Background:
S17-H26413 - Purchase of software enhancements & support services for the Digital Sandbox system from the General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule 70 contract through the Cooperative Purchasing Program in the total amount of $193,000.00 for the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security.
Specific Explanation:
The Director of the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the Chief Procurement Officer recommend that City Council approve the purchase of software enhancements & support services for the Digital Sandbox system from the General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule 70 contract through the Cooperative Purchasing Program in the total amount of $193,000.00 for the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security and that authorization be given to issue purchase orders, as necessary, to the GSA contractor, Digital Sandbox, Inc.
The Mayor's Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security seeks to enhance the Digital Sandbox system, a proprietary risk management software system that Houston administers for the 13 counties of the Houston Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) region. These enhancements will expand capabilities of public safety personnel by adding a Rapid Assessment Tool, allowing first responders to quickly assess a location for life safety issues and identification of stored hazardous materials. Additionally, a reporting feature will be enabled to assist in the prioritization of these locations which will support a more involved fire assessment. Service hours will be included to obtain the additional support of software engineers during scheduled and un-scheduled “large scaled” events/incidents. Additional enhancements to the system will assist all disciplines (police, fire, and emergency management) by enabling a GIS based reporting feature that captures specific information of resources and assets found in a determined area. These enhancements will provide the City of Houston and H-GAC counties throughout the region additional tools to better evaluate an asset’s vulnerabilities, risks and hazards. Risk-based resource allocation is required under the National Preparedness Guidelines. Furthermore, the National Infrastructure Protection Plan requires state and local governments to utilize risk management methodologies in their implementation of infrastructure protection efforts.
M/WBE Participation:
Zero-Percentage Goal document approved by the Office of Business Opportunity.
Hire Houston First:
This procurement is exempt from the City’s Hire Houston First Ordinance. Bids/proposals were not solicited because the department is utilizing a Cooperative Purchasing Agreement for this purchase.
Fiscal Note:
This is a grant funded item. Therefore, no Fiscal Note is required as stated in the Financial Policy Ord. 2014-1078.
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Jerry Adams, Chief Procurement Officer
Finance/Strategic Procurement Division
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Department Approval Authority
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