CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Meeting: May 16, 2023
Subject
Consider authorizing the City Manager to execute a Third Amendment to Professional Services agreement with Avocette Technologies, Inc., for Accela Configuration and Support services, for $220,000 over the next three years for a total cost of $392,000 across five years.
Recommended Action
Authorize the City Manager to execute a Third Amendment to Professional Services agreement with Avocette Technologies, Inc., for Accela Configuration and Support services, for $220,000 over the next three years for a total cost of $392,000 across five years.
Reasons for Recommendation
This proposed Third Amendment with Avocette Technologies, Inc., provides continued configuration support services to Accela, our Land Management System (LMS) for enhancements to our building and planning permitting, business license application and issuance, building inspection services and now added Code Enforcement services.
As part of an approved FY2022‐23 request, Applications division consolidated
Code Enforcement (CE) operations under Accela LMS and Cupertino 311 service request. The project is underway and consists of automating CE business processes as working with one system creates a more efficient streamline processes and trusted outcome. Additionally, custom reports will become more efficient to generate due to all relevant data stored within one database in one application.
Finally, code enforcement complaints and service requests will be seamlessly routed from Cupertino 311 system to Code Enforcement officers via the same system.
Benefits to the public with these services accessible from the system portal ACA include:
Applying and paying
for building permits.
Scheduling building inspections.
Applying and searching for planning permits.
Applying and renewing business licenses including fee payments. A dedicated custom portal with real‐time status notifications.
Through the Accela ACA portal, the public can submit applications, check status on submitted applications, request inspections, and make payments. Avocette provides advanced technical support for the system and supplements internal resources.
Avocette was the original implementation partner of Accela for the City in 2018.
Their technical skills and deep understanding of the City’s system configuration and set up enables them to efficiently respond to day‐to‐day technical assistance related to bug fixes and enhancements. They help identify the best path and the right configuration set up to resolve technical requirements ranging from migrating a whole module to basic enhancement and updates. Avocette has a working partnership with Accela, so they are aware of regular system updates and new feature updates that get rolled out to our SaaS platform by Accela.
Avocette has the technical team the City can leverage to take advantage of the full functionality offered by Accela, upgrades that in turn improve and keep up with improvements in our back‐office system and City portal to provide better customer experience for portal visitors.
Innovation & Technology highly recommends amending the contract with Avocette Technologies, Inc, to extend it for an additional three years instead of issuing an RFP. The reasons for this are due to Avocette’s in‐dept knowledge of City of Cupertino’s environment and their experience in configuring Cupertino
Accela platform within all existing modules of Planning, Building, Public Works, Business License and Code Enforcement Complaints. City’s Accela system has complex multiple integrations and the LMS is integrated with New World, City’s Financial system, ArcGIS for mapping, ProjectDox for plan check review and Laserfiche, City’s digital records system for document storage. Avocette understands these complex integrations which is an important component of supporting this system.
The current Second Amendment with Avocette Technologies, Inc., to consolidate Code Enforcement and provide support to LMS and Business License will end June 30, 2023. Staff recommends that the Council approve the Third Amendment
to continue enhancing CE consolidation and provide efficient and uninterrupted services for Cupertino’s residents and customers. Migrating to an alternative Vendor other than Avocette would necessitate taking a considerable step backwards and could potentially undermine the success of permitting‐licensing‐
enforcement functionality for the City. It is important to note that our current processes and architecture have been honed over the years of analyzing efficiencies specific to the Cityʹs practices and fine‐tuning our processes. Therefore, a shift to a new vendor may compromise the efficacy of our existing Application Architecture.
Sustainability Impact
Enterprise digital systems like Accela reduces the volume of paper used for customer transactions by providing digital permits, licenses, and online fee payments, conserving natural resources, and reducing greenhouse gases generated during the production and disposal of paper. Additionally, in time, more customers are expected to complete permitting, licensing and inspections online, further reducing vehicle travel and use of paper. Implementation of paperless office strategies like this one are prioritized in Cupertino’s Climate Action Plan (M‐SW‐1).
Fiscal Impact
The cost of Avocette Technologies, Inc., services provided for the last two fiscal years and for the next three years is $392,000, and is budgeted in the Applications division budget, GL account 100‐32‐308 700‐702 Contract Services account.
The table below outlines the subscription cost.
YEAR PRICE SERVICES PROVIDED
FY21‐22 $87,000 Base Agreement Accela Configuration and Support Services FY22‐23 $85,000 Second Amendment Accela Configuration and Support Services
Amendment III
FY22‐23 $50,000 Third Amendment for Code Enforcement Configuration and Support Services
FY23‐24 $50,000 Third Amendment for Configuration and Support Services FY24‐25 $50,000 Third Amendment for Configuration and Support Services FY25‐26 $50,000 Third Amendment for Configuration and Support Services FY24‐26 $20,000 10% Contingency
$220,000 Third Amendment Total Cost
$392,000 Total Contract Cost
California Environmental Quality Act
Not Applicable.
Prepared by: Nidhi Mathur, Applications Manager
Reviewed by: Bill Mitchell, Chief Technology Officer
Michael Woo, Senior Assistant City Attorney
Approved by: Pamela Wu, City Manager
Chris Jensen, City Attorney
Attachments:
A – Third Amendment to Avocette Technologies, Inc.
B – Exhibits A2, B2, & C2
C – Professional Services Agreement Insurance Requirements D – Proof of Insurance
E – Base Agreement No. 21‐072
F ‐ First Amendment to Agreement 21‐072 dated 6‐30‐22
G ‐ Second Amendment to Agreement 21‐072 dated 07‐18‐22