REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Al Zelinka, City Manager
VIA: Travis K. Hopkins, Assistant City Manager
PREPARED BY: Grace Yoon-Taylor, Principal Management Analyst
Javier Ballesteros, Sr. Information Technology Analyst
Subject:
title
Approve and Authorize execution of a Professional Services Agreement with IK Consulting, LLC for the Accela Citizen Access online permitting system improvement project and on-call project support services
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Statement of Issue:
The City has implemented the Accela Citizen Access (ACA) online permit and application processing system that is available to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This new virtual platform provides automated online access to eight City Permitting functions. This system allows customers (residents, businesses, contractors and developers) to experience a streamlined process of submitting permit applications, checking the application status, performing payments, receiving permits, requesting inspections, and receiving final permit approvals.
Since its launch, City staff has identified additional areas of improvements and online public access opportunities. The proposed on-call services contract with IK Consulting, LLC will provide the technical professional services needed to implement important upgrades and other future modifications.
Financial Impact:
The contract amount is not-to-exceed $400,000 for three years. Sufficient appropriations are available to fund the first year of the contract under the Fiscal Year 2023/24 Operating Budget, Non-Departmental Equipment Replacement’s Business Unit 32440217.69365. Funding for Year 2 and Year 3 will be identified and included in subsequent years’ budgets.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
Approve and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute “Professional Services Contract between the City of Huntington Beach and IK Consulting, LLC for Project Management and Implementation Services.”
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Alternative Action(s):
Do not approve the contract, and direct staff accordingly.
Analysis:
Background
The City has completed a five-year long effort developing and implementing the Accela Enterprise Land Management (ELM) system that has provided an online permit and application processing system that is available to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This new virtual platform provides automated online access to eight City Permitting functions including within Building, Code Enforcement, Business License, Fire Department permits and inspections, Engineering permits and inspection, Urban Runoff permits and inspections, and online payment processing.
The Accela ELM system has enabled the City with multi-departmental integration, instant status updates, application submittals, inspection scheduling, and historical records research. By signing up through the ACA portal, customers can request permits, complete payments, check status updates, receive permits, request inspections, receive final permit approvals, and download relevant records such as Certificates of Occupancy - all electronically at any time. As a result, in Fiscal Year 2022/2023, Planning Division has reduced in-person visits to City Hall by 80% compared to pre-pandemic levels, by allowing 99% of all services to be available online.
For this multi-phased, cross-department project development and implementation, the City entered into a professional services contract with IK Consulting, LLC in 2019 in an amount of $180,000 for their technical services. The contract was amended in 2020 to provide on-call services up to $300,000 for an additional scope of work that included but not was limited to continued system and functionality improvements for City staff and enhanced customer online access of documents and functions across multiple permit applications. This contract expired on September 2, 2023.
Scope of Work for the City’s Needs
Accela ELM System Upgrade to Production System
The Accela ELM system requires a systemwide upgrade to stay current with technology and provide several benefits and improvements to the functionality and efficiency of the system. The new version will address previously identified issues and provide a better customer experience to residents and developers processing permits online. The upgrade will also ensure that the land management system will remain compatible with other systems and newer hardware and ensure the continuity of receiving assistance and updates from the vendor, as needed.
One-Stop-Shop Model Integration to Accela ELM System
To integrate and implement a One-Stop-Shop model into existing the Accela ELM system, the City will be working closely with IK Consulting, LLC on various scopes of work, including but not limited to:
• Configuration and set up of an online application for Standard Local Business License; Solicitor/Peddler Business License, Special Event License, Exempt Business License and Non-Profit Business License, Entertainment Permits, Massage Establishment Registrations, Bingo Permits, and PD Permits, etc.
• Creation of a new record type for Fortune Teller Permits, Taxi Cab Permits, Escort Permits, and modification of existing record type to work for all records, which provide more capability for amendments.
• Update of existing Oil Taxes Quarterly and Annual Reports to allow automation of the existing manual process and online application and integration of notifications.
• Update of existing reports to accommodate additional/updated data for various permit types.
One-Call Technical Support
The City team anticipates that additional upgrades and system improvements will be necessary to align with ever-evolving operational needs, customer needs, and regulatory compliance (e.g. integration Accela with Solar App+ to comply with SB379 to issue instant solar permits). Additionally, the Accela ELM will need to also transition to a cloud-based platform, which requires the consultant’s technical expertise and services for project management and troubleshooting.
As such, City staff requests to retain IK Consulting LLC to provide on-call technical support to the City’s interdepartmental team for additional phases of Accela ELM in the next three years.
Procurement & Contract
The total contract amount is not-to-exceed $400,000 for a term of three years. It was negotiated based on the City staff’s previous experience working with IK Consulting and their existing contract with other municipalities (i.e. City of Santa Rosa) per the Municipal Code 3.03.08(b). Please refer to the contact between the City of Santa Rosa and IK Consulting, LLC (Attachment 2). Council approval is being requested to fully execute this new contract agreement.
Environmental Status:
This action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Goal 3 - High Performing Organization, Strategy A - Establishing a One Stop Shop to bring development and other key services under one physical and virtual location to improve the customer service experience.
For details, visit www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/strategicplan <http://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/strategicplan>.
Attachment(s):
1. Professional Services Contract between the City of Huntington Beach and IK Consulting, LLC for Project Management, Implementation and Upgrade Services
2. City of Santa Rosa Professional Services Agreement with IK Consulting, LLC and Amendment