Lori I Day, Director of Human Resources and Administrative Services

Mark Curry, Manager of Technology Strategy and Applications

A Resolution approving the purchase of network firewall hardware and licenses from SHI International Corporation

Issue statement:  The Information Technology Services (ITS) division of the Human Resources Department has identified the need to enhance the City's firewall infrastructure to upgrade network security.  Upgrading the network firewall infrastructure will better protect data, network operations, and computers from unauthorized access.  The upgrade was identified as a Business Plan Initiative (BPI) of the division and approved as part of the Fiscal Year 22 budget by the City Commission. 

Recommended Action:  The City Commission  adopt a resolution approving the purchase of new network firewall hardware and licenses from SHI International in the amount of $48,255 utilizing the National Intergovernmental Purchasing Alliance/OMNIA Partners Contract #2018011-02.

In FY21, two independent contractors, Hazelton Engineering and SHI International Corporation, performed evaluations of the City's overall Information Technology security posture. Best practices in network security support the need for regular evaluations of this type. As part of this evaluation, it was determined that there existed an opportunity to improve the City’s network security by upgrading the network firewalls. Enhanced firewall infrastructure helps protect City data networks and computers from unauthorized access, and are enhancements to the network's hardware. A related purchase item on this agenda will be for the enhancement of the City's anti-virus software. 

Funding for this BPI was requested and approved as part of the FY22 budget process. The purchase will be made utilizing (piggybacking) the National Intergovernmental Purchasing Alliance/OMNIA Partners Contract #2018011-02 between lead agency Mesa, Arizona and SHI International Corporation, effective March 1, 2018 through February 28, 2023.

As shown in the attached quotation from SHI, the total cost for both software and hardware upgrade of the IT network firewall is $48,255.  Sufficient funds are included in the Operating Budget of the ITS Division for this upgrade and the expenditure was identified as a Business Plan Initiative furthering the Strategic Plan's Infrastructure Needs Performance Area. 

The proposed expenditure is as follows:

Network firewall hardware and licenses from SHI International Corporation