Submitted By: Christopher Ramos
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Presentation By: Christopher Ramos
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Department: Information Technology
STAFF RECOMMENDATION (Motion Ready):
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Approve a three-year agreement with Accelerated Technology Laboratories, LLC, for the Laboratory Information Systems platform, Confience, for an estimated aggregate expenditure of $114,850
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OCALA’S RELEVANT STRATEGIC GOALS:
Operational Excellence, Quality of Place
PROOF OF PUBLICATION:
N/A
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BACKGROUND:
A laboratory information management system (LIMS) is a software that manages and streamlines the laboratory operations. It offers features for sample tracking, data management, and quality control, ensuring accurate and efficient analysis of water samples. A LIMS automates workflow processes, reduces errors, and facilitates regulatory compliance by maintaining comprehensive records and generating necessary reports. It enhances a laboratory's ability to monitor water quality and detect contaminants or pollutants effectively. By integrating various instruments and data sources, a LIMS ensures reliable and consistent results for water testing labs.
LabLite LLC, the current LIMS platform used by the Water Resources Department since 2012, is facing significant operational challenges. Frequent server restarts are needed, causing delays. The system retains qualifier codes indefinitely, cluttering reports. It lacks critical features such as direct Excel uploads, quality control tracking, chemical inventory management, personnel management with alerts, and automatic flagging of out-of-control data. These limitations highlight the urgent need for a software replacement to enhance efficiency and functionality.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS:
The Water Resources and Information Technology Departments conducted market research to compare vendor offerings and platform capabilities and have chosen Accelerated Technology Laboratories, LLC’s Confience as the LIMS platform which will best meet the City’s needs and afford best value. Confience's projected cost is the lowest among all proposals and falls within the annual budget limit of $60,000.
Confience offers key features that align with operational needs, such as user-friendly templates for routine sampling processes and the direct upload of Excel files into LIMS. Confience’s robust tools for tracking quality assurance and quality control metrics enable the analysis of trends over time, ensuring high standards and quick issue resolution. Moreover, generating detailed charts for the Minimum Detection Limit (MDL) and Practical Quantitation Limit (PQL) is crucial for testing processes. Confience also provides efficient tracking systems for compliance documents, ensuring easy access and organization of necessary documents. Overall, Confience meets budgetary requirements and offers features that will significantly enhance laboratory operations for the Water Resources department.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funds for the procurement of the LIMS and deployment services in the estimated amount of $114,850 are budgeted in the below account strings and will be paid under Munis Contract No. ITS/250394
Year 1: 455-030-603-535-53-52045: $58,150
Year 2: 455-030-307-535-53-52045: $28,350
Year 3: 455-030-307-535-53-52045: $28,350
PROCUREMENT REVIEW:
This software was procured in compliance with the City’s Procurement Policy.
LEGAL REVIEW:
This Agreement will be reviewed and approved for form and legality by City Attorney William E. Sexton.
ALTERNATIVE:
• Approve with Changes
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• Deny