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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: Apri16, 1999 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. ~- C,, <br />SUBJECT: Contract Approval: Y2K Project Coordinator Services from McGladrey & Pullen, LLP <br />DEPARTMENT: Purchasing & Central Services/ PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) <br />County Manager <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Proposal <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Pam Jones, ext 2650 <br />Rod Visser, ext 2300 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To consider approving a contract with McGladrey & Pullen to provide Y2K project coordinator <br />services. <br />BACKGROUND: The Board is familiar with issues that might affect various aspects of the County's operations <br />as a result of the Year 2000 software bug (Y2K). At the February 15, 1999 goal setting work session, the Board <br />indicated its desire to pursue Y2K preparedness as a high priority for 1999, and to proceed with securing the <br />services of a Y2K coordinator. The County Manager will be in charge of the proposed Y2K coordinator, who will <br />collaborate with staff in executing the County's remediation, testing, and contingency plans. While County staff <br />have been diligent for the past year or more to identify and address many Y2K issues, it has become apparent that <br />constraints imposed by the day-to-day workload make it improbable that without additional personnel resources, <br />we can guarantee that all Y2K issues are addressed within the given timeframe. Rather than hire an individual(s) <br />to manage this project, County staff have pursued outsourcing. <br />A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the Y2K project coordinator was solicited from eight firms suggested by <br />staff at the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. A County assessment panel interviewed four <br />firms which responded most appropriately to the County's RFQ, and conducted second round interviews with the <br />specific proposed project managers of two very impressive firms. The panel included County Manager John Link, <br />Assistant County Manager Rod Visser, Purchasing & Central Services Director Pam Jones, Information Systems <br />Director Dick Taylor, and Information Technology Committee Chair John Smith. Based on the review conducted <br />by the panel, staff recommends that the Board award a contract for Y2K project coordinator work to McGladrey & <br />Pullen, LLP. <br />McGladrey & Pullen is a large, well-known consulting firm with specialties that include accounting and <br />information technology services. They were one of the finalists when the County reviewed proposals for auditing <br />services in 1998. The individual who will serve as the actual project coordinator, Jiin <br />McGimsey, is very well-qualified and well-rounded. Prior to his focusing on IT issues and becoming a Certified <br />Novell Engineer, Mr. McGimsey managed or served on annual financial audit engagements for Craven, Pamlico, <br />and New Hanover Counties. The assessment panel was particularly impressed by Mr. McGimsey's familiarity <br />