San Rafael, CA – After more than four years of research and due diligence, the County of Marin has reached a tentative agreement on a new software system to support the administrative functions of the County’s business operations, including budgeting, accounting, purchasing, payroll and human resources management.
The Board of Supervisors plans to discuss the item at its December 9 meeting to consider a $14 million project budget to implement a new finance, payroll and human resources system using Tyler Technologies software. The Board is being asked to authorize a contract with Tyler Technologies worth $8,171,357 as part of the ATOM project, short for Administrative Technologies of Marin.
The agreement is the culmination of extensive work by hundreds of County employees throughout the County and led by the departments of Finance, Information Services and Technology, Human Resources and the County Administrator Office. An exhaustive, 18-month review of the County’s business and technical needs concluded that the County could enhance its business processes and save the County money over the long run.
Following review by an executive steering committee of department directors, a working group of citizen experts from other government agencies and a subcommittee of the Board of Supervisors, Texas-based Tyler Technologies was the recommended vendor for the project. Founded in 1966, Tyler is the largest software company in the nation solely focused on providing integrated software and technology services to the public sector agencies including cities, counties, states and school districts.
Prior to choosing Tyler Technologies, County reviewers considered vendors based on experience, software functionality, costs, implementation approaches, input from employees who will use the system, and ongoing savings. Finalists gave project product demonstrations in February and March 2014, and Tyler Technologies was found to be the best choice to help staff respond to the changing workforce and modernize service delivery. In June 2014, staff received Board support to enter into contract negotiations with Tyler Technologies.
“We have done our very best up to this point, but we know that we have a lot of work ahead of us to be successful,” said Roy Given, the County’s Finance Director.
The County implemented an SAP software system in 2006. Although it remains in use today and handles basic tasks, the system never achieved the desired functionality. In August 2010, the Board of Supervisors approved the exploration of a replacement system rather than upgrading the SAP system. More details were explained in a staff report presented to the Supervisors.
The value of the Tyler contract is not to exceed $8,171,357. The total allocation of $14,057,370 from the General Fund would cover internal costs such as additional staffing, equipment and third-party support. The one-time expenditure would be allocated from previously designated funds set aside to replace the SAP system.