010, purchase order EL010566 for $80,000.00. That ordinance included $60,000 to implement data archiving functions in the CUBS system, but that work has not yet been started. The remaining balance of $59,266.60 on purchase order EL010566 has been canceled, and authority for the data archiving work is being requested under this ordinance at a lower cost of $55,600.00.
The terms of the contract will begin upon the date of the certified purchase order by the Columbus City Auditor's Office and continue for one (1) year. This contract will provide professional services to implement a data archiving solution (Archive Purge), with services to include: Archive Manger and Purge Analysis, Archive Manager & Purge Custom Table Coding, Install Archive Manger & Configure Purge, Archive Manager/Purge Training, and Archive Manager/Purge Client Test Support; along with an integration with the MV90 Interface electricity metering system which encompasses additional maintenance and travel. The funding needed for this contract total $115,000.00, which includes $5,509.00 for travel; $6,723.00 for additional CUBS enhanced software maintenance support, and $102,768.00 for professional/consulting services (272 hrs @ $173.41/hr -MV90 Professional Services; 320 hrs @ $173.75/hr Archive Purge).
1). Amount of additional funds to be expended: $115,000.00
2). Reason additional goods/services could not be foreseen: With the addition of electricity billing to the CUBS system, the Department of Public Utilities foresaw the need for the system upgrade; but the scope and cost of additional services to provide upgrades was unknown.
3). Reason other procurement processes are not used: It is not feasible to bid for an alternate service since Ventyx, Inc. developed the software for the CUBS system. Ventyx, Inc. has developed other modification to the software and is familiar with the upgrades.
4). How cost of modification was determined: The Department of Public Utilities and Technology received a quote from Ventyx, Inc. The costs for proposed services are consistent with the cost of similar work performed under prior modifications, so the quote was deemed appropriate.
The CUBS application has over 10 years of data stored on-line. The data archiving solution will allow the Department of Technology to keep the current 2 years of data on-line in the production system and move the older data to a separate archive database. This will improve the operating efficiency of the production application allowing faster response times and improved customer service. Additional benefits would be seen in quicker backup and recovery times and a decrease in operational costs. The MV 90 interface will provide an automated process to extract meter data from the MV90 software and transfer this information to the CUBS system (created by Ventyx) in order to ensure that bills are being generated accurately and efficiently. The current process is a manual process, prone to error. Electricity customers who are metered by the MV90 system represent 60-70% of the DPU electricity revenue, and it is critical that the billing is captured accurately.
This ordinance also requests to waive the competitive bidding provisions in accordance with section 329 of the Columbus City Code, as Ventyx has been providing professional services to customize the system to satisfy DPU requirements and has unique knowledge of the customizations needed making them uniquely capable of completing the required work.
EMERGENCY: Emergency designation is requested to expedite establishing the contract and a certified purchase order to support the Department of Public Utilities' billing system before year end.
FISCAL IMPACT: Earlier this year $290,235.00 was legislated via 1229-2010, passed 10/18/10, to renew an annual maintenance and support contract with Ventyx, Inc; and $80,000.00 was legislated via 0607-2010, passed 5/10/10 to modify and increase funds for upgrades to the Columbus Utility Billing System (CUBS). The cost associated with this contract modification and funding increase with Ventyx, Inc. is $115,000.00. The total legislated for this year (2010), including this request is $485,235.00. Funds are identified and available in the Department of Technology Information Services Fund Direct Charge Budget for the Department of Public Utilities for this expenditure.
*Previous funding and aggregate details attached via ORD 1579-2010 Ventyx Details.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: Ventyx, Inc. CC# 94-3273443; Expiration: 7/13/2012
Title
To authorize the Directors of the Department of Technology and the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), to modify an existing contract and increase funding with Ventyx, Inc. for professional services and enhanced maintenance support to upgrade and customize the Columbus Utility Billing System (CUBS), to waive the competitive bidding provisions in accordance with the Columbus City Code; to authorize the expenditure of $115,000.00 from the Department of Technology Information Services Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($115,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Technology, and the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has a need to modify an existing contract and increase funding with Ventyx, Inc. in the amount of $115,000.00: professional services ($102,768.00) that includes (272 hrs @ $173.41/hr - MV90 Professional Services; 320 hrs @ $173.75/hr - Archive Purge), enhanced software maintenance support to upgrade and customize the Columbus Utility Billing System (CUBS) ($6,723.00) and travel ($5,509.00). The terms of the contract will begin upon the date of the certified purchase order by the Columbus City Auditor's Office and continue for one (1) year; and
WHEREAS, SCT Utility Systems, Inc. currently known as Ventyx, Inc. and the Department of Public Utilities executed contract CT-1518 in 1994 under Ord. 1996-94 for software and services related to the Water and Sewer Information Management System (WASIMS), now referred to as the Columbus Utility Billing System (CUBS); and
WHEREAS, this ordinance also requests approval to waive the competitive bidding provisions in accordance with the Columbus City Code, Section 329.06; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the daily operation of the city in that it is immediately necessary for the Directors of the Department Technology, and the Department of Public Utilities to modify a contract with Ventyx, Inc for professional services including travel expense to implement a data archiving solution (Archive Purge), and to create an interface between CUBS and the MV90 so as not to impact the daily operation of the services provided by DPU thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1: That the Directors of the Department Technology, and the Department of Public Utilities, (DPU) is hereby authorized to modify and increase funds to a contract with Ventyx, Inc. in the amount of $115,000.00, which includes professional services ($102,768.00) that includes (272 hrs @ $173.41/hr - MV90 Professional Services; 320 hrs @ $173.75/hr - Archive Purge), enhanced software maintenance support to upgrade and customize the Columbus Utility Billing System (CUBS) ($6,723.00) and travel ($5,509.00). The terms of the contract will begin upon the date of the certified purchase order by the Columbus City Auditor's Office and continue for one (1) year.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $115,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary is hereby authorized to be expended from Division 47-01 |Fund 514 | Obj. Level 1:03 as follows:
|Sub-fund: | OCA: Code | Obj. Level 3: 3336|Obj. Level 3: 3369|Obj. Level 3: 3336-Travel| AMT/Division
550| 514550| $6,268.85| $410.10 | $336.05 | $7,015.00 Electric
600| 514600| $39,873.98| $2,608.52| $2,137.49| $44,619.99 Water
650| 514650| $44,704.08| $2,924.51| $2,396.42| $50,025.01 Sewer & Drains
675| 514675| $11,921.09| $779.87 | $639.04| $13,340.00 Stormwater
Total $102,768.00| $6,723.00 | $5509.00| $115,000.00
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 4: That for good cause shown, the competitive bidding provisions of Section 329.06 of the Columbus City Code are hereby waived.
SECTION 5. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after its passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.