REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Agreement with Accela, Inc. for a Citywide Permit System Upgrade Software Subscription
Report
BACKGROUND
The City has been using the Accela "Tidemark" permit system since the 1990s to track land use entitlement activity such Building and Planning permits. The last update of this software was implemented in the year 2000.
DISCUSSION
The City's permit system allows permit activities and their processes to be managed and accessed by City staff and the general public. This system is necessary to facilitate the daily operations of City departments and is a key tool to support public access to City processes as well as to support economic development efforts citywide.
As this software is now many years out-of-date, it lacks modern functionality, does not meet security standards, is incompatible with newer versions of Windows operating systems, and does not facilitate public access. An upgrade of the City's permit system is necessary to modernize the system for purposes of functionality and to meet the public's expectations. To address these issues, staff recommends an upgrade to the new Accela product "Accela Civic Platform - Land Management." The upgrade will provide ongoing cloud-based software, hosting, security, and related services through the software subscription with Accela, Inc. Staff will also utilize this opportunity to re-envision customer interaction and re-engineer business processes to enhance efficiency and service delivery.
In 2016-2017, the County of Santa Clara conducted a Request for Proposal for a new permit system and professional implementation services. After an extensive competitive bidding process, the County selected Accela's Land Management System for its new permit platform. Accela, Inc. agreed to extend participation in the County's RFP to the City of Santa Clara. Procurement of the Accela product complies with Section 2.105.290(b)(3) of the City's Purchasing Ordinance.
Accel...
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