HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity of Tonawanda01×27×2010 10:2~ NYSED CEC ROOM 9A81 ~ .9916~17656145
N0.866
Local Govsmmenl Records Msnsge~lent Improvemmll Futld
Grant Project Application (LG,.AP) 2008-2009
City of Tonawanda I En~ineeri~
Pilo~i, Ronald J.. Mr
ayor I
200 Niagara S[reet, Tonawanda, N~ York 14~50
p~ DiVot (Last ~mo. Fi~t N~m
' LaMona~, Jason, Mr,
~ Tide
City Engiqeer ,
J Add~esl ($~et, C~ty, Z)~ Code)
_200 Niagara Street, Toi~aw.anda~..New
ITelephone Numaer/Exten sloe
(716) i~S5,~24 I
York 14150
r rar rang,
Lo0 Number w~d
mpv.~.r..~..c, tonawancia n~ us
(71~) '743-1~840 englrTeer(~c~ lonaw;:m~da ,'ly us
Records M~ulemest Offi~er (RMO) (Lest Name, Flint N~e, Mr,~M~,) I 8ama p~on as Pro,ed Dire~or
Bodie, Jani~, Ms ...... I
City Clerk (71B)60~-83~ , [ (716)695 e315 ibodie~.lonawand~ ny ,.,S
Address (S~l, O~, Zip C~e)
200 Niagara Street, Tonawanda N~ York 14150 .,.
~in~d? ~Y~ ~ No ~NIA Approp~ite ~edole edopte~=~e~ .....
Year RMO ~i opiated: 200~ Ynat s~edule ~s adop~d:l 9~
Application Type (Che~k oriel: [] IndMdue' [] Cooperative [] Complex [] Disaster Recovery
project ca~go~ (Check he appropr ate ~go~ and s~ca~gg~ no m~c~an 1 ca~g~ a~ I ~b~e~o~)
~ MICROFILM (no su~calegoHes] ] ~ ~DUOATIONAL ~SES (no su~cale~odes)
~ ACTIVE ~ Files Managsmenl ~ ~sastedBushess Re~ove~ Plannino ~ln~exln~ andA~ ·
~ Imaging and ~cumenl M~ns~e~n{
RECORDS ~ ~ Rec~rdi Systom~ ~ Bus~ne~ Pm~ An~sis ~ County Land Re~rd~ Initiative
RECORD8 , ~ Improving A~cess ~ Pm~e~a~ofl ~ Outmaoh end Public Programs
Amount Requ~.,~!t~: , . Nu.mbe,,r or Gl,ants Previously Received: 8
Project Summary {Complete in this box, Describe project, including scope, objectives, and description or records.)
The City of Tonawanda, located in the Nodhwest comer of Erie County, is requesting funding to hire a
Geographic Information System (SIS) consultant who will conduct a needs assessment to determine'
the feasibility of implementing Gl$ technology to enhance tl~e City's records management efficiency
The City will COoperate with Erie County to utilize the digitized tax maps to provide digital data availab;e
for use in the City's SIS program should it become feasible to do so. The City will participate m
attending a Storewide Gl$ Conferees in Syracuse. NY. as well as local SIS seminar/workshops to
ensure the understanding and usage of SIS (at the City's own expense).
The consultar~t wilt prepare a detailed database design: and conduct a SIS pilot project. Tl~e purpose
ef these activities is to determine the feasibility of implementation SIS technology to enhance the City's
facilities management capabilities, decision-making and records management efficiency,
01/27×2010 10:22 NYSED CEC ROOM 9A81 ~ *9916319656145 N0.866 Q03
Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund
Application Narrative (LG.NA)
Local Government Name City of Tonawanda
Population SewedI~ Annual Operating Buclget Total Number of Employees
16,136 (2000 Census) I $17,800,000 Full-time: 140 Part-time: 135
Please address each of the issues listed below, Be as detailed as possible. Keep in mind that
the application narrative directly corresponds to the criteria which reviewers will follow when
ranking your application.
