Computer System Upgrade
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MEMORANDUM
March 30, 2005
TO:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Computer System Upgrade
Finance Director Ken TeKippe is recommending the purchase of the Miscellaneous
Receivable Module for the Sungard Pentamation computer system upgrade.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
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Michael C. Van Miliigen
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Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Ken TeKippe, Finance Director
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Memorandum
TO: Michael C. Van Milligeft, City Manager
FROM:
Ken TeKippe, Finance Director 1~ (/iJ ~
SUBJECT: Computer System Upgrade
DATE:
March 28, 2005
INTRODUCTION
As you are aware, the City is in the process of upgrading our financial computer system
with Sungard Pentamation. A copy of an approved memo dated April 23, 2004 relative
to the upgrade is enclosed.
DISCUSSION
Dawn Lang, Budget Director, Chris Kohlmann, Information Services Manager, Jean
Nachtman, Assistant Finance Director, Rick Till, Accountant, Joe Pregler, Information
Technology Specialist, and I have served as the leadership team relative to the
upgrade. Enclosed is financial information. The initial $25,000 for staff overtime and
extra hours for part-time employees will be allocated for an additional intern in the
Finance Department and an intern in the Information Services Department during the
summer for assistance in the conversion. The cost of the two interns and additional
compensation for overtime and part-time staff should provide approximately $8,000
remaining for additional staffing.
The leadership team is recommending an additional acquisition of a Miscellaneous
Receivables module from Sungard Pentamation. The cost for this application for the
license, training and installation will be $15,500. The source of the funds would be the
contingency fund of $16,914 established in the initial computer system upgrade budget.
The Miscellaneous Receivable application would be utilized for items such as leases,
bulk water purchases, damages to city property, water and sewer connection fees,
permits, water analysis tests, Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP), etc.
..
.
ACTION REQUESTED
I am requesting approval to incur cost for the Miscellaneous Receivables module which
will compliment our previously acquired financial accounting, utility billing, budget,
payroll/personnel, licensing and fixed assets modules. It is projected that the $275,000
budget approved for the project should not be exceeded. Thank you for your review
and consideration
KT/jg
Enclosures
cc: Dawn Lang, Budget Director
Chris Kohlmann, Information Services Manager
Joe Pregler, Information Technology Specialist
Jean Nachtman, Assistant Finance Director
Rick Till, Accountant
TO:
FROM:
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
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Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
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Ken TeKippe, Finance Director .~ 0~
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SUBJECT: Computer System Upgrade
DATE:
April 23, 2004
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide a recommendation for the Computer
System Upgrade project that is budgeted in the Finance Department, but impacts all
City departments.
DISCUSSION
The project provides for the upgrade of the computer system including both hardware
and software, on which the comprehensive financial accounting, utility billing, budget,
payroll/personnel, licensing and fixed assets systems operate. The current system is
nine years old, operating on a Unix based system from Sungard Pentamation called
Government Resource Series (GRS). In recent years many of their customers have
migrated to an upgraded system called Open Series, which Dubuque did not.
Pentamation has r~cently enhanced the Open Series to a Plus Series. The upgrade will
provide for greater functionally, continued system support, more timely new releases
and an enhanced end-user interface in a point and click based environment as opposed
to the current command based.
Dawn Lang, Budget Director, Chris Kohlmann, Information Services Manager, Jean
Nachtman, Assistant Finance Director and I have been reviewing our needs and options
extensively over the past few months. After considerable discussion and two on-site
demonstrations by Pentamation of the proposed software with a number of staff
present, we are recommending remaining with Pentamation and upgrading to their new
Plus Series. The Plus Series is a comprehensive financial, human resource and
community development information system designed specifically for local
governments. The decision provides a cost effective solution while still meeting the
applications needs of the City.
The alternative option would require the development of a Request for Proposal to
solicit proposals from other vendors. After our initial review, it was determined that the
cost would be higher with a new software system. In addition, the time to establish a
committee, review proposals, view demonstrations and ultimately changing to another
vendor would require considerable time commitments from Information Services,
Finance and other departments. Implementation would need to be phased in over a
longer period of time than staying with our current provider. A large amount of time
would be spent mapping data fields in the existing system and determining how all data
would be incorporated in a new system. Development of new customizations to meet
existing City needs and report redesigns would be required as well. The upgrade will
result in considerable work for staff but should not be as extensive as a change to a
completely new software system. It is anticipated that the upgrade will require a 9 to15
month timeframe.
