REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 08/07/2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Information Technology Department
SUBJECT:
Title
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH ESRI FOR GIS LICENSING, MAINTENANCE, AND SUPPORT
End
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the Council to approve an agreement with Esri for GIS licensing, maintenance, and support. Esri is a leading provider of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) solutions, offering comprehensive services such as spatial mapping, 3D modeling, and real-time data analysis. The City’s Enterprise GIS environment relies on Esri’s software across various departments, including Public Safety Dispatching, Utilities, Public Works, and Planning & Development permitting and inspection systems. Transitioning to a different solution would be highly challenging and costly.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council:
a. Authorize an Exception to Competitive Bidding pursuant to Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.140(E) that competitive bidding has been satisfied based upon the reasons provided in “Basis for Determination of Competitive Bidding” with Esri Small Government Enterprise Agreement in the amount of $175,000 per year for Fiscal Years 2025, 2026, and 2027.
b. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the agreement with Esri, in the amount of $175,000 per year, including any purchase orders, non-substantive extensions, change orders, and amendments up to 10% of the contract amount as authorized in Corona Municipal Code Section 3.8.080(I) which is equivalent to $52,500.
Body
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
Esri (Environmental Systems Research Institute) is a globally recognized supplier of GIS software, web GIS, and geodatabase management applications. Over 350,000 organizations, including major cities and national governments, and over 7,000 educational institutions use its software. Esri is a truly global entity with 49 offices worldwide and employees from 73 countries.
The City of Corona has been utilizing Esri for its GIS needs since the 1990s. The technology is essential for multiple departments, aiding in Public Safety dispatch, Utility mapping, and Planning & Development permitting and inspection systems. The City's GIS infrastructure has evolved to include public-facing web applications, dashboards, and infographics.
Key Esri products the City uses include ArcGIS Pro for mapping and data analysis and ArcGIS Online for sharing interactive maps and data. Mobile apps like ArcGIS Field Maps and Survey123 enable field workers to update maps directly from their devices. The integration of AI with ArcGIS enhances automation and predictive modeling capabilities.
ANALYSIS:
The Small Government Enterprise Agreement provides the City access to Esri’s ArcGIS desktop and server technology, enabling modernization and optimal deployment of GIS features tailored to departmental needs. The agreement includes licenses for secure access to GIS dashboards and web-based maps, benefiting departments such as Fire and Police.
The agreement allows real-time GIS data input, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of data updates and maintenance. A critical feature is the provision for staging environments, which are crucial for applying patches, updates, and testing before live deployment, ensuring system stability and minimizing downtime.
The agreement also ensures access to new technologies as they are released, with Esri providing hands-on guidance to align the City’s GIS vision and objectives with technological advancements.
Basis for Determination of Competitive Bidding:
The City Staff believes that the competitive bidding is already accomplished for this purchase under Corona Municipal Code (“CMC”) Section 3.08.140(E), which states that competitive bidding is not required for non-public projects as follows:
Purpose of Bidding Is Otherwise Accomplished. With the approval of the City Manager, the purchasing agent and the authorized contracting party determine that it is in the City's best interest and its administrative operations to dispense with public bidding for non-public projects under this chapter.
According to Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.140(E), competitive bidding is achieved for this procurement as it is in the City’s best interest to continue using Esri, given the extensive integration of Esri products in existing systems. Transitioning to an alternative GIS platform would incur significant costs and operational disruptions.
Esri is the only vendor for Esri authorized software and systems. The pricing is an annual fixed cost for government organizations based on population. The City of Corona falls into the Esri pricing model of Program Level Six for populations between 150,001 and 250,000.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The recommended action's funding is included in the Information Technology Department’s Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget within Information Technology Fund 681. Funding in future fiscal years will be recommended through the annual budget process.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action merely approves an agreement for the purchase of software licenses, maintenance and support, and there is no possibility that this project will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: MIKE ENRIQUEZ, SENIOR SOFTWARE ARCHITECT
REVIEWED BY: CHRIS MCMASTERS, CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER
Attachments:
Exhibit 1 - Esri Enterprise Agreement