Title
Information Technologies Department recommending the Board:
1) Make findings in accordance with Procurement Policy C-17, Section 3.4 (4), that the purchase with ePlus Technology Inc. is exempt from Competitive Bidding due to a competitively bid agreement being utilized;
2) Authorize the use of competitively bid Utah NASPO ValuePoint Master Agreement AR3229 and California Participating Addendum 7-20-70-47-06 between Palo Alto Networks, Inc. and the State of Utah as the lead public agency for the competitively bid services for the renewal of Palo Alto Firewall support services for the County’s firewall infrastructure;
3) Approve and authorize the Purchasing Agent to issue a Purchase Order to ePlus Technology Inc. in the amount of $396,345.90 for the purchase of Palo Alto Firewall Support for the period of October 6, 2023, through June 10, 2025; and
4) Approve and authorize the Director of Information Technologies or Assistant Director of Information Technologies to sign Quote 23013379 and subsequent purchase documents that do not extend the term of the services or increase the amount of the purchase order.
FUNDING: General Fund, with partial cost recovery in future years through the A-87 Cost Plan.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
In computing, a firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. A firewall typically establishes a barrier between physical and logical network segments.
The Information Technologies (IT) Department currently employs internal firewalls at several County locations which significantly reduce our cyber risk by creating additional security barriers between El Dorado County business departments. These firewalls are a critical component of the County's continued efforts to maintain existing technology infrastructure to provide flexible, fast, secure virtual workspace for all employees to be able to work from any device or location. The firewalls help provide network redundancy, resiliency, and business continuity objectives.
The Utah NASPO ValuePoint Master Agreement AR3229 is a competitively bid agreement with Palo Alto Networks, Inc. for data communications products and services. The State of California Participating Addendum 7-20-70-47-06 allows local governments to use the master agreement through September 30, 2024, for routers, switches, security firewalls, and storage networking products and services. Purchasing Policy C-17, Section 3.4 (4) allows for the exemption from competitive bidding when utilizing a contract that uses a competitive bidding process substantially the same as the County’s process.
The Participating Addendum allows for authorized resellers for sales and service functions. The County has identified ePlus as an authorized reseller under the agreements. The recommended purchase includes the purchase of Palo Alto Firewall Support for the period of October 6, 2023, through June 10, 2025.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could decide not to approve this purchase.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
17-1216 - Firewall upgrades for end-of-life equipment
20-1013 & 20-1158 - CARES purchase approvals that included two Palo Alto Networks firewalls for the internet bandwidth upgrade project to increase teleworking capabilities.
21-0558 - On April 20, 2021, the Board authorized the Purchasing Agent to issue a purchase order to ePlus Technology Inc., under the Utah NASPO ValuePoint Master Agreement AR3229 and California Participating Addendum 7-20-70-47-06, in the amount of $132,612 plus applicable taxes and shipping, for the purchase of Palo Alto Firewall equipment, three-year support and maintenance, and consultation services.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Procurement & Contracts
County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The IT Department Fiscal Year 2023-24 Budget contains sufficient appropriations for this cost. Future years costs will be budgeted appropriately.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance, Infrastructure
CONTACT
Tonya Digiorno, Director of Information Technologies