Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Purchase a Three Year Maintenance Support Agreement with SHI International Corp, a Reseller of Mimecast, to Secure the City’s Email Platform and Facilitate the Email Archival Process in the Amount of $120,398 Bringing the Total Purchase Order Price with Mimecast to $166,147. (Information Technology 704)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff is requesting City Council approval of the purchase of a three (3) year maintenance support renewal for Mimecast. Mimecast is the City of Alameda’s (City) email security platform. The original implementation of Mimecast in 2020 included the purchase, configuration, and installation of new security services in the amount of $45,750. The annual maintenance support is up for renewal and staff is requesting discretionary authority to purchase up to three years of additional maintenance services.
BACKGROUND
In 2020, the City replaced its outdated email filter and archival system with Mimecast. The original implementation of Mimecast included the purchase, configuration and installation of new email security services in the amount of $45,750.
DISCUSSION
Mimecast is a cloud-based Secure Email Gateway that protects organizations and employees using both a y cloud-based and on-premises email platform. It defends against inbound spear-phishing, malware, spam and zero-day attacks by combining innovative applications and policies with multiple detection engines and intelligence feeds.
With cybersecurity attacks on the rise, Mimecast has provided the City with very good protection. The Mimecast software appliance handles the City’s email security and email archival process. Some additional features included in Mimecast are impersonation protection, URL protection, attachment protection, encrypted email and large file send capabilities in a secure manner. These features protect the City’s network from social engineering and other similar email attacks that are common vehicles for ransomware infections and other malicious software. Approval of Staff’s request for an additional three (3) years of service support requires City Council Approval because the cost of maintenance support services exceeds the $75,000 threshold established by Council for the City Manager’s purchasing authority.
ALTERNATIVES
• Authorize the purchase of the renewal support;
• Direct the City to consider other vendors; or
• Do not authorize purchase of the renewal support, which would cause the City to be at higher risk to cybersecurity attacks.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The total cost of the three (3) year support renewal is $120,398. The funds for this purchase are budgeted in the Information Technology Internal Service Fund.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This purchase complies with sections 2-61.7 (Joint Purchases with Public Agencies) of the Alameda Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. This action is not a project pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21065 and CEQA Guidelines section 15378.
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to purchase a three year maintenance support renewal with SHI International Corp, a reseller of Mimecast, to secure the City’s e-mail platform and facilitate the email archival process in the amount of $120,398 bringing the total purchase order price with Mimecast to $166,147.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager requests authorization to purchase a three year maintenance support renewal with SHI International Corp. in the amount of $120,398.
Respectfully submitted,
Carolyn T. Hogg, Information Technology Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Annie To, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. SHI Quote
2. Mimecast Agreement
cc: Eric Levitt, City Manager