Agenda - Council - 04/14/1998 (2)

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I I I I I I I I ! I I I I I I I I I fff_~CASE # ] AUTHORIZE CONTRACT WITH COMPUCOM TO PERFORM AUDIT OF COMPUTER SYSTEM By: Jim Norman, City ~dministrator Background: The City's former Finance Officer also served as the City's Information Systems (IS) manager. Although them is one half-time employee in Administrative Services and a Patrol Officer in the Police Department who are fairly familiar with the computer system, them is no one who knows as much about the system as the Finance Officer did. When the Finance Officer resigned, the Administrative Services Manager tried to locate training for the two City employees who are most knowledgeable about the computer system. She learned that the sof~are used by the City is nearly obsolete. As a result, training and support services are expensive and hard to locate. After research, she recommended, and I concurred, that it doesn't make sense to invest significant money in a system that is obsolete and is not "year 2000 compliant." Before staff can recommend how to upgrade the current computer soflware, we need a better understanding of what we currently have and also what we will need in the next three to five years. No one on staff has the expertise to do this type of analysis. Therefore, we are requesting authorization to enter into a contact with CompuCom, a firm recommended by a neighboring city, to conduct an audit of our current system and our computer needs, and give us an estimate of what will be needed to update our system. If we are going to change software, the current contractor for our fmancial system needs to know by June in order to have the system functioning by the end of the year. CompuCom can complete its audit and recommendations within two weeks at a cost of approximately $3,800. Staff Recommendation: Recommend that City Council authorize the City Administrator to enter into a contract with CompuCom to do an audit of the City's computer system and make recommendations about a system upgrade, at a cost not to exceed $3,800. Committee Action: Recommend that City Council authorize the City Administrator to enter into a contract with CompuCom to do an audit of the City's computer system and make recommendations about a system upgrade, at a cost not to exceed $3,800.