DATE: April 9, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Robert W. Bash, Director, Internal Services/Chief Information Officer
David Pomaville, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Retroactive Agreement with Netsmart Technologies, Inc.
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Make a finding that it is in the best interest of the County to suspend the competitive bid process consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34 for unusual or extraordinary circumstances, as myAvatar is the only electronic health record system used by the Department of Public Health for client registration, referrals, client service tracking, quality assurance, scheduling, billing, and reporting; and
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive Agreement with Netsmart Technologies, Inc., for continued support and maintenance of myAvatar, the Clinical Workstation and Mobile Licenses, and professional services consulting in support of Department of Public Health nursing case management modules, and Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), effective March 25, 2019, not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base contract and two optional one-year extensions, total not to exceed $1,628,230.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended actions would allow the Department of Public Health to continue maintenance and support of myAvatar, the Clinical Workstation and Mobile Licenses, which are used across all programs in the Department’s Public Health Nursing Division, and the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended actions, the Department would not have the right to continue using the software license and maintenance and support of the myAvatar software application and LIMS, affecting over 150,000 unique clients in Avatar.
SUSPENSION OF COMPETITION/SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT:
The Department’s request to suspend the competitive bidding process consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34 results from the fact that Netsmart Technologies, Inc. (Netsmart) is the only provider of maintenance and support for myAvatar, the Clinical Workstation and Mobile Licenses, and LIMS. The Department has used the electronic health record system since 2002. The Internal Services Department - Purchasing Division concurs with the Department’s request to waive the competitive bid process.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended agreement is retroactive to March 25, 2019, due to finalization of the agreement terms and services. The prior agreement expired on March 24, 2019. Subsequent time for review and processing delayed presentation at an earlier date.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The maximum compensation for FY 2018-19 is $47,579, and $1,628,230 for the term of the agreement. The funds will cover usage of the electronic medical record components and laboratory information management system, offset with Health Realignment fees, and grant funding. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5620 FY 2018-19 Adopted Budget and will be included in subsequent budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
The Department has been using myAvatar, a computer-based information system, since 2002 for client registration, referral, client service tracking, quality assurance, scheduling, billing, and reporting. Department staff uses the system’s client logs to manage program wait lists for accuracy, for perinatal outreach services, to assist with supervision in the determination of staff caseload for assignment of referrals, and to ensure caseload accuracy.
On March 25, 2014, the Board approved Agreement No. 14-111 with Netsmart for continued maintenance and support for myAvatar, as well as for the addition of Netsmart’s Clinicians Workstation and Mobile Module, a public health nursing case management system that interfaces with myAvatar, allows for utilization on mobile devices, and streamlines data requirements from multiple grants and funders.
On March 20, 2018, the Board approved the First Amendment to Agreement No. 14-111 for the purchase of Netsmart’s Orchard Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), a laboratory information module that integrates with existing electronic medical and clinic records and billing modules to achieve timely billing and recording of lab results by reducing dual data entry. However, implementation of the Orchard LIMS was delayed due to a flood at the Brix-Mercer building in October 2018, which impacted the Department’s laboratory, rendering it inoperable. Since the flood, Department staff has been relocated to other County buildings, and a new location for the Department’s laboratory has not been determined.
The recommended agreement with Netsmart allows for continued maintenance and support of myAvatar, the Clinicians Workstation, and the Mobile Module. The payment of the costs for the continuance of the Orchard LIMS implementation is included in the recommended agreement, and will only be paid if the Department decides to resume implementation. The prior agreement specified that 30% of the one-time fees for the Orchard LIMS was due upon signing; the amount was paid to Netsmart in 2018 and is not included as part of the payment schedule for the remaining one-time fees in the recommended agreement.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #43, March 20, 2018
BAI #52, March 25, 2014
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Suspension of Competition Acquisition Request
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Netsmart Technologies, Inc.
CAO ANALYST:
Yussel Zalapa