TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Michael A. Hursh, General Manager
SUBJECT: GIRO Contract Award for Hastus Software Upgrade and Hosting Services
ACTION ITEM
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider authorizing the General Manager to negotiate and execute multiple sole source contracts with GIRO, Inc. for Hastus Software Licenses, Professional Services for Hastus upgrade, and Cloud Hosting Services.
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - Financial Stability and Resiliency
Initiative - Service Quality
The Hastus software is used to design and manage bus service based on the Bus Operator workforce and bus coach availability. Hastus supports the financial and service quality strategic goals by 1) ensuring that plans for bus service meet the financial parameters, and workforce rules resulting from collective bargaining agreements; and 2) producing transit bus schedules and map-based service data required by numerous operational systems at the District.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
The Fiscal Year 2022/2023 Capital Improvement Program includes an allocation of $ 2.9 million for the Hastus Upgrade Project. These funds would be used for a new service license agreement that includes upgrading thirteen (13) Hastus software modules; software maintenance service fees; and newly implemented cloud hosting services.
Hastus Upgrade Software Licenses Contract $500,000
Professional Services $1,560,000
IT Cloud Hosting Services $300,000 first year
($1,250,000 over 5 years)
Third party services and hardware/software $540,000
The software application maintenance fees and cloud services hosting agreements contain a 3% equitable adjustment for potential cost of living and labor rate increases. This is consistent with prior GIRO contracts. Ongoing maintenance costs and hosting fees will be included in the annual operating and maintenance budget for the Innovation and Technology Department.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
Hastus is the District’s mission-critical enterprise software application used to plan bus service, Bus Operator workforce needs and is also the data source of all website and customer-facing details regarding bus service. Hastus is used to determine bus service hours and workforce requirements based on District financial constraints and contractual business rules.
Hastus software also contains the baseline data required for Key Performance Indicator (KPI) reporting, CAD/AVL schedule, Real-Time predictions, District website schedules, audio annunciation and trip planning applications.
Upgrading the current Hastus software from V 2012 to V 2022 will deliver technologies that improve data accuracy, software performance and reporting. This includes data exchange (interface) improvements with Clever Devices, PeopleSoft Payroll and Human Resources (HR) modules, and future software deployments that require Hastus schedule and map-based geographic information system data. This upgrade will be applied to all thirteen (13) Hastus modules now in production at AC Transit. This upgrade is critically needed, as the current version of Hastus 2012 is out of warranty and support.
The Hastus upgrade represents a continued investment and organizational use of this GIRO software product. The contract amendments supporting this Hastus Upgrade project satisfy the justification of a sole source contract given that no alternative suppliers exist due to the proprietary nature of the Hastus software and current GIRO software license agreement. The District’s investment in and use of Hastus since 2001 throughout the current operations also meets the requirements as outlined in Board Policy 465, since the District would incur substantial duplication of costs that are not expected to be recovered through open competition. Alternatively, if the contractor does not provide reasonable terms and conditions, then the District has the right to terminate negotiations and not implement these services.
ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:
Awarding the contracts to GIRO means that critical business software is upgraded and maintained to the best solution and builds on the District’s prior investments in staff knowledge, user and network infrastructure and staff training since 2001.
There are no disadvantages to awarding the contracts to GIRO.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS:
No alternative suppliers exist due to the proprietary nature of the Hastus software and the current GIRO software license agreement. If the software upgrade is not approved, business operations will be running on an unsupported software platform.
PRIOR RELEVANT BOARD ACTION/POLICIES:
SR 21-022 - Report on IT Department Major Projects and IT Strategic Plan Annual Report
Board Policy 465 - Procurement Policy
District Budget FY 22/23; Capital Budget Request
ATTACHMENTS:
None
Prepared by:
Patricia Broadbent, Senior Project Manager
In Collaboration with:
Manjit Sooch, Director of System and Software Development
Michael Silk, Assistant Director of Procurement and Materials
Approved/Reviewed by:
Fred Walls, Director of Procurement and Materials
Ahsan Baig, Chief Information Officer
Jill A. Sprague, General Counsel
Chris Andrichak, Chief Financial Officer