Department: Universal Services
Department Head: Sindhu Menon, Executive Director & County CIO
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Investment Memo
Investment Memo Type: Preliminary Investment Memo
Project Name: Countywide Hardware Purchase
Project ID (if applicable): TBD
Vendor Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Current Achievement (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Managing Entity: Universal Services
Incremental Authorization Requested: $2,100,000
Total Estimated Project Cost (FY25-FY26): $2.1 million+
Request Summary:
title
Request for approval of the Preliminary Investment Memo for the Countywide Hardware Purchases project for an initial authorization of $2,100,000 and request for approval of commercial paper funding in the amount of $2,100,000.
end
Project Description:
Today, with the lack of Asset Management Program, there is significant redundancy, duplication and inefficiencies in technology roll out and management.
Harris County Universal Services has initiated an Asset Management Program that will optimize IT spend across different assets. Standardizing laptop and computer purchases for Harris County will be part of the first phase of this program. The asset management program will also help with risk mitigation.
Through volume purchases and price agreements, Universal Services will be able to better cost control expenditures. This project supports the Budget Policy for Countywide computer purchases and aligns with the IT Asset Management Policy adopted by Harris County Universal Services. The pilot will prioritize department roll-out, resources are identified and serve as a model for future department roll outs.
Project Scope:
Phase I of the Countywide Software and Hardware Asset Management Program will execute the laptop rollout pilot along with O365 license optimization.
This pilot will enable the purchase of approximately 650 new laptop or desktop solutions with an estimated cost of $1,750,000. Universal Services will order and deploy these solutions to agencies including justice and law enforcement agencies within the next six months. The pilot will also include rolling out laptops with standardized endpoint security to district courts.
This is the first ask, and Universal Services will return to Commissioners Court for future funding requests for hardware as the Asset Management Program is implemented, this initial pilot wraps up, and various analyses are completed. Universal Services will be in a better position to estimate near-term future costs after completion of this pilot phase.
Justification:
Projections of Harris County available General Funds suggest that, in most scenarios, unless action is taken, spending will exceed available resources within the next 5 years. Harris County’s financial outlook presented by Harris County’s Office of Management and Budget identifies potential cost and revenue levers that would alleviate projected headwinds. Six priority areas were shared with Commissioner Court June 2024 and were voted unanimously in favor to move towards detailed planning & implementation.
Technology asset management was one of the key identified areas.
Alternatives and Engagement:
Alternatives to this project would include leaving hardware purchases as they are currently done in a very inefficient manner. The duplication of efforts that results in wastage of resource time and significantly high payments to the vendor will continue, thus resulting in increased risk and costs to the County. This will also cause unwarranted delays due to outdated architecture.
Anticipated Project Expenditures and Timeline:
|
Scope of Work |
Estimated Cost |
Estimated Completion |
|
Purchase of 650 laptop / desktop bundles |
$1,750,000 |
2025 |
|
Contingency (20%) |
350,000 |
2025 |
|
Total |
$2,100,000 |
|
Contingency is higher than normal for IT projects due to this being a pilot. As the Asset Management program is implemented, it is expected that the contingency amount will become a smaller percentage of project value.
Alignment with Goal(s):
X Justice and Safety
_ Economic Opportunity
_ Housing
_ Public Health
_ Transportation
_ Flooding
_ Environment
X Governance and Customer Service
Previous Court Action:
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Address: Multiple
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Existing Budget |
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Total Current Budget |
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Additional Budget Request |
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Commercial Paper |
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$2,100,000 |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
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$2,100,000 |
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Total Funding Request |
$ |
$2,100,000 |
$2,100,000 |
$ |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
- |
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Additional Positions Request |
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Total Personnel |
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Anticipated Court Date: 11/12/2024
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date):
Legal funding compliance confirmed by: Paige Abernathy, Assistant County Attorney, 10/31/2024
Department Approval by: Heather Merkel, 11/4/2024
OMB CIP Team Approval by: William McGuinness, Director-Capital Projects & Infrastructure, 11/1/2024
Commercial Paper Request (For OMB use only):
Receiving Department: Universal Services
Project PeopleSoft ID: TBD
CP Series Description: Commercial Paper Series D can be used for (1) construction of public works, (2) the purchase of automobiles, equipment and machinery, including computers, materials and supplies for the operation of the County’s precincts and departments (3) Professional services, including services provided by engineers, architects, attorneys, auditors, financial advisors, and fiscal agents, in connection with the contractual obligations described in (1) and (2).
Commercial Paper is being requested for the Countywide Hardware Purchases project and is expected to be repaid within the next three fiscal years either through bonds, budgetary means or pay-as-you-go sources.
OMB Financial Management contact: Amy Perez, Deputy Executive Director, Office of Management and Budget