i'ii-$~atement of the Problem (maximum 20 points)
la. Describe the specific records management problem the project will address, provide
qualitative descriptions ancl quantitative data about the' problem, and explain why the
project is a high priority (10 points)
Identify specific records that will be involved, and any previous grant-funded projects
related to these records and this project. [5 points]For example, support a request for an
imaging project with a description of how you use the records end an estimate of the time
you would save if'the records were available and searchable on your personal computer,)
(5 points)
Explain why funding from this great program is essential to accomplishing the project, (For
example, explain why you need funding if you've previously received funding for a similar
project,) (5 points)
The City of Tonawanda seeks funding from The Local Government Records Managemer~t
Improvement Fund (LGRMIF) for fiscal year 2008-2009 to conduct a Geographic User Needs
Assessment for the City. Additional fur~ds are requested for the City EngineeflProject
Director to attend two relevant New York State archive workshops in Region 8. The City of
Tonawanda located in Erie County, is an urban community of 6,741 households (US Census
2000), The area's loss of major industrial and commercial businesses resulted in an eroding
economy and.population decrease, The City's population dechned nearly seven percent
during the past decade, end this trend is expected to continue, However, an enormous
amount of paper files, generated when the City was more prosperous, are maintained by the
local government.
e, The City of Tonawanda seeks to ~ddress its limitations in access of records, maps and
other municipal infrastructure informatiol~, This aging City lacks ready access to public
facilities information related to water systems, sewer systems, new housing developments
that have been constructed along the Niagara River, and the demands of municipal services.
The City realizes the endless possibilities, advantages and economies of scale for
incorporating GIS rotc every del3ertmenl, various municipal depa~ments, with d~fferent
functions and responsibilities, have common data needs, The City's maps, ~ncluchng street
maps, and water and sewer llne maps, have become fragile and are cie~eriora~ing, Maps ere
01/27×2010 10:22 NYSED CEC ROOM 9A81 ~ *991631?656145 N0.866 Q04
updated using manual adjustments that are not consistent through all municipal departments
Additionally, there is duplication of services in mainta,ning maps.
The City lacks an electronic management system that will provide adequate tools and spatial
analysis for simultaneous record retrieval. A needs assessment will be the first step taken by
the City toward implementation of a successful GIS program. Tonawanda's GIS needs
assessment will systematically study targeted departments' functions and the data needed to
efficiently perform their work. Tonawa~da's goal is to investigate the potential for
participating in the GIS work that has already been completed by Erie County, and to
determine how a GIS will improve records creation, access, and retrieval, Mr. Jason
LaMonaco, the City's Engineer, will' also serve as. the liaison to Ede County's GIS
implementation system to avoid duplicating services and data collection.
The needs assessment will include all permanent record series that can be managed
through GI.S. The City of Tonawanda is looking to have all its departments involved in
the study. The main departments participating in project are as follows; City Clerk,
Engineering, Public Works, Police, Parks, Assessor, Treasurer, Builcling Departments,
and Fire Department. TheSe departmen'~s maintain large volumes of data that could
be more effectively used if tl~ey we.re maintained and accessible. The types of records
that lend themselves to GIS automation and will be more effectively managed through.
GIS include tax parcels, water and sewer systems, census data,, land use maps,
zoning maps, planning maps and permit records, capital improvement projects, end
police and fire emergency response calls. In recent years, the City has successfully
completed projects funded through New York State Archives to conduct inventory and
planning projects, and microfilming permanent records.
The City's database of records is not centralized and is unavailable to uti municipal
departments: individual departments do not have acCess tO the most current and
accurate mapped and tabular data sources, Some departments have their own
database of outdated informatioh, and this can result in a duplication of municipal
services, Since the databases are not consistent, up to date, or accurate and do not
provide City management the department end-users quality information that is needed
on a daily basis to make clearer decisions, a centralized system is needed. The
current method of retrieving information is inefficient, as analog geographical data is
not easily shared. The hard copy maps that are available often do not reflect current
field conditions, and have not been updated recently, Digital GIS will facilitate easy
data shanng within and between various departments.
