Primary Department: Universal Services
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Sindhu Menon - Executive Director and CIO
Managing Department: Universal Services
Managing Department Head/Elected Official: Sindhu Menon - Executive Director and CIO
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Investment Memo
Investment Memo Type: Final Investment Memo
Project Name: Mission Critical Systems to Cloud Disaster Recovery Infrastructure
Project ID (if applicable): NI052
Vendor Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Achievement (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): Choose an item.
Incremental Authorization Requested: $1,700,000
Total Estimated Project Cost: $2,850,000 (FY26-FY27)
Request Summary:
title
Request for approval of a Final Investment Memo for the Mission Critical Systems to Cloud Disaster Recovery Infrastructure project, for an incremental amount of $1,700,000, for a total authorization of $2,596,400, and commercial paper funding in the amount of $1,100,000 for a total allocation of $2,000,000.
end
Project Description:
This project is for Mission Critical Systems to be replicated in the Information Technology Disaster Recovery Cloud environment as a redundant backup. This investment will help restore mission critical systems and data, minimizing downtime and potential data loss and allow IT infrastructure to continue operations in case of a major incident, cyber-attack, natural or human-made disaster.
This project will focus on design, develop, migrate, deploy, and manage the mission critical applications in Cloud Infrastructure, along with the different services that are needed to run Harris County Information Technology operations seamlessly. The project will cover top-tier Harris County applications and planning to avoid Information Technology disruption.
Anticipated Project Expenditures and Timeline:
|
Project Scope Breakdown |
Estimated Cost |
Estimated Completion |
|
Infrastructure Implementations to enable applications to work when HC network is down includes BA, PM, Cloud Engineer/Architect |
$1,100,000 |
June 2026 |
|
Non-Justice/Non-Public Safety Mission Critical applications to Cloud Disaster Recovery IT Infrastructure (Design, Develop, Migrate, Deploy) |
$200,000 |
August 2026 |
|
Justice/Public Safety Mission Critical applications to Cloud Disaster Recovery IT Infrastructure (Design, Develop, Migrate, Deploy) |
$400,000 |
May 2026 |
Justification & Alternatives:
Key advantage to Harris County will be to enhance the county’s ability to mitigate operational risks and enhance its ability to support Mission Critical Systems in the event of a cyber-attack, natural or man-made disaster. As these are proprietary systems, the alternate solution would be an expensive self-managed environment which still leaves the risk with Harris County.
Anticipated Impact on Other Funds (If Applicable):
|
Fund Code |
Description |
Estimated Cost |
Funding Method (Existing or Future Budget Request Required) |
Estimated Date of Needs |
|
1000 |
Justice/Public Safety Mission Critical applications to Cloud DR IT Infrastructure Subscriptions & Maintenance |
$200,000 |
|
FY2027- |
|
1000 |
Non-Justice/Non- Public Safety Mission Critical applications to Cloud DR IT Infrastructure Subscriptions & Maintenance |
$100,000 |
|
FY2027- |
|
1000 |
Infrastructure Subscription and Maintenance |
$225,000 |
|
FY2026 |
County Strategic Plan Goal: 5. Minimize the impact of climate change and disasters.
County Strategic Plan Objective: R: Enhance disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and resiliency.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): N/A
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): R3: Strengthen the County’s emergency response function.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Previous Court Action:
|
Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
|
1/23/2025 |
25-0491 |
Request for approval of the Final Investment Memo for the Mission Critical Systems to Cloud Disaster Recovery Infrastructure project for an initial authorization of $896,400 and request for commercial paper funding in the amount of $900,000. |
Address:
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
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Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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$ |
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Total Current Budget |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Additional Budget Request |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$1,100,000 |
$1,100,000 |
$ |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
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$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$1,100,000 |
$1,100,000 |
$ |
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Total Funding Request |
$ |
$1,100,000 |
$1,100,000 |
$ |
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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: 10/16/2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Disaster Recovery related item
Legal funding compliance confirmed by: Paige Abernathy, Special Assistant County Attorney, 9/9/2025
Department Approval by: Heather Merkel, Universal Services Director of Budget, 9/30/2025
OMB CIP Team Approval by: William McGuinness, Director-Capital Projects & Infrastructure, 9/23/2025
________________________________________
Commercial Paper Request (For OMB use only):
Receiving Department: Universal Services
Project PeopleSoft ID: NI052
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 Mission Critical Systems to Cloud Disaster Recovery Infrastructure project and is expected to be repaid within the next three fiscal years either through bonds, budgetary means or pay-as-you-go sources.
Note: Commercial Paper is issued in increments of $5,000 and the excess is not available to be spent by the department.
OMB Financial Management contact: Amy Perez, Deputy Executive Director, Office of Management and Budget