IT Assessment & RFP Development
Client: Large Suburban Water Agency
Objective: Comprehensive Peer Review of the Large Suburban Water Agency’s Technology and Business Systems, and IT Support Services RFP Development and Vendor Selection
Background and Solution:
Large Suburban Water Agency (“Agency”) engaged Mindboard to conduct an independent comprehensive peer review of the Agency’s technology and business systems to ensure the effectiveness and reliability of its Information Technology environment. The initiative was aimed at identifying and assessing critical challenges of the Agency’s IT function and ensuring that the Agency maintains its IT infrastructure and operations according to the industry standards and best practices.
Mindboard’s approach in conducting this study included three major phases,
- Data Gathering
- Critical Analysis, and
- Recommendation Development.
During the data-gathering phase, Mindboard’s Project Team obtained information through a series of on-site interviews and documentation reviews. Personal interviews were utilized as the primary tool for data gathering, which enabled the Project Team to obtain a clear picture of the challenges faced by the Agency.
Information gathered during the analysis phase was synthesized to develop several action items, including a comprehensive GAP analysis, which utilized prior information combined with our institutional knowledge of public sector IT best practices. As part of the gap analysis process, Mindboard utilized a three-dimensional approach (People, Process, and Technology (PPT)) to develop a high-level understanding of the current state of the IT environment by assessing how these three elements interacted within the Agency. Finally, recommendations were developed utilizing key findings from the gap analysis. For implementation purposes, Mindboard categorized the strategic recommendations to immediate (0–3 months), short term (3–12 months), and medium term (12–36 months), and long term (36–60 months).
The Agency also engaged Mindboard to assist them in the IT Support Services Request for Proposal Development and Vendor Selection. To develop comprehensive RFP document, we conducted series of interviews to various department personnel to gather information regarding currently-rendered services, and what services the new IT Support vendor to maintain. Following these interviews and a comprehensive analysis of Agency’s technology infrastructure, we developed the RFP document in two segments — Managed Services and On-Demand services.
After publishing the RFP document, we conducted proposal evaluation and analysis of the received proposals from the cost benefit analysis viewpoint. We participated in the vendor demonstration for short listed vendors, and then conducted the next round of qualification check via references. Finally, we assisted the Agency in contract negotiation and the development of a contract performance matrix for monitoring and control.
