It is recommended that the Mayor and City Commission approve the Resolution accepting the City Manager’s recommendation, pursuant to ITN 2023-217-ND, for real estate management software, authorizing the Administration to negotiate with GCR Inc. d/b/a Civix, the top-ranked proposer; and, if not successful, authorizing the Administration to enter into negotiations with Trescope, Inc., the second-ranked proposer. The Resolution also authorizes the City Manager and City Clerk to execute an agreement upon conclusion of successful negotiations in an amount not to exceed $125,000 for the initial term of the agreement. The initial term shall be approximately three years with two (2) one (1) year optional renewal terms. 

The solicitation is currently under the cone of silence.

The Facilities and Fleet Management Department (the "Department") currently manages city-owned commercial real estate assets.  The current process for managing these assets is antiquated and labor-intensive. Therefore, the Department requests a new and efficient system to track real estate assets by folio numbers, as well as perform key functional activities such as tracking insurance policies and expiring lease agreements, and managing lease payments, as well as interfacing with the City’s financial system.

Through this Invitation to Negotiate (ITN), the City seeks proposals for asset management software that will help streamline the management of assets as it relates to tracking expirations, escalations, renewal options, etc. The software will include built-in accounting, online marketing and leasing, integrated screening, and insurance, online portals for easy rent collection, service requests, payments, and owner reporting.

On March 27, 2023, the Mayor and the City Commission authorized the issuance of Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) No. 2023-217-ND, for real estate management software. On March 27, 2023, the ITN was issued. A voluntary pre-proposal conference to provide information to proposers submitting a response was held on April 12, 2023.  One (1) addendum was issued. The Procurement Department issued bid notices to 14,942 companies through the e-procurement system, with 61 prospective bidders accessing the advertised solicitation. ITN responses were due and received on May 11, 2023. The City received a total of two (2) proposals from GCR Inc. d/b/a Civix, and Trescope, Inc.

On May 18, 2023, the City Manager appointed the Evaluation Committee via LTC # 229-2023.  The Evaluation Committee convened on June 13, 2023, to consider the proposals received.  The Committee was comprised of Ozzie Dominguez, Asset Management Division Director, Facilities and Fleet Management Department, Anabel Llopiz, Executive Director, Lincoln Road Business Improvement District, Ozzy Macias, Chief Technology Officer, Information Technology Department, Santiago Sellan, Contracts Compliance Administrator, Facilities and Fleet Management Department, and Alba Tarre, Director, Housing and Community Services Division.  The Committee was provided an overview of the project, information relative to the City’s Cone of Silence Ordinance, and the Government Sunshine Law. The Committee was also provided with general information on the scope of services and a copy of each proposal.  The Committee was instructed to score and rank each proposal pursuant to the evaluation criteria established in the ITN. The evaluation process resulted in the ranking of proposers as indicated below (see Attachment A).

1^st ranked - GCR Inc. d/b/a Civix

2^nd ranked – Trescope, Inc.

A summary of each top-ranked firm follows based on information provided by each firm.

GCR Inc. d/b/a Civix

For 40 years and across 50+ public clients, GCR Inc. d/b/a Civix (GCR) has had a singular specialized focus on public sector real estate management software. Its products and services have evolved and matured throughout the years with the help of software developers, employees with significant field experience, and continuous feedback and input from clients.  Today, GCR provides highly functional state-of-the-art platforms that support its clients' missions and specialized daily operations. Relevant clients include the City of Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach County, and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.

Trescope, Inc.

Trescope, Inc. (Trescope) is a consulting company that is familiar with lease accounting and management solutions and with different leasing accounting standards.  As an IBM Business Partner, Trescope has provided consulting services since 2010.  Trescope is made up of highly skilled professionals with expertise in accounting, software development, and implementation.  The firm is fully committed to delivering exceptional value and service. Relevant clients include the Palm Beach School District, the Archdiocese of Chicago, and the City of New York.

The IT Steering Committee held on November 14, 2022, approved funding for a commercial real estate digital platform. The Department estimates $65,000 for the first year, inclusive of a $35,000 implementation fee and $30,000 for the service.  All subsequent years are estimated at $30,000 and are subject to the appropriation of operating funds through the City’s annual budget process.  The scope of work and cost will be negotiated with the selected firms in order of rank.  It is not anticipated that grant funding will be utilized for this project.

552-0640-000331-00-404-534-00-00-00-69522        $65,000 (FOR YEAR 1 ONLY)

After reviewing all of the submissions and the Evaluation Committee’s rankings and commentary, GCR Inc. d/b/a Civix (GCR) is deemed to be the best-qualified firm to provide the City with asset management software.  To meet the City’s needs, GCR is proposing its lease management solution, Public Business & Revenue Manager (PBRM), which will integrate with the City’s financial system, Tyler Technologies MUNIS system.  GCR has a proven and demonstrable record of successful implementations with other local cities, counties, and agencies, such as the City of Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach County, and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which are tasked with the property management and revenue generation of their assets.  PBRM is built to scale and is large enough to handle the deployment easily but agile enough to bring a flexible deployment that combines the City’s workflow and best practices.

Trescope, Inc., the second-ranked proposer, is also well-qualified and should be considered if negotiations with GCR Inc. d/b/a Civix are unsuccessful.

For the reasons stated herein, it is recommended that the Mayor and City Commission approve the Resolution authorizing the Administration to enter into negotiations with GCR Inc. d/b/a Civix, as the top-ranked proposer; further, if the Administration is not successful in negotiating an agreement with GCR Inc. d/b/a Civix, authorizing the Administration to enter into negotiations with Trescope, Inc., as the second-ranked proposer; and further authorizing the City Manager and City Clerk to execute an agreement upon conclusion of successful negotiations by the Administration.