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Chairperson Varner asked Bob Allen if having studied the RFP, did he feel the present IT <br />Department could handle the requirements? Allen felt they could. Varner also expressed <br />his opinion that the city was not receiving full and fair payback on its investment in <br />Metronet. As an aside he asked if the IT Department pulled permits when they install <br />low-voltage wire? Allen's answer was no, they just do it. Bob's final word was that he <br />felt each department softwaze needs were unique. The current IT staff helped develop, <br />implement, and now services these data processing tasks better and more cost-effectively <br />than anyone else. The IT Department currently has four people in the County-City <br />Building, three at the police department, two at Parks, one and half at the Water Works <br />and one at the Fire Department. <br />Chairperson Varner noting that responses to the RFP were due May 4~' asked Fanello <br />what she saw as a timeframe for reviewing the responses. Fanello asked if she could first <br />provide some background information so that everyone could understand the rationale <br />behind the issuance of the RFP. Because of the looming budget constraints she was <br />looking at each department for cost savings. This process involves identifying what <br />services are provided, how, by whom, and at what cost. With these benchmarks analysis <br />can help determine whether there may be ways to provide services more effectively and <br />efficiently. Are there better ways of doing things. We need to be able to compare other <br />ways and costs of providing necessary services. The RFP can provide a basis for <br />comparison and a way of determining "best practices." Shall we continue "as is" contract <br />for services, or develop some hybrid. Setting benchmarks, identifying alternatives, and <br />evaluating should be a necessary and worthwhile process. Catherine maintained. She <br />emphasized we needed to be "open-minded" when striving for "best practices", meaning <br />we may have to be open to change in how we do things and who does them. Decisions <br />cannot be made in a vacuum. <br />Oliver Davis and Derek Dieter expressed concerns about the RFP process, that is, the <br />objectivity of the need assessments. Fanello maintained the RFP process would serve as <br />away of finding out what was out there, what would best fit South Bend's needs. <br />Councilmember Oliver Davis wondered if this "best practices" information was available <br />by asking other communities what they are doing. Fanello stated each community's <br />needs and present practices were unique and not really comparable. Councilmember <br />Oliver Davis wondered whether we should be asking people who want to sell us <br />something what it is we need. Wouldn't they have a bias? Fanello maintained this <br />process was a valid way of finding out what is out there... a common practice in the <br />private sector... all a part of gathering information to give one the basis for making <br />informed decisions. <br />Councilmember Rouse suggested a better approach might be to hire a consultant who <br />would not have a vendor's bias. Fanello said the city had previously done this through <br />Crowe Horwath. Rouse questioned Crowe's capability and the fact that their study was <br />now dated being at least six (6) years old. His concern was for our own IT people being <br />overlooked and not getting a fair shake. Catherine defended the capability of Crowe in <br />assessing technology needs. <br />