Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Second Amendment to the Agreement with Accela, Inc. for a Term of Three Years in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $516,833 for Continued Use of the Accela Permit System and Addition of Mobile Access for a Total Compensation Not-to-Exceed $886,887. (Information Technology 60626070)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
For over 20 years, the City of Alameda (City) has relied on Accela, Inc. (Accela) permitting software to manage permit tracking, plan check processing, inspections, and reporting functions.
Staff recommends that the City Council approve and authorize the City Manager or designee to execute a Second Amendment to the Agreement with Accela Inc. for a term of three years and in an amount not-to-exceed $516,833. Total compensation for this Agreement shall not exceed $886,887 for the City's continued use of the Accela Automation and Accela Citizen Access web-based permitting applications. A notable add-on included in this Second Amendment is the enhancement of the permitting system for mobile devices.
BACKGROUND
For over 20 years, Accela has served as the City's central permit system. Accela is used by both members of the public and staff from Planning, Building, and Transportation, Fire, and Public Works departments. Accela supports key functions ranging from permit intake and plan-check routing to inspection scheduling, fee processing, reporting, and code enforcement case tracking. Accela is widely used by governmental agencies nationwide.
The City’s Agreement with Accela has been renewed approximately every three to five years since the City first began using Accela in 2002. Staff is currently proposing a Second Amendment to the existing Agreement for a term of three years and in an amount not-to-exceed $516,833. The original Agreement was approved by City Council on April 30, 2021 (Exhibit 1), and the First Amendment approved by City Council on July 13, 2022 will expire on June 30, 2024 (Exhibit 2). The proposed Second Amendment will begin July 1, 2024 and end on June 30, 2027 (Exhibit 3).
DISCUSSION
The proposed Second Amendment will enable the City to continue using Accela as its central permit system. The total not-to-exceed amount of $516,833 includes support for the following permitting functions:
• Planning/Zoning Entitlements
• Express (same day) Building Permits
• Building Plan Check and Inspection
• Code Enforcement Case Tracking
• Fire Permits
• Fire Annual Inspections
• Public Works Permits
• Accela Citizen Access (public portal)
• Mobile Access and Integration with the City Website (New)
New Mobile Access and Integration with the City Website: The Second Amendment includes the ability to enhance the Accela public portal, improving the user experience on mobile devices. Calendar year 2023 data shows that approximately 56% of Alameda’s public users accessed the permitting system from mobile devices. This enhancement will not only streamline the user experience but will also better integrate Accela with the City website. The enhancement will also improve mobile capability for the permit system, creating efficiencies for City inspectors in the field. Specifically, it would allow inspectors to use tablets onsite, entering and accessing information without the need to travel between job sites and City Hall. As computer technology usage increasingly shifts from traditional desktop PCs to mobile devices, staff believes investing to improve mobile experience is an important and necessary step. The cost of this module is $15,996 over three years, already factored into the not-to-exceed amount, not including staff time to provide set up and configuration which would be paid for by permit fee revenue.
Approval for Sole Source: Staff recommends that City Council approve a sole source agreement with Accela, Inc. Over the past 20 years, the City has invested resources into customizing Accela for City processes and training staff on all its modules. If City Council decides not to renew the contract with Accela and instead seek competitive bids for a new permitting software, it would involve a complex and extensive process. The City would need to assess its current systems, reevaluate and redesign existing workflows, conduct a formal solicitation process, prepare for data transfer, and implement a detailed transition plan. All of this would be required to minimize potential disruptions to permitting services, despite no immediate need identified for replacing the current system. For these reasons, conducting a solicitation would be impractical and disadvantageous for the City at this time.
Should the term of this Agreement need to be extended, without changing any other provision of the Agreement as approved by City Council, staff further requests that City Council grant the City Manager the discretion to do so by amendment without returning to City Council for further approval.
ALTERNATIVES
City Council may:
• Approve the recommendation to authorize the City Manager execute a three-year extension with Accela.
• Delay action on the request and direct staff to return with additional information regarding the proposal. Delaying action will result in the City not having a working permit system after the City’s agreement with Accela expires on June 30, 2024.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The funds for this agreement are budgeted in the Planning, Building & Transportation account for Active Server Pages, and Fire Department account for Contractual Services. Revenues generated through the collection of the Technology Fee on each permit are sufficient to cover the cost of the agreement.
City Council previously approved the original contract and the contract amendments is presented below:
|
Contract |
Approval Date |
Total Authorized Amount |
|
Original Contract |
4/21/2021 |
$168,620 |
|
1st Amendment |
7/13/2022 |
$201,434 |
|
2nd Amendment |
|
$516,833 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
$886,887 |
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This proposed agreement and the need for permit services facilitates implementation of required permitting and local approval processes set forth in various state laws and sections of the Alameda Municipal Code. This agreement is consistent with the Strategic Plan priority of Investing in Transportation, Infrastructure, Economic Opportunities & Historic Resources. Specifically, renewing the agreement with the service provider for the City’s permit system is part of implementing the current IT Strategic Plan and facilitates the refresh of the next 5-year IT Strategic Plan set forth in Strategic Plan Project #TIE32. This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and therefore no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
Accela facilitates online permitting and remote access functions that reduces the impact on the environment. First, online access reduces the need for applicants to make trips to City Hall. Fewer automobile trips results in lower greenhouse gas emissions. Second, the Accela online services reduces the use of paper. Online plan check and permitting reduces the need for applicants to pay for and print multiple paper copies of construction drawings. One set of paper construction drawings for a major project can weigh over 50 pounds and costs over $1,000. The Accela online functions eliminate these costs. Overall, continued use of Accela allows the City to balance technological efficiencies in permitting with environmental responsibility consistent with the City’s adopted climate action goals.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute a Second Amendment to the Agreement with Accela, Inc. for a term of three years in an amount not-to-exceed $516,833 for continued use of the Accela Permit System and addition of mobile access for a total compensation not-to-exceed $886,887.
Respectfully submitted,
Demetrius Cagampan, Acting Information Technology Director
By,
Demetrius Cagampan, Acting Information Technology Director
Allen Tai, Planning Building and Transportation Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Accela Service Provider Agreement
2. Accela First Amendment
3. Accela Second Amendment