Another problem linked to trad~tionalty stored geographical data is the large volume of
physical space that these records occupy, Severer depadments are currently
maintaining their data via hard copy. Tonawanda City Hatl was constructed in the
1960's, and space has become a ~dtical issue in recent years as this historio City has
undergone Significant redevelopment after years of indListria[ decline. D~gitizing our
information will eliminate volumes of paper, while the infon'nation will be readily available
and easily accessible to municipal staff thcough a V',/ir~dows-based directory
Funding from this grant will help alleviate budgetary restraints that prevent the City from
01/27/2010 10:22 NYSED CEC ROOM 9~81% .9916319656145 N0.866 Q05
moving forward with a City resolution to rectify this records management problem. City
officials and departments are committed tO GIS. and reCognize that the investment of
their time and resources will streamline the way local 9ovemment operates anci improve
the quality and cie[ivory of services, Tl~e support of the New York State Archives
LGRMIF will present the City of Tonawanda with the opportunity to ~onduct a City-wide
needs assessment and develop a GIS implementation plan Additionally, funding will
help the community to move GIS into the future saving time. money and offering huge
benefits to the municipality and the taxpayers.
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II. Intended Results'('maximum 10 points)
Identify each intended result (specific products, time and cost savings, or services), and
describe the anticipated benefits. (5 points)
Descdbe in detail how the project will contribute to the development of a records
management program. (5 points)
Narrative:
a. The intended result is that this grant Will enable the City of Tonawanda to obtain a'
current comprehensive GIS user needs assessment. This 'document w~ll serve as a
solution and blueprints for the implementation of a GIS properly suited for the City of
Tonawanda and it's sharing of information with Erie Couniy GIS. This study is
intended to be an obiective assessment of municipal needs and witl prowde a plan for
developing the various components of the City's GIS database, applications, hardware
and software systems, and organizational structure. This GIS user needs assessment
will save the City time and money by providing costs wii~h a strategic plan that
assesses our specific needs arid will provide a plan for implementation tl~at will be
done on a progressive step-by-step basis. This will provide Tonawanda with
information th'at will enable the City Common Council to implement budgetary
decisions that will foster the growth of GI$.
This project will address the records management problem because a GiS user needs
assessment is the very first and most serious step that the City 'of Tonawanda must take
)n implementing a successful GIS. This user needs assessment will take a systematic look
at each municipal department's functions. 6urrent departmental operations, existing
computer operations and spatial data requirements that are needed to complete the
tasks.
The study will ~ntroduce updated GIS concepts to each department and educate all users.
It will identify m,micipal operations that will benefit fi'om GIS as ~t re!ales to departmental
functions. This Study will look into all areas within the City of'Tonawand@ where GI$ can
be integrated mia automated systems.
The benefits of using GI$ will be a substantial savings of staff time as a result of using
GIS as co.mpare(~ to performing the existing manual tasks. Human resourCeS are greatly
limited ~n the City's municipal departments: and the need to increase efficiency and
i~3crease access to records will be a significant improvement over current operations. The
true level of efficiency can only. be accurately measured through the needs assessment,
which will provide estimates of time saved by measuring the tm~e to respond to a query
manually compared to the use of GIS. The needs assessment will also provide a clearer
picture of the cost and bei')efits of implementation, and the extent to whicl~ GIS should be
implemented within the City of Tonawanda. Other benefits of GIS ~nclude better planning
and more effective and ,rfformed decision making by municipal officials.
b..The GIS user needs assessment report will consider, technologies that will allow
01/27×2010 10:22 NYSED CEC ROOM 9~1
continued growth into all areas of the City of Tonawanda's governmental system.
will contribute to the development of a records management program that will establish
a centralized GIS database available to all City departments A centralized database
will provide all municipal departments with access to tl~e most current and accurate
mapped and tubular data sources, while being consistent with relaled projects
throughout Tonawanda. Data and improvement efforts end stol'age space wilt
shared among depa~,ments creating cost savings in terms of human and equipmen[
resourceS.
G[S will enhance communications between (Jepa~'tments by providing City-wide access
to shared databases and will also provide capabilities not previously available, These
capabilities will hopefully facilitate the development of new applications anc~ enable
municipal staff to perform analyses that were previously very labor intensive and time
corJsumi ng.
