Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a 10 Year Contract, with Two Five-Year Options to Renew, in an Amount not to Exceed $32,000 Annually for a Total not to Exceed Amount of $640,000 Over 20 Years, with Gray Wall Software, LLC for the Use of its Virtual Emergency Operation Center Intelligent's (VEOCI) Emergency Operations Management Software. (Fire 706)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Elizabeth D. Warmerdam, Acting City Manager
Re: Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a 10 Year Contract, with Two Five-Year Options to Renew, in an Amount not to Exceed $32,000 Annually for a Total not to Exceed Amount of $640,000 over 20 Years, with Gray Wall Software, LLC for the Use of its Virtual Emergency Operation Center Intelligent's (VEOCI) Emergency Operations Management Software
BACKGROUND
VEOCI is a common operating picture (COP) software application used to assist emergency personnel in managing disasters, large-scale emergencies, and planned events.
VEOCI is being used in the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) by the Emergency Organization Staff to log events, recall EOC and other city staff members, track costs, and keep a detailed transcript of actions taken during disasters. VEOCI is also being used to track assets, collaborate on disaster planning efforts, and planned events, such as the Mayors Fourth of July Parade.
VEOCI’s web-based subscription software product was purchased in December 2015 after researching options for a common operating picture software for use in the EOC. Performance, IT support, and cost were considered in the selection process. The term of the agreement with Gray Wall Software, LLC - VEOCI was for two-years and provided for 100 City Staff users, initial set-up, and training for the administrative users.
DISCUSSION
Communication is the cornerstone of managing a disaster. VEOCI is a robust software platform that facilitates communication through written, visual display and alerting. VEOCI allows for real-time collaboration between users whether or not they are in the same room, as well as, a virtual place to gather and analyze situational information, track resources, recall EOC staff members, employees, and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers. VEOCI also provides a time date stamped transcript of the entire event. Accurate documentation of actions taken, equipment and personnel assignments and associated cost of managing the event is a key factor in getting and keeping Federal Disaster Assistance funding. VEOCI is a useful communication and documentation tool to meet that goal.
Before purchasing VEOCI, the City did not have a comprehensive Common Operating Picture software solution. Communication and display of information in the EOC was handled using phones, radios, triplicate copy message forms and whiteboards. Documenting and analyzing incoming information was challenging and slow. Situation and resource status was hand scribed on to whiteboards and maps.
Conducting EOC exercises with the staff helped to point out the pitfalls in the pre-existing system. Staff found that critical information did not flow to all members of the EOC organization because of the challenges of displaying information. The use of VEOCI will solve many of the issues from past.
Information can be entered into VEOCI from any computer, tablet or smartphone, making VEOCI a versatile tool. VEOCI’s application will be used by field supervisors to send information directly to the EOC. The ability to easily add pictures and videos from the field into VEOCI enhances EOC staffs ability to understand and evaluate situational information. Alameda CERT members will also be able to directly send information, photos, and videos to the EOC for analysis, further enhancing the EOC staff’s ability to understand the situation and make critical decisions.
In the EOC the entries that are being made in VEOCI’s maps, chat rooms, and dashboards will be displayed on large screens. VEOCI is also capable of supporting publicly shared maps, and informational dashboards. For example, the information might include road closures, detours, locations of open shelters, commodity points of distribution (C-POD) with hours of operation, and other useful information. Links for the public information displayed in VEOCI can be added to the city website, sent via Nixle and blasted out on social media.
VEOCI gives the City a highly efficient way to communicate and share information both internally and with the public.
Staff recommends awarding a 10 year contract to Gray Wall Software, LLC in the amount not to exceed $32,000 annually. The contract compensation is $28,600; however, staff is asking for $32,000 to allow for contingencies, new licenses, and/or training, at the discretion of the Fire Chief. The contract also permits two five-year extensions of the contract, for up to ten additional years, and up to $640,000 total compensation for the contract, at the sole discretion of the City Manager, based upon satisfactory performance of all aspects of the contract and subject to budgetary approval.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Sufficient budget for the agreement is included in the Facilities Maintenance Fund Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Fund #706 for FY 2017-18 and FY 2018-19. The ongoing annual cost of this product is $32,000. Future years’ funding remains at Council discretion through the biennial budget process.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The proposed resolution is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to Section 15301 of CEQA Guidelines (Operation of Existing Facilities).
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a 10 Year Contract, with Two Five-Year Options to Renew, in an Amount not to Exceed $32,000 Annually for a Total not to Exceed Amount of $640,000 over 20 Years, with Gray Wall Software, LLC for the Use of its Virtual Emergency Operation Center Intelligent's (VEOCI) Emergency Operations Management Software.
Respectfully submitted,
Edmond A. Rodriguez, Fire Chief
By,
Sharon Oliver, Assistant Fire Marshall/Disaster Preparedness
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Edwin Gato, Acting Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. Contract