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Cwt T©G REQUEST FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION Agenda Section 3. <br /> • <br /> STAFF REPORT Report Number: 96-1648C <br /> ©MS Report Date: 3/28/96 <br /> 411, 1. AGENDA SESSION DATE <br /> BON April 1, 1996 <br /> *Afro <br /> 4.11'4 <br /> •Pa€tn¢tsk4' <br /> Item Description: Consideration of computerized financial system <br /> Administrator's Review/Recommendation: <br /> -No Comments to supplement this report C <br /> -Commened. <br /> Explanation/Summary(attach supplement sheets as necessary) <br /> Summary: <br /> The Finance Department has been in need of a new computer system for sometime. The present system was <br /> upgraded in March of 1989. During the last couple of years it has been processing data very slowly. Even <br /> though this computer's memory board was replaced this year the system is being pushed to its limit. <br /> Financial software packages for municipalities have improved and hardware has become much faster in the <br /> last decade. The staff has spoken with many Cities in order to discover the best hardware/software package <br /> for the Finance Department and ultimately the City. The staff is presenting the three choices we believe to be <br /> 0he best for your review and consideration. <br /> Computoservice, Inc. (CSI) a leader in the field for such packages was the correct decision for the City of <br /> Mounds View in 1986. Over the last several years CSI has been perceived by many cities to be concentrating <br /> on developing their other business ventures at the expense of improving the municipal software package. <br /> Any enhancement to their present municipal financial package comes with a large price tag (one such <br /> enhancement was priced at$180,000). When CSI was asked to provide the City with a bid for hardware to <br /> handle our needs, it took weeks and several requests from staff to receive the proposal. Since the <br /> hardware/software proposal was supplied to us, no one from CSI has contacted the City. Through our <br /> investigation we have spoken to many cities that have left Computoservice, Inc. or are looking at other <br /> software companies. <br /> The other two vendors are Precision Computer Systems (PCS) and TR Funds which are well-respected <br /> companies in the field of financial software packages for municipalities. PCS and TR Funds came on-site to <br /> demonstrate their respective products and review the City's present computer hardware. Both companies <br /> received high marks for customer support and their financial software. Neither company charges for annual <br /> enhancements and they have encouraged customer input that improved the overall package for municipalities. <br /> Cities were able to receive customized programs, were satisfied with the price, and service has been prompt. <br /> III <br />