01/27/2010 10:22 NYSED CEC ROOM 9R81 ~ *991651?656145 N0.866 Q08
a. Provide a detailed outline of the proposed work activities and a timetable that
shows when each phase of the project will be Completed, demonstrates the soundness of
the method proposed, and demonstrates the project's goals are attainable by 30 June
2009, (15 points)
b. Address each of the requirements of the relevant project category and subcategcry. (5
points)
c. Explain who will be responsible for per[orming each project activity, including project
management. Indicate the qualifications of key project staff (including consultants end
vendors) in terms of education, training, and experience. (5 points)
I d. Explain why one sOI.ution was preferred over alternatives (5 points_)_
Narrative: a), The work plan that follows provides details as to the consultant's schedule for
completing a needs assessmenL
Phase I. Pre.grant award activities; Pebruary 2008 to June 2008
Identify municipal representatives to create a GIS focus team.
Define and document the GIS starldards snd guidelines to utilize forei.gn GIS
implementation.
Hire an independent recc~rds consultant to conduct the needs assessment,
Phase II - Project initiation: July 2008 to August 2008
Upon the announcement of the grant awacds, the City of Tonawanda will schedule
meeting with the City Engineer/Project Director, the City Clerk (RMO), the Mayor, the
City Administrator, and the GIS consultant, as well as Jim Tammaro, tl~e Region
Records Advisor Officar for the Local Government Records Bureau, to discuss any
changes in the proposed project.
Following this initial meeting, the first step in implementing this GIS needs assessment
~s to hold a briefing with the City cf Tonawanda personnel. The Mayor, City
Administrator, City Engineer/Project Director, City Clerk (RMO), and all of the
department heads will be given an introduction to the GIS process, how it can impact
their job functions, and what will be expected of tl~em througl~out the course of the
project. The City of Tonawanda's municipal departments include the City Clerk, Mayor
and City Administrator, the City Council, Assessor, Building Department (inspector).
Treasurer, Public. Works, Parks Department, City Engineer, Police, and Fire. This
bdefing will take two to three days to plan and execute. Following this will be a second
briefing with the employees who serve under these department heacls. The support
staff plays a different, although important role in the records management scheme.
Another two to three days will be needed to hold $ second briefing,
01×27×2010 10:22 NYSED CEC ROOM 9A81 ~ *9916317656145 N0.866 Q09
The City w~ll also join Erie County's GIS Committee to keep current with the County's
GIS ~mplementation for updates and data sharing. The City w~l[ also join the GIS
Cleanng House to participate in information sharing and to keep current on new
technology
The City Engineer/Project Director will attend two relevant New York State Archives
workshops in Region 8 in o~'der to become better edL~ca[ed in tile GI$ technology and
its use in other communities througl~out the state. The Project Director w~ll also attend
local meetings (held in Rochesterl as they are sohedLlled.
Phase I11 (September 2008 to October 2008) - Interviews with municipal
representatives/co~}pilatlon of clara
The third phase of this project will be for the consultant to conducl in-depth interviews
with key members of each department, These interviews will provide the consultant
with essential information regarding how the departments presently handle their
records management activities. Among ~he questions to be answered are: how is data
used, from where does it originate, where it is stored, where it is disseminatec~ to and
how effective these processes are. The consultant Will also determine the current and
future data management and mapping needs, 'This sequence of the project will last
approximately one month. ,
The City will send the GIS coordinator to the annual GIS Conference in Syracuse ~n
October 2008 that will be held in Albsny, New York, and will attend the semi.annual
GIS seminar in Rochester, New York in April 200~ at the City's expense.
Results of all the interviews and surveys will be distributed to the appropriate
depadments to verify the information for any necessary editing The consultant will
use this data to prepare the written needs assessment, During this period, it may be
necessary for the consultant to make follow-up visits to some of the departments to
obtain additior~al information, The compilation by the consultant will take
approximately three weeks,
Phase IV (November 2008 to December 2008) . Develop a detailed GIS conceptual
design and implementation plan Once the City of Tonawanda has accepted a needs
assessment report, a conceptual design and implementation plan will be developed utilizing
the results and recommendations of the els needs assessment report
Schedule a meeting With a key Erie County GIS staff member to review the
City's conceptual and ir~plementation plan to ensure that the system and
configuration are compatib!e
Phase V (November 2008 to December 2008) - Final Repo~ and Presentation
The f~nal stage of the project will include a meeting of the City Council of Tonawanda and key
01×27×2010 10:22 NYSED CEC ROOM 9R81
department heads with the cons[~ltant concerning the outcc~me of the needs assessment.
