IRVINE : City to Ask for Bids on Technology Center

A proposal to establish a regional technology center in City Hall has been changed by city officials to allow for competitive bidding within the first few months of the contract.

Council members voted to amend the proposed contract with Dallas-based Business Records Corp. to allow the city to solicit competitive bids immediately for the upgrade of computer services and the creation of a regional technology center.

The council had approved a one-year trial partnership with the company on May 9, after city staff members who worked on the proposal for 15 months said Business Records Corp. was the only company proposing the creation of a regional technology center.

The technology center would market computer services to other municipalities. If the venture is successful, Irvine officials say, their cost of computer operations will be reduced by a portion of the revenues. The company has also guaranteed the city’s annual cost of computer operations will not rise above its present annual level of $887,000.

The company will begin work on the computer system in June to create the technology center.

But some residents and representatives of competing computer firms argued that the city should allow open bidding for the creation of a technology center.

Because Business Records Corp. originated the proposal, the council agreed to give the company the right to match any competing bid. Business Records Corp. has agreed to make a $705,000 investment in computer equipment and personnel during the first year of operations. Under the amended agreement, the city must pay the company half of its expenses, at the rate of $66,000 per month, if a competing computer company is hired.

Councilwoman Christina L. Shea voted against the plan, saying the city should not award a contract until after the request-for-proposals process was finished.