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CONTRACT K-1718-79: A CONTRACT BY AND BETWEEN ADVANCED UTILITY SYSTEMS, A DIVISION OF HARRIS CORPORATION, IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,483,650 FOR THE PURCHASE OF SOFTWARE, HARDWARE, AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR THE INSTALLATION, CONFIGURATION, DATA CONVERSION, TRAINING, AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT OF UTILITY BILLING SOFTWARE.
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BACKGROUND: In 2016, the City of Norman hired Plante Moran PLLC Information Technology Consulting to aid in the evaluation and selection of replacement systems for the City’s aging Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. Utility Customer Information, Billing and Management Systems that handle the daily operations for City’s complex utility billing and cash flows of those operations were identified as an important area of focus in the replacement and enhancement of the City’s ERP systems. Advanced Utility’s software was chosen as the best fit to manage the complex water, sewer, trash, and potentially storm water utility portions of the City’s business. In August of 2017, the City’s Finance Committee approved a plan to replace the current ERP System and purchase Advanced Utility Systems, a Division of Harris Corporation, solution for the Utility Customer Service and Billing portion of the project.
DESCRIPTION: The City’s IT Department is presently supporting two (2) different environments to support the City of Norman data and systems management requirements; a Microsoft Windows-based environment leveraging virtual server infrastructure with industry-leading storage systems; and an IBM iSeries environment. The iSeries system used by the City was purchased in 1995, has been updated numerous times, and operates a software solution by HTE/Sungard/Superion. The iSeries system hardware is aged, as are many of the features and processes of the present application running on it. The solution interfaces to our public safety systems as well as other applications such as meter reading and traffic citations.
The iSeries ERP system contains software modules that support important City functions such as building permits; mobile field code and building inspections; general ledger and fixed asset accounting; budget preparation and monitoring; payroll; treasury and accounts receivable; accounts payable and purchasing; human resource functions; utility billing and customer account maintenance; municipal court administration; on-line and telephone bill pay systems for utility billing and permitting; and occupational licensing.
The City’s IT Department, ERP Management Committee, and Plante Moran PLLC consulting, recommend the execution of a plan to enhance the utility customer service offerings and cash flow tracking by adding automated business systems through Harris Corporation Advanced Utility Systems. These systems will be leveraging our enterprise data storage solution, virtual server environment, and will be more readily supported by the IT Support Staff. IT recommends this solution, which provides improved services, data tracking, and enhanced decision making for the citizens who utilize the City’s utility billing services.
The Council, acting as Trustees of the Norman Municipal Authority (NMA), will consider resolution to implement a five-year financing plan for the ERP Systems replacement (“NMA Sales Tax Revenue Notes, Series 2017B”). This ERP System Replacement financing plan is anticipated in the City’s Capital Improvement Plan. Once this financing plan is completed, funds for this purchase will be available in the Capital Fund, ERP Replacement Project, Design (account 050-9529-419.62-01; project BG0070). These funds include the total cost for software, services, hardware, storage, consulting, and contingency.
RECOMMENDATION: The City’s IT Department, ERP Management Committee, and Plante Moran PLLC consulting recommend approval of Contract K-1718-79 between the City of Norman and Advanced Utility Systems, a Division of Harris Corporation, in the amount of $1,483,650.