The purpose of the final briefing is to present the City's employees and the City Council with
the findings of [he study and to answer any questions that they may have. The City will
receive copies of the written needs assessment, which will be used by officials as blueprints
for all of its future considerations concerning ti~e implementation of GIS technology.
The needs assessment report Will include, but is not limited to: master data lists, data flow
diagrams, and GIS applications as recommended in the New York State Archives Local
Government GIS development guidelines for New York State. The plan will also include an
implementation plan outlining racommendatlons for the database and system designs, as
well as staffing requirements and the cost estimate for hardware, software, and training.
A second and final meeting will be scheduled in December 2008 with Mr. Jim Tammaro the
Region 8 records Advisor Officer for the Local Government Records Bureau and the City
Clerk (RMO), the City Engineer/Project Director, the Mayor, City Administrator, and the
Records Advisory Committee (which will consist of each City Department Head) to review the
needs assessment r~port and to determine whether GIS implementation is feasible and the
anticipation of the 2009 LGRMIF deadline. The Records Advisory Committee will consist of
(but is not limited to) the following municipal officials: * City Mayor
, City Administrator
· City Clerk
City Engineer
ASsessor
Building Inspector
Treasurer
Police Chief
Fire Chief
DPW Supedrltendent
Pad<s/Recreation Director
Phase
VI ~ Archives grant reporting: January 2009 to February f, 2009
Develop grant-reporting documentation for submission into the New York State
Archives.
Develop a request for proposals for the GIS H'nplementation recommendation
from the GIS]~eeds assessment
b, Address each of the requirements of the relevant project category and subcategcry
Category:
Records Management focus; tl~is project will allow the City of Tonawanda to ciefine
a detailed plan on how to best manage and operate active records (GIS data} and
determine electronic needs for municipal operation
Needs assessment: we have identified our need to conduct and complete a
#
01×27×2010 10:22 NYSED CEC ROOM 9A81 ~ *991631?656145 N0.866 Qll
detailed GIS needs assessment.
Consultant's quotes: we have inclLided our RFQ' as well as four vendor quotes that
we received, Wendel Engineering, which is a New York State Archives-approved
GIS Needs Assessment vendor, has been chosen as the Consultant for this project
based on its quahflcations,.as well as for providing the lowest bid for this project.
Subcategory;
Follow a GIS cievelopment process: the GIS needs assessment will follow a local
government GIS development guidelines tibet I'~ave been set forth by the State
archives '
V~"ny our City needs eGIS: in order to properly rear, age and make reformed
decisions, a digital record management project is required to centralize all the
C~ty's records, maps, water and sewer lines, water main shutoffs and fire hydranta.
all new and existing roadways within the City, capital improvement projects, Police
and Fire emergency response calls, and to maintain pace with the redevelopment
that the City is experiencing.
How will GIS be maintained in the future: the City has selected to work with the
consultant to provicle all outsouroe for the GI$ project. The City will budget an
annual consultant fee to maintain a database.
Ability to maintain GIS data: currently our GI$ engineering aide will be responsible
for the data management. The City will commit to providing all required training for
the staff person,
Explain who will be responsible for performing each project activity:
This project will be managed by the GIS coordinator, Mr. Jason LaMonaco.
the engineer for the City of Tonawanda. Mr. LaMonaco ha,~ been in the
eng,neering department for over two yea~'s, and has worked for private
engineer'ing firms. He has experience working with GIS technology. Mr.
LaMonaco will also serve as the liaisc)n to Erie County's GIS implementation
system.
All technical work will be completed by a GIS approved vendor from the New
York State arChives GIS vendor list.'
