City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: APRIL 23, 2024 FROM: INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH GARTNER, INC., FOR MARKET BASED TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND STRATEGIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLANS AND POLICIES FOR A FIVE-YEAR TERM ENDING MARCH 31, 2029, FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT VALUE OF $405,000 ISSUE:
Approve a Professional Consultant Services Agreement with Gartner, Inc., of Stamford, Connecticut, for market-based technology research and strategies for the development of plans and policies for a five-year term ending March 31, 2029, for a total contract value of $405,000.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve the Professional Consultant Services Agreement with Gartner, Inc., of Stamford, Connecticut, for market-based technology research and strategies for the development of plans and policies under a County of Riverside Agreement ITARC-653 for a five-year term ending March 31, 2029, for a total contract value of $405,000; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Professional Consultant Services Agreement and all necessary documents including, but not limited to, change orders, amendments, and other minor non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
Gartner, Inc., (Gartner) is the industry leader in technology-based market research and analysis. Gartner helps executives make smarter decisions by delivering actionable, objective insights on trends and obstacles, enabling them to develop strategic plans and implement effective policies. Gartner’s unbiased, rigorously vetted, vendor-agnostic guidance is powered by a diverse, inclusive, supportive workplace where equity and inclusion allow associates to thrive.
The Innovation & Technology Department (IT) is leading the development of a five-year technology strategic plan, the City’s digital transformation, enterprise application modernization, exploring artificial intelligence and robotic process automation adoption as well as managing more than 20 million dollars of infrastructure and enterprise applications supporting 24/7 mission critical internal and external city digital services. Gartner’s technology research and strategic support will provide the following services:
Expert guidance: Gartner's team of seasoned consultants offers deep industry knowledge and hands-on experience, providing tailored advice for tackling specific CIO challenges.
Benchmarking and insights: Clients benefit from in-depth comparative analysis of their organization against industry peers, enabling informed decision-making and a clear understanding of their competitive landscape.
Data-driven insights: Gartner's research and data analysis provide factual, objective guidance, minimizing risk and ensuring decisions are based on solid evidence, not just trends or hype.
Technology roadmap development: Gartner helps CIOs develop and refine their technology roadmap, ensuring alignment with strategic business goals and maximizing return on investment.
Vendor selection and negotiation support: Gartner's experience and network assist in identifying the most suitable vendors, negotiating the best deals, and securing optimal value from technology partnerships.
DISCUSSION:
The proposed agreement with Gartner will provide the City with a wide range of time-saving benefits including core industry research, role-specific research, peer and practitioner research, key metrics data, diagnostic tools, templates and case studies, vendor reports, news analysis, individual inquiry and more.
IT will also be able to leverage Gartner’s expertise with proposed revisions to the department’s strategic plan, staffing and organizational requirements, while assisting with development of future requests for proposals (in addition to those mentioned above).
Gartner is providing competitive pricing through an existing public entity agreement with the County of Riverside (ITARC-653). By committing to a five-year agreement, City staff secured lower rates and avoided a significant rate increase originally scheduled for January 2024.
This Cooperative Agreement is in line with the City’s Purchasing Resolution No. 24101, Article Seven: Acquisition of Services, Section 702 which states, “Competitive Procurement through the Informal Procurement and Formal Procurement process shall not be required in any of the following circumstances: …(f) When Cooperative Purchasing is available and undertaken or when Goods can be obtained through Federal, State and/or other public entity pricing contracts or price agreements.” The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommendations to authorize the purchases are in compliance with Purchasing Resolution 24101, Section 702(f).
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item contributes to the following Envision Riverside 2025 City Council Strategic Priority:
Strategic Priority 6, Infrastructure, Mobility & Connectivity Goal 6.2. Maintain, protect and improve assets and infrastructure within the City’s built environment to ensure and enhance reliability, resiliency, sustainability, and facilitate connectivity.
The item aligns with each of the five cross-cutting threads as follows:
Community Trust – Utilizing competitively bid services through a cooperative agreement complies with the City’s procurement policies and ensure the City and its’ resident’s best interest are at the forefront.
Equity – All City employees benefit from IT making research driven decisions based on industry trends and the City’s specific needs. This benefits Riverside residents and the community who benefit from reliable and available services.
Fiscal Responsibility – This purchase is being made utilizing a publicly bid contract.
Innovation – As an industry leader, Gartner is equipped to provide recommendations and guidance based on a combination of current trends, data analysis and best practices and city requirements.
Sustainability & Resiliency –. This purchase is imperative to the ongoing success of the City’s technological infrastructure, which serves the community daily.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of the action is $405,000 over the life of the agreement. Sufficient funding for the first 2-year upfront payment of $170,000 is budgeted and available in the General Fund, Innovation & Technology, IT-Administration, Professional Services account number 2400000-421000. Appropriations for future fiscal years will be included in the Department’s Budget submissions for those fiscal years to be presented to the City Council for approval.
Prepared by: Jessica M. Gordon, Administrative Services Manager Approved by: George Khalil, Chief Innovation Officer
Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Edward Enriquez, Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer) Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
Research and Advisory Agreement between County of Riverside and Gartner, Inc.
Proposed Pricing Schedule/Service Agreement for City of Riverside Gartner, Inc. Service Agreement for City of Riverside
Gartner Professional Consultant Services Agreement ● Page 2