COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Information Services Department

DATE:

April 19, 2011

BOARD MEETING DATE:

May 10, 2011

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Chris Flatmoe, CIO/Director of Information Services

SUBJECT:

Invitation To Bid process in Support of Five-Year, Tax Exempt Lease Agreements

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution authorizing the County Purchasing Agent to enter into five-year, tax-exempt leases for Personal Computers (PCs) and laptops through the Invitation To Bid (ITB) process.

BACKGROUND:

The Information Services Department (ISD) provides County departments with PC and laptop purchasing support and maintenance. In Fiscal Year 2008-09, the County extended the useful life for all PC’s from three years to five years. Currently, the County is only able to enter into three-year leases.

DISCUSSION:

The Purchasing Department is currently working on a Request For Proposals (RFP) for a master lease for PC’s with a five year term. This master lease should be in place at the end of FY 2010-11. Once in place, the Countywide, five year master lease will enable departments to distribute the cost of devices over the period of five years.

While this master lease RFP is in progress, ISD is recommending that Purchasing be allowed to enter into five-year leases with vendors selected through the ITB process. The ITB process concurrently supports a time-sensitive need to acquire PC’s as well as the County’s competitive bid requirement.

County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Resolution as to form and content.

Approval of this Resolution contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Collaborative Community by making available to all County Departments a leasing vehicle that will distribute the cost of computing equipment over multiple fiscal years, eliminating one-time spikes associated with computing equipment purchases.

Performance Measure(s):

Measure

FY 2009-10
Actual

FY 2010-11
Projected

Number of County IT end-point devices:

6,443

6,300

Percent of time information and technology services available

99.9%

99.8%

FISCAL IMPACT:

Leases of PCs and laptops will come from departmental appropriations. There is no obligation on the part of the County to lease any amount or type of equipment as a result of this action.