To: Board of Supervisors
From: John Kopchik, Director, Conservation and Development
Report Title: Contract with Gray Quarter, Inc.
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Conservation and Development (DCD) Director, or designee, to execute a contract with Gray Quarter, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $800,000 to provide support assistance for the Accela Civic Platform (Accela) permit system for the period June 1, 2024 through May 31, 2029.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No impact to the County General Fund. Costs will be covered by revenues from development application fees.
BACKGROUND:
Gray Quarter is a consulting company that provides 2nd tier managed services (technical support) and professional services for the custom configuration, scripting or enhancement of features within the Accela system (the building/planning/code enforcement/public works application tracking and permitting system). Gray Quarter’s services include guidance and knowledge transfer for Department driven enhancements to the Accela Automation system for staff users and public users. The addition of Gray Quarter’s services will help DCD Information Technology (IT) employees ensure the Accela system continues to run effectively for staff processing applications and for the public users applying for permits/applications online via the ePermits Center portal. All services for custom configuration, scripting or enhancement changes will be specified and approved by DCD IT employees.
Gray Quarter is an expert in Accela Automation and are Certified Professional Services Partners. The Department wishes to use Gray Quarter’s services when assistance is needed outside of the basic Accela support services. DCD’s Information System Programmers will be able to use Gray Quarter for assistance in scripting and customizing the Department’s Accela Automation system. Our current staff do not have the expertise to perform some of the scripting and customization without assistance. Gray Quarter also has the knowledge of how the system can be customized and best practices that can be shared with staff. This agreement with Gray Quarter will provide County staff the support they need to make our system even better.
The proposed services will provide ongoing support to our Information System Programmers and enable them to be more productive and remain current even as technology and demand keeps changing. DCD IT staff will be working closely with Gray Quarter, allowing them the opportunity to record and document the advanced procedures Gray Quarter conducts. This aspect of the contract is crucial for DCD IT staff as it allows them to learn additional scripting and upgrade options in Accela.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this contract is not approved, the Department will not have a dedicated resource and immediate 2nd tier support/response for issues that may occur within the Accela system. The Department will have to resort to utilizing only Accela, Inc. 1st tier support, which does not cover any customized scripting/process that has been developed by DCD IT staff. Using Accela, Inc. 1st tier support will take longer to provide responses or possible resolutions to issues and, if custom scripting is involved, there would be additional cost to the County. The Department will need to scope services with Accela, Inc. for any customization, scripting or enhancement changes beyond what is covered by the basic Accela, Inc. 1st tier support and wait indefinitely for available Accela, Inc. resources.