Since 2011, the Town Council has authorized the Town Manager to piggyback several federal, state, and cooperative purchasing group contracts for the purchase of IT equipment and peripherals as the best value available to the Town. The attached resolution would authorize the Town Manager to continue piggybacking federal, state, and cooperative purchasing group contracts as they become available so that the Town can take advantage of the best possible pricing on the market.
Piggybacking multiple state, federal, and cooperative contracts for the procurement of IT hardware and software gives the Town the necessary flexibility to pursue our goals of better communication, transparency, public participation, and having a smart and connected community in accordance with our Strategic Plan while simultaneously obtaining the best value for taxpayer dollars. The low pricing available on these contracts is due to the significantly greater volumes of requirements these larger entities can leverage to take advantage of economies of scale.
The State of Florida contract with CDW that the Town had been accessing for most of its routine IT equipment purchases expired as of August 15, 2018. Town staff has proposed three cooperative contracts to serve as a replacement for the purchase of IT equipment and peripherals: (1) NIPA Contract #2018011-01, which is effective from March 1, 2018 until February 28, 2023; (2) NJPA Contract 100614-CDW, which is effective from December 1, 2014 until November 18, 2019; and (3) NIPA Contract 171725-01, which is effective October 11, 2017 until October 10, 2019. In light of the varying terms, Town staff recommends authorizing the Town Manager to access additional contracts as they become available to retain the same level of flexibility when pricing out IT equipment and peripherals. Town staff suggests this authorization remain in effect for a period of three years, or until the Town is able to amend Ordinance 17-203 to provide greater flexibility.
During this fiscal year, the Town's Information Technology Master Plan includes investments in replacement servers, laptops, workstations, network storage peripherals, various network warranties, software and security licenses.