Recommend approval of Contract Modification No. 1 for Professional Services for City Works Computer Maintenance Management System with Woolpert, Inc.  in the amount of $75,397. This cost includes both the integration ($57,397) and the upgrade ($18,000).

The original contract was by Public Works and Water Resources to use Woolpert, Inc. to integrate the MS Govern billing software into the City Works Computer Maintenance Management System (CMMS) for Water Distributions operations. This will allow the City Works software to communicate with the Water Utilities Services MS Govern billing information, meter inventory and meter specifics. This modification is needed because City Works is requiring an upgrade as well as an integration with the MS Govern application. The current agreement with Woolpert pertains to the connection of Govern with City Works. This contract will use Woolpert to upgrade our City Works version to 15.5.6, so the City’s Backflow program has newer technology to help them with their workflows. The upgrade will provide continued technical support as the vendor no longer supports the current version. This will ensure the upgrade is vetted and tested, then Woolpert will push/copy the final product over into City Works Production. Woolpert will complete the following tasks: schedule a time for upgrades, make sure all links and databases are transferred properly, verify backup is stored, testing within the City, verify the upgrade is secure and safe, train City IT employees and other staff for future upgrades.

The upgrade will further allow the Water Distribution City Works Implementation to include the Water Distribution Backflow Program.  Over 10,000 backflow devices are presently connected to the City Water Distribution system.  The Georgia EPD (Environmental Protection Division) of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) defines Cross-Connection as any physical piping arrangement whereby a public water system is or may be connected directly or indirectly with a non-potable water system or non-permitted water system, sewer, drain, conduit, pool, storage reservoir, plumbing fixture, or other device which contains or may contain contaminated water of unknown or unsafe quality.  These type of connections may be capable of imparting contamination to the public water system and compromise public health as the result of backflow, bypass arrangements, removable sections, changeover devices, or other temporary or permanent connections through which or because of which back-flow or back-siphonage may occur.  The Rules and Regulations for Safe Drinking Water, Chapter 391-3-5-13, mandate that a supplier of water  having possession or control of facilities which may cause the contamination of a public water system has the responsibility to prevent water from unapproved sources or any contaminants from entering the public water system.  This is accomplished with backflow devices.  The objective of the Cross-Connection Control Policy is to protect the Savannah Municipal Supply from contamination. As water purveyors, the City of Savannah Water Resource Department must plan and diligently execute a program of cross-connection control which either eliminates all cross-connections or requires the installation and maintenance of a proper type of approved backflow prevention device at the water service connection whenever a potential hazard is determined to exist in the customer system.  The Water Resources Department’s cross-connections policy does not preclude any inspections or requirements that may be the responsibility of the City of Savannah Plumbing Inspections Department.  The Inspections Department will continue to execute the existing program to inspect and prevent plumbing type cross-connection within the establishment.

As mandated by State Law, the City of Savannah Water and Sewer Bureau (now the Water Resources Department) will prevent the backflow of contaminants into the public water supply by containing the potential contaminant at the service connection.  This Policy of containment is necessary due to changes in models or components of equipment, methods of manufacturing and additions to plants, buildings, etc., which require changes in water requirements.  As a result, new cross-connections may be installed and existing internal protection may be by-passed, removed, or otherwise become inefficient.  Therefore, containment of the system at the service connection provides continual protection regardless of any water line modification within the establishment.

 This contract was originally approved by Council on May 14, 2020 in the amount of $150,000.  The total amount of this contract to date, including this modification, is $225,397.

Recommend approval of Contract Modification No. 1 for Professional Services for City Works Computer Maintenance Management System with Woolpert, Inc. in the amount of $75,397.

Approval