Posting Language
Title
Ratify a contract for data protection software with Freeit Data Solutions Inc., in the amount of $171,000.
[Note: This contract is exempt from the City Code Chapter 2-9B (Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program); therefore, no subcontracting goals were established].
Body
Lead Department
Financial Services Department.
Client Department(s)
Communications and Technology Management.
Fiscal Note
Funding was available in the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Operating Budget of Communications and Technology Management.
Purchasing Language:
Ratification.
For More Information:
Direct questions regarding this Recommendation for Council Action to the Financial Services Department - Central Procurement at FSDCentralProcurementRCAs@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2500.
Additional Backup Information:
This contract was for Varonis data protection software, a data security software platform allows the City to manage and protect unstructured data. Varonis performs user behavior analytics that identifies abnormal behavior from cyberattacks and extracts metadata from an enterprise’s information technology infrastructure, using this information to map relationships among employees, data objects, content, and usage.
The contract was established for $57,000 per year for annual maintenance payments over the 3-year term. Due to the dollar amount, the contract was awarded under the City Manager’s authority and did not require Council approval. Payment was mistakenly made to the contractor for all three years at once causing a one-time expenditure that exceeded the City Manager’s authority. This ratification will correct for that one-time payment exceeding the City Manager’s authority.
The Texas Department of Information Resources cooperative is a cooperative purchasing association recognized under Texas procurement statutes. Cooperative associations, themselves or using a lead government, competitively solicit and award contracts that are eligible for use by other qualified state and local governments. Due to their substantial volumes, larger than any one government could achieve independently, cooperative contracts routinely include superior terms, conditions, and pricing. Use of cooperative contracts also results in lower administrative costs and time savings.