The City of Tonawanda GIS focus team will be an active participant and will
provide dj'faction, guidance and assistance for every aspect of this project.
d, Explain why one solution was preferred over alternatives
The City of Tonawanda has chosen to ge with its own GIS after considering three
possibilities:
· Continuing with old methods Of retrieving data, using inaccurate informatio~ and
with the inability to sham vital data is ~o longer an acceptable solution;
N~w Yock Sla~ A~hiva~ 9 F~rm I.G.NA el~007
01/27/2010 10:22 NYSED CEC ROOM 9A81
Retying on Erie County to provide th~s data and serv.ice was reviewed aha
determined not feasibte; and,
With all the changes in this type of teclhnology, staff and management in many
of the City's departments w~ll have to change their management philosophy to
be mo~'e technologically centric, and to be more efficien~ w~th a GIS-based
technology. The Records Ac~visonj Committee recommended that a needs
assessment be completed to establish goals and objectives that the needs
assessment study would demonstra[e and provide a comprehensive
Implementation Plan, A Needs Assessment study is the most cost effective
method to determine the feasibility of implementing GI$ technology to enhance
Ihe City's records management efficiency.
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IV. Local Government Supped. for Records M~*~"~'~{*~'~Ximum 10 points)
It is important to demonstrate your commitment to records management. Types of support
may include government funds, staffing, equipment, Supplies, or the allocation of space.
Provide specific budget amounts whenever possible.
Include information only on the supporl your local government provided and will provide with
its own funds. Projects completely funded by the LGRMIF do not-constitute local
support.
a. Demonstrate contributions to this project. (5 points)
b. Describe how this project and records management in general will be maintained over the
long term. (5 points) .__
Narrative:
a), The City of Tonawanda's elected officials strongly believe.that ar{ efficient records
management program will improve access to tMe municipal records and increased
operational efficiency. Although it has a limited budget, the City remains dedicated to its
comprehensive records rnanagement plan and the MU-1 Records Retention Schedule,
Staffing: The City of Tonawanda Clerk is also tl~e RMO who oversees tl~e City's Records
Management Program and is suppoAed by each Department Head. The Records Adwsory
Committee projected time to work with the consultant during the needs assessment process
will consist of (but not limited to):
Mayor 5% ................... $1,600
Administrative Assistant 10% ....... $5,905
City Clerk (RMO) 10% ............ $4,752
City Engineer 15% ................. $8,272
Assessor 10% ....................... $4,710
Building Inspector 5% .............. $2,520
The total City staffing dollars associated with this project is $27,759,
Supplies and equipment: The City will provide supplies such as file folders, labels,
computers, printers, and storage boxes for the records management clerk for their duties.
The City Clerk/RMO and the GI$ users will use City owned and maintained equipment
(computers, copier, fax, telephone, otc.) to perform their records operations. ' All of these
item~ are estirrlated to cost approximately $15,120 per year.
Space: The City will provide space to conduct GIS-related meeting.s, as well as any mee[ings
with City Council members. The total in-kited dollars spent on space is $1,500 per year.
Additional support:
The City will support the education for the GIS Coordinator (and any relevant staff
member) by attending State GIS Conference in Syracuse NY, the semi-annual
01/27/2010 10:22 NYSED CEC ROOM 9A81 + .9915517656145 N0.866 Q14
workshopsin Rochester NY, This projeded expenses of $400 w~llpa~d bythe City of
Tonawanda
The City of Tonawanda will join the GIS Clearing House,
The City of Tonawanda wil join the GIS County Focus Team as an active participant
bi, The City of Tonawanda will continue to provide financial support for the records
management progra~'ns that have bee~ established a~'~d ti3ose that will be identified as part of
the City needs assessment, Long-term goals for records management: Anr~ual microfilming of records,
Creating an archival records database for increasecl public access,
Annual disposition of obsolete records.
