Information

Type: Deliberation

Department: IT - Information Technology

Directors' Update: March 31, 2021

Business Meeting: April 6, 2021

Summary:

In 2008, the Board of County Commissioners and the Lewis County Information Technology Services division entered into an agreement through the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services (DES), previously known as the Department of Information Services, with Microsoft Corporation for network management software, desktop software, and various other products. The County had previously used Novell network management products, which was coming to an "end-of-life".

The County went through a rigorous process to determine the best and most cost-effective way to migrate between these two technologies and made the original purchase through an existing Washington State contract. As a local governmental agency, the County can purchase and maintain Microsoft products at a significantly reduced rate through this state contract.

Each year, this agreement requires amendments and updates to ensure the correct number of licenses are in place. This process is known as an annual "TrueUp".  The agreements are also on a 3-year term, which a new term began in 2020. 

This resolution authorizes the Information Technology Services Director or his designee to renew this agreement with DES, or their appointed vendor, currently, Insight for the annual Software Assurance and TrueUp of all licenses and software.

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Resolution

WHEREAS, in 2008, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) entered into a licensing purchase and software assurance agreement to replace the County’s aging network management and email systems with a system suitable to meet current and future requirements; and

WHEREAS, over the course of many months, the Executive Steering Committee, with the leadership of IT Services, explored options within the industry. The committee selected the Microsoft Active Directory network solution, the Microsoft desktop and Office solutions, and the Microsoft Exchange email solution as the most effective products to meet this need; and

WHEREAS, as a local governmental agency, Lewis County has the ability to purchase these products at a discounted rate through the Department of Enterprise Solutions (DES); and

WHEREAS, the BOCC approved this purchase and ongoing Software Assurance through the IT Services inter-fund rates; and

WHEREAS, should the need for future contract amendments and/or change orders occur, the BOCC has granted authority to department Directors by Resolution No. 21-038, to bind the County in amounts up to $50,000.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the BOCC hereby authorizes the Director of Information Technology Services or his designee to sign the year 2 Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (MS EA) renewal with DES, or their designated reseller, in excess of the above-mentioned $50,000 limitation.  2021 year 2 renewal cost is $134,958.32 plus applicable sales tax.

DONE IN OPEN SESSION this 6th day of April, 2021.