REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 10, 2025
FROM
LYNN FYHRLUND, Chief Information Officer, Innovation and Technology Department
SUBJECT
Title
Contracts for ServiceNow Software Licenses, Training, and Professional Installation and Configuration Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve contracts with the following companies to provide ServiceNow licenses, training, and professional installation and configuration services, in an aggregate amount not-to-exceed amount of $4,000,000, for the period of June 10, 2025 through June 9, 2030:
a. Apex Systems, LLC, dba Glidefast Consulting.
b. Ahead, Inc., dba Kovarus, Inc., including a non-standard term.
2. Authorize the Chief Information Officer or Assistant Chief Information Officer to execute future documents to confirm or implement the ServiceNow software licenses, training, and professional installation and configuration services, subject to review by County Counsel, provided that such documents do not substantively modify the terms, increase the total not-to-exceed amount, or change the duration of the contracts.
(Presenter: Lynn Fyhrlund, Chief Information Officer, 388-5501)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Innovation and Technology Department’s (ITD) operating costs are recovered via service rates approved annually by the Board of Supervisors (Board). The 5-year costs for ServiceNow, Inc. (ServiceNow) software licenses, training, and professional installation and configuration services will be incurred on a fee-for-service basis not-to-exceed the total amount of $4,000,000, as identified in the Recommendations above. Sufficient appropriation is included in the ITD Computer Operations 2024-25 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The ServiceNow platform provides the County with a robust Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) system, allowing the County to benefit from a unified and intuitive employee service experience across all departments. County departments currently utilize ServiceNow for service desk and employee center portal. The County plans to continue enhancing the system to include change control, asset management, and contract management as well as implement improvements to the employee center portal and communication countywide.
As part of the Request for Proposal (RFP) process, ITD began contract negotiations with Apex Systems LLC dba Glidefast Consulting (Apex) and Ahead, Inc., dba Kovarus, Inc. (Ahead) using the standard County contract as a starting point. While the parties negotiated most contract terms to County standard, Ahead would not agree to all County standard terms. The non-standard and missing terms in the Ahead Contract include the following:
Ahead’s maximum liability to the County is limited to $2,000,000, excluding their gross negligence, willful misconduct, and violations of law.
• The County standard contract does not include a limitation of liability.
• Potential Impact: Claims could exceed the liability cap and the Contract amount leaving the County financially liable for the excess.
ITD recommends approval of the contracts with Apex and Ahead, including the non-standard term in the contract with Ahead, to obtain ServiceNow software licenses, training, and professional installation/configuration services to optimize and support the County in implementing ServiceNow module enhancements. ITD recommends approval of Recommendation No. 2 to allow the Chief Information Officer or Assistant Chief Information Officer to execute documents to confirm or implement the ServiceNow software licenses, training, and professional installation and configuration services. These documents may include project request forms establishing a scope of work and timeline for the contract services, and documents confirming acceptance of deliverables.
PROCUREMENT
On October 7, 2024, ITD released RFP No. ISD125-ADM-5614 via the County’s Electronic Procurement Network (ePro) to identify vendors that could provide ServiceNow software licensing, training, and professional installation and configuration services on an iterative and as-needed basis for the period of June 10, 2025 through June 9, 2030. The intention of the RFP was to obtain qualified and experienced vendors that could identify opportunities for optimization and fulfill future ServiceNow project requests for ITD or other County departments as required throughout the five-year term.
|
Vendor |
Location |
|
Apex Systems, LLC dba GlideFast Consulting |
Glen Allen, VA |
|
Ahead, Inc., dba Kovarus, Inc. |
Chicago, Il |
|
Global Solutions Group Inc. |
Oak Park, MI |
ITD received proposals from three vendors. An evaluation committee determined Apex and Ahead are best qualified to meet the needs of the County. The contractors were selected based on a combination of experience, technical review, cost, references, and proposer’s demonstrations. No protests were received. The Purchasing Department supports the recommendation to award the contracts to Apex and Ahead to provide ServiceNow licenses, training, and professional installation and configuration services.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Kaleigh Ragon, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 16, 2025; Purchasing (Dylan Newton, Buyer III, 387-3377) on May 16, 25025; Risk Management (Gregory Ustaszewski, Staff Analyst II, 386-9008) on May 16, 2025; Finance (Ivan Ramirez, Administrative Analyst, 387-4020) on May 22, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on May 23, 2025.