Continual transfer of inactive records to the storage vault,
01/27/2010 10:22 NYSED CEC ROOM 9A81 a *991631?656145 N0.866 Qi5
Local Government Recorcl~'Managernent Improvement Fund
Vendor Quote Form. (LG-VQ)
Please complete this form 0 provide evidence.that you have contacted three vendors for price
quotes. One or more of the quotes may be cledved from State Contract Listing
(www, ogs,state.ny.us/purchase), Photocopy the form if you must 'submit'more than one Vendor
Ouo~,e Form. Instructions for completing the form are on. the reverse side,
Vendor's Name and Address Description of Item State Contract Quoted
or Service* Number Price
Amh~t NY 14228 e~d~n;e the T~n'~ recedes
Lu Engineem The coneul~;~l will p~epare ~ NIA s29,~1o
Po. field, NY 14526 t*) de~nnine the ~asibih~ o1
~5~ L~e ~hote R~d wri~ detail r~o~ h~ hy
*For services rendered, provide more detail in the Budget Category.and Narrative form, Code 40.
01×27×2010 10:22 NYSED CEC ROOM 9A81 a *991631?656145 N0.866
'CI~, of Tonawanda
Request for Qualifications and Quote: GIS Needs Assessment
The City of Tonawanda, Iocate~ in Erie Count, New York, is preparing an application to the New
York Stele A¢chives for a Geograp;'lic Information Systems (GIS) Needs Assessment grant under
the Local Government Records Managemefft Improvamenl Fund (LGRMIF) program. The City of
Tonawends is requesting statements of qualifications and quotes for the GIS Needs
Assessment Pro Jar( described below. This information will be submitted as part of the
applice!/o~ to the NYS Archives Administl'atien. Statements cf Qualificafigns and Quotas ere due;
Friday December 15~1! 2006, by 4:00 PM
Submit all materials to: Bernie Rotelll~
City of Tonawanda Grant Writer
Mayor's Office
200 Niagara Street.
Tonawanda, NY 14150
716-731-g588
Email'. bony3322(~ad ell3his, n e~
E-mail submittals (with attachments such as MS Word and Ex~l do~men[s) a~e a~eptable, and
should be received no later than the above d~e eno time a{ the following ~mail address:
Questions should be forwarded to Bernie Rolella at (716) 731-9586 or via e-mail.
Proposed Project Funding:
$our~;a; Local Government Records Management bllprovernent Fund
Category; Active Req. orde- Geographic Information Systems- Needs Assessment
Amount: Up to $75,000 for consulting services
Project Summary:
The Needs Assessment will include assessing the implementalion and potential use of GIS by all
City of Tonawands's department's, which include bqt limited to;
1 ) Mayor's Office
2) City Clerk
3) Common Council
4) Treasurer's Office
5) City Assessor
6) Building Inspector
7) Highway Deparlment / Public Works
8) City Attorney
~)) Dog Control Officer
10) Recreation Depadmant
11) Planning Board
12) Justice I Court
13) Er~gineering
14) Civil Service
15) City Police Department
16) City Fiee Department
The purpase of this study is to a~lalyze the potential use of geographic data with the City of
Tonawanda and ~o make recommendations for the implementation of GIS. Managing the Town's
existing fa,.ililias and infrastruclure, as well as plar~qin9 for [ulura growth places a burden the
Town's personnel end budgets, which allows only limited fundirig to keep maps and records up
01727/2010 10:22 NYSED CEC ROOM 9A81 a *D916317656145 NO.06B Di?
to-date and available for use. The Needs Assessment will provide recommendation.~, for [he
sucoessful implementatiorl of GI~ within the Ci!y of Tonawanda and its component departments,
The purpose of the currant LGRMIF grant application is to prepare a written Needs Assessment
and Conoeptuel Design For. developmenl, of a GIS for the City of Tonawanda and to make
recommendations on the integration of this system wiih the GIS prograrrl currently under
development by Niagara County This Needs Assessment report will provide the City of
Tonawancla with ar1 inventory of prcho~sed GI$ applications and datasats as the basra for further
implementation plans, The proposed project includes the fallowing tasks:
Step I:
*Initial Bdeflng
The first step in completing this GIS Needs A~sessment is to held a briefing with the City of
Tonawanda's personnel. All department heads will be given an introd~lQn to GIS technolOgy
and needs assessment process, how it can affect them, and what will be expected of them
throughout the course of the project, This briefing will take about 2-3 days to plan and execute.