End users of the current system are for the most part pleased with the new system's
functionality and showed a positive response to the features of the updated system that
were demonstrated. Although the new system has a different "look and feel" the terms
and data items are similar to the current system, making the new system more familiar
from the start.
The system will operate in a Unix environment and will utilize IBM Informix Dynamic
Server (IDS) version 9.x and IBM Informix SQL version 7.31 or above. Sirius Computer
Solutions is the current authorized vendor for government pricing of IBM products and .,1
services in Iowa. Chris Kohlmann, Information Services Manager, has approved the \...""1
functional requirements. e
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The CIP budget for the upgrade was $460,000 spread over the 2003-04 and 2004-05
fiscal years. Funding was anticipated from the general fund and sales tax of which
$185,000 has been reallocated for other technology related projects including storage
area network enhancements and switches and routers that will be utilized with this
system. $275,000 remains in the 'CIP budget for the upgrade.
The following costs are anticipated for the project:
· SunGuard Pentamation (per proposal negotiated)
Sirius - hardware (per proposal negotiated)
.. Estimated travel costs for training and install
Staff overtime or extra hours for part-time employees
"Dumb" terminal for server console
Contingency
Total
$172,336 u
35,325
25,000
25,000
425
16.914
$275,000
Copies of proposals from the software and hardware venders are enclosed. Barry
Lindahl, Corporation Counsel, has reviewed the agreements.
ACTION REQUESTED
I am requesting approval to proceed with accepting the two proposals for hardware and
software and incurring the additional costs for the upgrade. The budget should not be
exceeded for the project. If you have any questions on the information provided or the
project, please contact me. Thank you for your review.
Enclosures
cc: Dawn Lang, Budget Director
Chris Kohlmann, Information Services Manager
Jean Nachtman, Assistant Finance Director
City of Dubuque
Computer System Upgrade
Finance Department
Activity: 010253
Object: 71123
Date Paid Vendor Description Amount
6/30/2004 Sirius Computer SVC suite base RS6000 $ 6,195.00
6/16/2004 SunGard Pentamation Miaration analysis fee, GFPRIA, 25% dwnovmt software 33,903.75
6/30/2004 SunGard Pentamation Trainino by Amy Lamke - 6/11/04 750.00
FY'04 Total $ 40,848.75
Date Paid Vendor DescriDtion Amount
7/21/2004 WYSE Dumb terminal-reimbursed Chris. Kohlmann 572.50
8/18/2004 Sirius Computer Trainina from Justin Harvey on 7/16/04 2,500.00
9/15/2004 Sirius Computer Hotel, car, aas and meals for Justin Harvey 379.44
10/20/2004 Sirius Com outer Server reauired for upgrade 24,557.61
8/18/2004 Strateoic Leamino Hardware-10m /duplex mmf cable-fiber optic 1,815.06
7/14/2004 SunGard Pentamation Trainina on 6/10/04 1,500.00
8/11/2004 SunGard Pentamation Trainino 7/19-23/04, rental car, fuel, airfare, lodoino 4,866.44
8/11/2004 SunGard Pentamation Licenses 28,204.50
8/31/2004 SunGard Pentamation DBa Miaration conversion 17,120.00
9/15/2004 SunGard Pentamation Miarate data, install 4J's & Coonos 7,7t!G.OO
11/3/2004 SunGard Pentamation Airfare chanae fee for cancelled trainino 2OQ.OO
11/1 0/2004 SunGard Pentamation Install Financial,Community & Informix 5,250.00
12/22/2004 SunGard Pentamation GFPRIA 11 ,456.25
FY'05 Total to date $ 106,171..
$ 147,020..
$ 111,000.94
$ 33,632.05
$ 2,387.56
$ 147,020.55
172,336.00
25,000.00
35,325.00
25,000.00
425.00
16,914.00
$ 275,000.00
Grand Total to date
SunGard Pentamation
Sirius Computer
Other Vendors
Anticipated costs approved for computer system upgrade - May 2004
SunGard Pentamation
Travel costs for training - SunGard Pentamation personnel
Sirius - hardware
Staff OT & extra hours for Part time
"Dumb" terminal for server console
Contingency
Total anticipated costs:
3/17/05
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