REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
December 16, 2025
FROM
GILBERT RAMOS, Assistant Executive Officer, Human Services
SUBJECT
Title
Non-Financial Subscription Services Agreement with Varonis Systems, Inc. and Purchase Orders for Varonis Software Subscription Licenses and Support with Nth Generation
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve non-financial Subscription Services Agreement with Varonis Systems, Inc., including non-standard terms, for security software for the period of December 17, 2025 through December 16, 2028.
2. Authorize the Purchasing Agent to issue Purchase Orders to Nth Generation, an authorized Varonis reseller, for a subscription to Varonis Windows MDDR Solution and Varonis Copilot software, in an amount not to exceed $2,005,000.02, for the period of December 17, 2025, through December 16, 2028.
(Presenter: Gilbert Ramos, Assistant Executive Officer, 387-4261)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Improve County Government Operations.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not require additional use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The purchase orders totaling $2,005,000.02 for Varonis software and services will be funded with multiple Human Services (HS) Administrative Allocations, which consist of 85% ($1,704,250.02) Federal and State resources and 15% local share ($300,750). Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the HS Administrative Claim 2025-26 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
HS Information Technology and Support Division (ITSD) provides centralized information technology and data security services for San Bernardino County’s (County) HS departments, which include: Transitional Assistance Department, Department of Aging and Adult Services and Children and Family Services. These departments manage and share large volumes of confidential, sensitive, personal, and regulated client information related to public assistance, child welfare, and adult protective services. This information is governed by stringent state and federal data privacy and security requirements and other confidentiality statutes specific to human services programs.
Given the critical nature of these data assets and the increasing frequency and sophistication of global cybersecurity threats, it is essential that HS ITSD strengthens its data protection capabilities to safeguard client information and ensure uninterrupted delivery of vital public services.
Varonis Systems, Inc. (Varonis) offers a comprehensive, enterprise-grade cybersecurity solution designed to provide continuous, real-time monitoring of data access and usage across all HS systems and networks. By leveraging Varonis' automated threat detection and response capabilities, County HS departments can rapidly identify anomalies or behavior indicative of insider threats, external attacks, or inadvertent data exposures, enabling immediate mitigation to prevent data breaches.
The Subscription Services Agreement (Agreement) is Varonis’ standard commercial contract, which includes terms that differ from the standard County contract and omits certain County standard contract terms. While the parties negotiated certain contract terms to County standards, Varonis would not agree to all County standard terms. The non-standard and missing terms include the following:
1. Varonis may assign the Agreement without notice to the County and without the County’s approval.
• The County’s standard contract requires that the County must approve any assignment of the contract.
• Potential Impact: Varonis could assign the Agreement to a third party or business with which the County is legally prohibited from doing business due to issues of Federal debarment or suspension and conflict of interest, without the County’s knowledge. Should this occur, the County could be out of compliance with the law until it becomes aware of the assignment and terminates the Agreement.
2. Varonis’ maximum liability is limited to the amount of fees received by Varonis in the 12 months prior to the event that gave rise to the claim.
• The County standard contract does not include a limitation of liability.
• Potential Impact: Claims could exceed the liability cap and the Agreement amount leaving the County financially liable for the excess.
Although these terms deviate from County standards, HS recommends approval based on the significant operational benefits, heightened cybersecurity protections, and the urgency of safeguarding sensitive client information across HS departments.
PROCUREMENT
The County Administrative Office approved and authorized the release of Invitation to Bid (ITB) HSSA26-HSSA-6168, with the Purchasing Department (Purchasing) on November 7, 2025, to solicit proposals from interested and qualified agencies to provide Varonis Software Subscription user licenses for a period of three years. The ITB was posted to the County’s Electronic Procurement Network (ePro).
Four proposals were received by the established deadline in response to the ITB. Proposals from the four agencies listed below met the minimum requirements and continued through the evaluation process:
|
Varonis Windows MDDR Solution and Copilot SaaS (3 year subscription) |
Axelliant |
Emgence |
Kambrian |
Nth Generation |
|
Cost-Year One |
$735,139.29 |
$748,318.53 |
$748,074.75 |
$668,333.34 |
|
Cost-Year Two |
$735,139.29 |
$748,318.53 |
$748,074.75 |
$668,333.34 |
|
Cost-Year Three |
$735,139.29 |
$748,318.53 |
$748,074.75 |
$668,333.34 |
|
Total |
$2,205,417.87 |
$2,244,955.59 |
$2,244,224.25 |
$2,005,000.02 |
The evaluation panel, with representation from HS ITSD, reviewed and evaluated the proposals based on the criteria listed in the ITB, which included cost only.
Based on this criteria, the evaluation panel determined that Nth Generation best met the needs of the County. Award and denial letters were sent to all proposers on November 19, 2025. No protests were received within the allowable period.
Purchasing supports this competitive procurement based on the formal solicitation described above.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services (Lisa Rivas-Ordaz, Contracts Manager, 388-0222) on November 19, 2025; County Counsel (Daniella V. Hernandez, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 19, 2025; Risk Management (Stephanie Mead, Staff Analyst II, 386-8655) on November 20, 2025; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2060) on November 20, 2025; Information Technology and Support Division (Marcella Ramirez, Departmental Information Systems Administrator, 386-3760) on November 20, 2025; Innovation and Technology Division (Lynn Fyhrlund, Chief Information Officer, 388-5501) on December 1, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (John Hallen, Principal Administrative Analyst, 388-0278) on November 25, 2025.