Agenda

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C. 50

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Marc Shorr, Chief Information Officer
Date:	May 23, 2023

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Contract with AT&T Corp for network engineer services

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 05/23/2023

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Ken Carlson, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Sarah Bunnell, 925-608-4023

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: May 23, 2023
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Chief Information Officer, or designee, to execute a contract with AT&T Corp. utilizing the California Department of Technology Agreement with AT&T Corp. for network engineer support services in an amount not to exceed $2,800,000 for the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The cost for this contract is within the Department of Information Technology’s budget. (100% User Departments)

BACKGROUND:

Contra Costa County historically operated its wide area network (WAN) infrastructure utilizing a self-staffed model, whereby the Department of Information Technology has been responsible for this function, including staffing, technology, and process. The WAN infrastructure serves as the critical backbone over which all County IT systems are accessed by County employees. Currently, the WAN infrastructure function is staffed using three separate contracting agencies, with the County still bearing the burden of identifying, managing, and training these contract personnel at a high cost. This contract will enable the Department of Information Technology to use a single managed service provider, AT&T, to support the network infrastructure of Contra Costa County, and offers a cost-effective and flexible solution for managing this complex network infrastructure environment. Benefits of utilizing this model include increased expertise, scalability to increase/decrease onsite staff when needed, 24/7 support availability, increased security, more proactive maintenance, and access to the latest technologies and best practices.

Managed services providers can offer a comprehensive team of experts that can provide round-the-clock coverage, even in the case of staff shortages or turnover. Departments such as public safety require uninterrupted coverage to ensure the safety and well-being of the community. This managed service will provide 24/7 monitoring and support, ensuring that network issues are addressed promptly and efficiently. Additionally, utilizing this managed service ensures that departments receive consistent high-quality service. AT&T will have the resources and expertise to provide the latest technologies and best practices for network infrastructure management. This contract with AT&T will incorporate by reference the existing agreement between AT&T and the California Department of Technology (CalNET), including the hourly rates for network engineer services set for the in the CalNET contract.

This recommendation serves to move to a model where the County would leverage a single managed service provider, leveraging the State of California’s pre-bid CalNet contracting mechanism to support the County’s wide area network infrastructure, in comparison with attempting to staff and manage the environment in-house.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If this agreement is not approved, the County will continue to have difficulty maintaining the wide area network.