To: Board of Supervisors
From: Marc Shorr, Information Technology Director
Report Title: Execute a Purchase Order with IBM
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Purchasing Agent, on behalf of the Chief Information Officer, to execute a purchase order with IBM in an amount not to exceed $175,000 for the renewal of Monthly License Charge software, maintenance and support, supporting County data management security, performance monitoring, and application development, subject to the terms of IBM’s Customer Agreement and International Program License Agreement, for the period of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost of this product is included in the Department’s FY 26-27 budget. (100% User Departments.)
BACKGROUND:
The Department of Information Technology’s (DoIT) Operations and Enterprise Services team manages the County’s mainframe system, including the maintenance and support of essential software. IBM’s Monthly License Charge (MLC) software products are critical to the County’s z/OS mainframe environment, supporting key functions such as data management, security, enterprise printing, performance monitoring, and application development.
Key IBM MLC products include the z/OS Version 2 Base operating system, DFSORT, Infoprint Server for z/OS, Resource Measurement Facility (RMF), System Display and Search Facility (SDSF), Security Server (RACF), Enterprise COBOL, AFP Download Plus, Print Services Facility (PSF), Customer Information Control System Transaction Server (CICS TS), Print Services Access Facility (PSAF), Page Printer Formatting Aid/370 (PPFA/370), Object Graphics Library/370 (OGL/370), and Ditto System/360-370. These tools enable efficient system operations, secure data handling, high-volume printing, and robust application and transaction processing.
IBM provides sole-source services as the products are highly customized for the County’s mainframe system. DoIT is continuing with IBM to ensure service continuity.
IBM’s Customer Agreement (ICA) contains a limitation of liability to the greater of $100,000 or the charges for the product or service involved in the claim (with 12 months' charges applying if recurring).
IBM’s International Program License Agreement (IPLA) caps IBM’s liability at the amount paid for the program in question, with a maximum of twelve months’ charges if fees are recurring.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Without these software solutions, the County’s z/OS mainframe environment may face increased operational challenges, such as reduced efficiency, potential security vulnerabilities, performance limitations, and added complexity in managing system resources and applications. Over time, this could contribute to higher operational costs, a greater risk of system downtime, and possible challenges in maintaining compliance with industry regulations.