Following this will be a second briefing with the employees who serve under these depa~msnt
leaders, This SUpport staff plays a different, although important, role in the records management
$ci3eme, Arlother 2-3 days will be needed to hotd the second Driefing.
Stap [1:
· Interviewing -
The second stage of this project will be to c0nduot ir~-dep[h interviews wRh the key members of
each department, These interviews will provide the cotlaultant with essential information
regarding how the depa~tmen~ presently handle their records management activities. Among the
questions to be answered are: how data is used, where it originates from, where it is sto~ed.
where it ia disseminated to and how efficient these processes are. This portion of the project
should last approximately four weeks,
Step II1:
*Compilation
The ~ext component of the project wilt be [he compilation of the data that has been obtained
through the interviewing process. The consultant will use this data to prepare the written ~eeds
assessment, During this period, it may be necessary for the consultant to make follow-up visits ta
some of the departments to extract ed¢itional information, The.compilation by the consultant will
take approximately three weeks,
Step IV:
· Final Briefing
The final stage of the project will be a fi~el briefing of the City of Tonawanda personnel and
deparlment heeds concerning the outcomes of t~e needs assessment. At tl~is final briefing the
Town staff will have the opportunity to c[adfy any concerns they may have.
· Written Plan
The Town will be provided with lan writterl, bound copies Of this comprehensive needs
assessment to serve as a blueprint for its future GIS records management a,*livitles.
There ere several benefits to a GiS system, including i~proved services to Town residents,
[ncreased productivity for Town employees, end Improved management functions, such as policy-
making decisions and planning, The finished needs assessment will provide the Town with
information regarding:
. GIS applications that need tO be developed in order for the records management
activities in the Town's departments to be done more efficiently;
01×27×2010 10:22 NYSED CEC ROOM 9A81
. GIS functions and tachnalogy recluireme~ts (hardware and software) that will be
required in order for these applications to be designed (queries~ ctiaplays, analysis,
otc,. ;}
· Data that will be needed for the GI$ database; and,
· ProCesses that will have to be set up for the creation and maintenance of all GIS data.
The Needs Assessment will determine the ~ue potential use el GI$, as well as analyze tho
timesavinga end efficiency ratios of staff time relative to the implementation of GI$ and records
management activities,
Statements el Qualifications and Quotes:
The Statements of Qualifications should clearly indicate the flrrn~s experience in the areas related
to each of the tasks identifled above.
Qualifications! Quotes mud be submitted in hardcopy. Responses may also be submitted by
email (attachments such as MS Word and Excel documents ara acceptable) followed by a hard
c~py by the due ciate.
01/27×2010 10:22 NYSED CEC ROOM 9A81
LGRMIF Grant Application - 2008~2009 - Budget Narrative
PURCHASED SERVICES: Code 40
Deaeriptlon of Item Provider of Services Calculation of PropOsed
Cost Ex pond itur,.e,
C. onsullanl who will '~"cr'td¢] Duch,~chm'¢r No'[ appli~:tbl¢ ........ ,~')g I'~()
prepare a WL'iIIL'I1 d~'mil Architects o. nd
rcpnrl based I~) Er, ginecrs
conducting a necks 140 John James
lhe IkasJbility of Suite ]01
implcmenth~g Ci[S Amherst. New York
~c)nolo[ry 14228
f6Ya'L (transfer to FS-.0, Budget S~?~?* F°m~_. ' .... ' ' -
..................... ' · * s~o,I qo
Narrative: Th[', City o1' Tonawanda will contract wiLlt Wendc! Duchscher,;:r, a NYS Archives
approved ~ondor~ as our G18 conm.(lkaot Lo erea.le.coml~rchensive GIS user need,,; assessll~enL
l"hi~ dactimenl will se]~,e as a solution and roadmap for I:he Jmplemumlltioa of ~ GIS pmperJ)
Cils,'s needs Jllld will provide a pl[tll I~,r dcvdopmg the vufiou~ componctlI:~ o1' thc LllUn~CipOIils'S
GIS ~laba~k,. applicaLim~s, hard~sm and sofiwa.rc s}:s[ems, mid organizational ~tn~clum