OPS_BLK_ENG

 

REPORT

RAPPORT


 

 

  DATE:

 

19 March 2012

  TO/DEST:

 

Executive Director, Ottawa Police Services Board

  FROM/EXP:

 

Chief of Police, Ottawa Police Service

  SUBJECT/OBJET:

STANDING OFFER FOR ENTERPRISE STORAGE SOLUTION
AND DELEGATION OF SPENDING AUTHORITY

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

That the Ottawa Police Services Board:

 

1.       Approve the companies identified below as qualified suppliers for:

a)        Storage Environment Hardware:

i)          Decisive Technologies, and

ii)        Dell Canada Inc.;

 

b)       Backup and Archival Software:

i)          The Herjavec Group, and

ii)        TeraMac Technologies Inc.

 

2.             Delegate authority to the Chief of Police to purchase from the qualified suppliers as follows:

a)      Storage Environment Hardware:  for an amount not to exceed $1,500,000 excluding applicable taxes; and

 

b)    Backup and Archival Software:  for an amount not to exceed $350,000 excluding applicable taxes.

 

BACKGROUND

 

Presently, the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) maintains over 250TB (terabytes) of storage capacity.  This storage is currently deployed in data centres and server rooms at different OPS facilities throughout Ottawa.  The storage infrastructure is a critical component of the OPS Information Technology (IT) environment.  IT supports data storage and software applications which are used by all sections of the OPS.   

 

The existing storage infrastructure is nearing the end of its useful life.  Additionally, maintaining appropriate data backup is challenging due to the age of the equipment and the increasing volume of storage capacity.

 

With the recent emergence of new storage technologies, the OPS has worked in conjunction with a third-party consultant to develop a strategic roadmap with a goal of modernizing and expanding the storage infrastructure.  This roadmap details a comprehensive replacement of the existing storage infrastructure and emphasizes the need to maximize scalability capabilities and cost effectiveness, while minimizing on-going support and maintenance costs.  The strategic roadmap also recognizes the growing storage needs of the OPS. Sufficient data storage capacity is critical to the support of front line officers, investigative activity and corporate administrative functions.  The OPS anticipates that data storage requirements will more than double over the next five years. 

 

The Police sector has unique data storage trends and requirements.  Specialty sections such as High Tech Crime (HTC) and the Forensic Identification Section (FIS) are examples of these specialized needs.  With the increasing sophistication of photograph and video technology, along with legislated requirements regarding retention of data, the demands for storage are increasing significantly.  As well, it is critical that the storage infrastructure be able to back-up systems and data, as well as recover from a system outage, hardware failure, natural disaster or other data loss.

 

In order to qualify for access to the data housed in the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC), the OPS must maintain a highly-secure, closed network which can ensure the integrity of police data at all times.  This configuration also ensures that security standards required for the handling of sensitive, confidential or secure data can be met.  For these reasons, it is not possible at this time to physically consolidate data storage with the City of Ottawa.

 

DISCUSSION

 

Standing Offer

 

In mid-2011, OPS staff began to work with the City of Ottawa Supply Branch to develop a strategy for a competitive process for the procurement of an enterprise storage solution.  The result was a “Request for Standing Offer – Enterprise Storage Infrastructure Technology Solution.”  The standing offer approach is used to create a group of qualified suppliers that can provide all of the desired services on an “as-required” and “as-needed” basis at competitive pricing.  It saves time and money when projects are underway.

 

Storage capacity requirements were defined in consultation with stakeholders and subject-matter experts.  The OPS also engaged the services of IDS Systems to assist in defining the requirements and to act in the role of technical advisor/architect.

 

The overall solution was separated into two categories.  Respondents to the RFSO were permitted to submit a response for either Category 1 or Category 2, or both.  The combination of Category 1 and Category 2 solutions forms an overall enterprise storage solution.

 

Category 1 - Storage Environment Hardware

This refers to the physical hardware storage environment which includes mainstream, bulk and offline storage devices coupled with appropriate hardware management software. 

 

Category 2 - Backup and Archival Software

This refers to backup and archival software applications and tools.

 

Evaluation

 

The Request for Standing Offer was posted on MERX on 28 October 2011 and closed on 13 December 2011.

 

A total of seven (7) vendors responded to the RFSO, shown in Table 1 in alphabetical order.

 

Table 1

Respondents to RFSO

 

Vendor

Category 1

Category 2

Decisive Technologies

ü

ü

Dell Canada Inc.

ü

 

Herjavec Group

ü

ü

KTI Kanatek

 

ü

Nova Networks Inc.

ü

 

OnX Enterprise Solutions

ü

ü

TeraMach Technologies Inc.

ü

ü

 

Submissions were evaluated based on mandatory and rated requirements, along with financial proposals.  Following these evaluations, short-listed proponents were invited to the final stage of the process: Proponent Interview and Product Demonstration.  This stage provided an opportunity to further query the proponent’s proposed key implementation personnel regarding their submission.

 

According to a directive of this RFSO, Standing Offers may be authorized with up to two (2) of the highest scoring proponents for each of the two categories.  The results of the evaluation process are:

 

Category 1 – Decisive Technologies; and Dell Canada Inc.

 

Category 2 – The Herjavec Group; and TeraMach Technologies Inc.

 

CONSULTATION

 

OPS staff worked with city staff in Supply Branch during the Standing Offer process.  All expenditures will be made in association with the City’s Supply Management Division and in accordance with the OPS Financial Accountability Procedures Manual.

 

The OPS also engaged the services of a Fairness Commissioner (Mr. Peter Woods) from The Public Sector Company Ltd. throughout the RFSO process.  The Fairness Commissioner ensures that the RFSO process is conducted in an open, transparent and consistent manner throughout the process.  Mr. Woods has provided the following Attestation of Assurance:

 

As Fairness Commissioner for the project, it is my assessment that the competitive procurement process for the "Enterprise Storage Infrastructure Technology Solution" for the Ottawa Police Service, including preparation of the Request for Standing Offer (RFSO), the evaluation process, interview and demonstration, and selection of recommended suppliers for both Category 1 and Category 2 solutions was carried out with openness, transparency, integrity and impartiality, and that all prospective suppliers and respondents were treated in a consistent, reasonable and fair manner."

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

 

Funding for this project has been identified and is provided for under Capital Projects 905737, 906049 and 906554 – IT Storage. 

 

The enterprise storage solution is expected to total $1,850,000, with Category 1 costs of $1,500,000 and Category 2 costs of $350,000.   Costs include hardware, software, licensing and maintenance for five years.  Full hardware and software implementation services are included to accelerate installation and minimize any impact on Ottawa Police Service operations.

 

IT Storage

Capital Projects

Approved

Committed

Remaining

905737

$     791,000

$  224,000

$    567,000

906049

$  1,087,000

$  298,000

$    789,000

906554

$     700,000

$  200,000

$    500,000

TOTAL:

$  2,578,000

$  722,000

$ 1,856,000

This Request

--

--

$ 1,850,000

Remaining

--

--

$        6,000

 

CONCLUSION

 

The approval of the recommendations will provide an enterprise storage solution to meet the needs of the OPS for the next five years.  This solution will strengthen the OPS’ technology capability in the areas of storage, backup, archival and recovery capability as well as ensuring that the elements of security, integrity and availability of police data are in place.

 

 

(Original signed by)

 

Charles Bordeleau

Chief of Police