REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL AND
CORONA UTILITY AUTHORITY ACTION
DATE: 03/20/2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
Honorable President and Board Members
FROM: Utilities Department
SUBJECT:
Title
CHANGE ORDER WITH GE DIGITAL FOR SCADA SOFTWARE LICENSES
End
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks City Council to approve an increase in the purchase order for GE Digital iFIX for Fiscal Years 2024-2029 to account for future updates and improvements in the SCADA system. SCADA is a critical function of the Utilities Department and ensures the water and sewer facilities are operational and continue to comply with local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute a change order to the purchase order with GE Digital, in the amount of $20,000 for an annual purchase amount of $120,000 per year for Fiscal Years 2024-2029 including non-substantive extensions, purchase orders, change orders and amendments up to 10% or $12,000, as authorized in Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.080(I).
That the Corona Utility Authority review, ratify, and to the extent necessary, direct that the City Council take the above actions.
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BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The Utilities Department operates and maintains a comprehensive Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system with seven control room server stations located throughout the City. The servers connect 112 remote sites together via radio telemetry utilizing GE iFIX Licensed SCADA software. Each remote site requires a software license to utilize full automation controls which is monitored 24/7 by the Utilities Operations team. The data from each site is continuously recorded in the licensed GE iHistorian for operational and regulatory purposes. The iHistorian contains operational data spanning back over 20 years. All SCADA software process changes are managed using a licensed GE Proficy Change Manager via Utilities Department staff or the City’s contracted integrator. All software licenses are critical to maintaining proper support and operation of the Utilities Department’s water and sewer facilities and robust SCADA system.
ANALYSIS:
The Utilities Department has evaluated alternative SCADA software providers and licensing structures and although comparable software does exist, the necessary labor and new equipment required to overhaul to a new SCADA software system would be significant and not cost-effective in the long-term.
The cost of the current SCADA licenses has been impacted by inflationary increases as well as future expansion and improvements in the SCADA network. As the SCADA systems expand, Utilities will need to acquire additional licenses for proper operation and data recording. The average spending for SCADA software licenses for the last three years is $91,849. However, several planned projects at various facilities will require additional licenses at a cost of approximately $5,000/license. Staff is requesting a $20,000 change order to increase the purchase order to $120,000 per year through Fiscal Year 2029.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is sufficient budget in the Utilities Department operating budgets for the recommended actions. Future funding requests 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 involves the purchase of software licenses, and there is no possibility that the recommended actions will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: KATIE HOCKETT, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES
REVIEWED BY: TOM MOODY, DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - Sole Source Letter