Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This legislation will authorize the Office of the City Auditor, Division of Income Tax, to enter into a contract for software maintenance and technical support renewal of the Division of Income Tax’s eFile/ePay application and IT maintenance and technical support for the servers and infrastructure to host the eFile/ePay application provided by Lee & Mason Financial Services DBA Specialized Business Software, Inc. for Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Division of Income Tax’s Workflow eFile/ePay application. Specialized Business Software, Inc. custom designed, developed, and has an ongoing relationship to develop the Workflow eFile/ePay application for the Division of Income Tax and is the only vendor authorized to provide support to their product.
This contract will provide a year of support services at a cost of $79,601.25. The software maintenance includes bug fixes, maintenance and technical support. The IT maintenance and technical support includes maintaining the 3rd party datacenter hosted eFile/ePay application, keeping the system software packages on the 3rd party datacenter computers and firewalls up and running and up-to-date.
The Division of Income Tax’s Workflow eFile/ePay application was developed by Specialized Business Software, Inc. and provides taxpayers the ability to file tax returns with the Division of Income Tax electronically. The development of Phase 1 of the Workflow eFile/ePay application was authorized by ordinance 2490-2013, passed November 4, 2013. The Phase 1 Statement of Work provides for software maintenance and technical support of the custom eFile/ePay application on an annual contract basis at thirteen-thousand-five-hundred dollars ($13,500.00), which is fifteen percent (15%) of the development cost. The Phase 1 Statement of Work also provides for IT maintenance and technical support of the custom eFile/ePay application on the 3rd party datacenter host on an annual contract basis at thirteen-thousand-five-hundred dollars ($13,500.00), which is fifteen percent (15%) of the development cost. The software maintenance and technical support is separate and different from the IT maintenance and technical support. Also included in the maintenance agreement are the EasyTax OCR maintenance ($2,146.50), EasyTax Software Maintenance ($19,318.50) and eFile/EPay phase 2 software maintenance ($31,136.25).
This ordinance also requests approval to utilize services provided by Specialized Business Software, Inc. in accordance with sole source procurement provisions of Section 329 of the Columbus City Code as it has been determined that Specialized Business Software, Inc. is the sole provider of the Division of Income Tax’s software product Workflow eFile/ePay, and does not utilize distributors or resellers to provide maintenance and support.
EMERGENCY:
Emergency action is requested to expedite authorization of this contract in order to facilitate and maintain uninterrupted support and services from the supplier.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funds are available in the 2020 budget from the general fund in the amount of $79,601.25.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE:
Vendor Name: Lee & Mason Financial Services Inc. DBA Specialized Business Software, Inc. CC#: 14-1722170 Expiration Date: 11/28/2020
Title
To authorize the Office of the City Auditor, Division of Income Tax, to enter into a contract for software support and IT maintenance provided by Specialized Business Software, Inc. for Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Division of Income Tax’s Workflow eFile/ePay application in accordance with sole source procurement provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Code; to authorize the expenditure of $79,601.25 from the general fund; and to declare an emergency. ($79,601.25)
Body
WHEREAS, this legislation authorizes the City Auditor, Division of Income Tax, to enter into a contract for software maintenance and technical support and IT maintenance and technical support provided by Specialized Business Software, Inc. for Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Division of Income Tax’s Workflow eFile/ePay application in accordance with sole source procurement provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Code; and
WHEREAS, the Division of Income Tax’s Workflow eFile/ePay application was developed by Specialized Business Software, Inc. and provides taxpayers the ability to file tax returns with the Division of Income Tax electronically; and
WHEREAS, the Phase 1 Statement of Work for the Division of Income Tax’s Workflow eFile/ePay application, authorized by ordinance 2490-2013 and passed November 4, 2013 stipulates a fee of $13,500.00 for software maintenance and technical support and a fee of $13,500.00 for IT maintenance and technical support, as well as the EasyTax OCR maintenance ($2,146.50), EasyTax Software Maintenance ($19,318.50) and eFile/EPay phase 2 software maintenance ($31,136.25) for a total cost of $79,601.25 on an annual contract basis; and
WHEREAS, it has been determined that Specialized Business Software, Inc. is the sole provider of the Division of Income Tax’s software product Workflow eFile/ePay, and does not utilize distributors or resellers to provide maintenance and support; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the daily operation of the Office of the City Auditor, Division of Income Tax, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Division of Income Tax to enter into a contract for software maintenance and technical support and IT maintenance and technical support provided by Specialized Business Software, Inc for the Division of Income Tax’s Workflow eFile/ePay application in order to facilitate and maintain uninterrupted support and services, and for the preservation of 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 Office of the City Auditor, Division of Income Tax, be and is hereby authorized to enter into a contract for software maintenance and technical support and IT maintenance and technical support services provided by Specialized Business Software, Inc. for the Division of Income Tax’s Workflow eFile/ePay application.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $79,601.25 or so much thereof as may be necessary is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 General Fund, Dept-Div 2202 Division of Income Tax, object class 3 contractual services, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 4. That this contract is being established in accordance with the sole source provisions of the Columbus City Code, Chapter 329.
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 measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.