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Good process, prudent decision making and a major reinvestment

Thursday 25 June 2009, 9:29AM

By Waitaki District Council

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OAMARU

The Waitaki District Council needs to update its computer system to continue to maintain core services.

The decision to replace the system has been brought about by the sale of Council’s current supplier to a competitor who will not be maintaining the current system.

“It was installed in 1999 in response to the threat of the Year 2000 Bug and we’ve had excellent use from it for the last decade. It was a good investment,” said Corporate Services Group Manager Stephen Halliwell. “It contains data bases for rates, property and all the people dealing with Council, it also manages processes, financial services, building consents, planning, dog registrations and other regulatory services, so replacing it is a big deal.”

However the product is showing its age and is at the end of its lifecycle and will soon cease to provide the functions that the staff and public expect. It will become obsolete.

The report to be submitted to Council on Tuesday proposes that the contract to replace the system will not go to tender because there are very few suppliers servicing the small and specialised local government market.

In addition, Mr Halliwell said, the tender process was expensive.

“We have identified five potential suppliers and there is very little difference in price between them. Our preference for a supplier will be based around quality factors – the best fit to our organisation, good back up and support, and appropriate technology.”

Mr Halliwell said Council is able to pay for the updated system from reserves set aside for the replacement. There will be no additional cost to rate payers.

No decision has yet been made as to which supplier will be contracted but it is hoped that the first part of the new installation will be operating by July 2010.