TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF APRIL 2, 2009
COMMITTEE ON PURCHASING
Mr. Richard Lanyon, Executive Director
Title
Issue purchase order and enter into an agreement with MindLeaders, Inc. for Contract 09-RFP-03, E-Learning Courseware Proposals, to provide e-learning courses for a two-year period, beginning May 1, 2009 through April 30, 2011, in an amount not to exceed $44,477.00, Account 101-25000-601100, Requisition 1271978
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to issue a purchase order and enter into a license agreement with MindLeaders, Inc. for the period May 1, 2009 through April 30, 2011.
In 2008, the District issued a purchase order to ePath Learning Systems, Inc. to host an internet-based learning management system (LMS). The LMS creates a “virtual classroom” and provides internet access to a wide variety of training courses. The LMS also provides various tools to design and administer a comprehensive on-line training program. We are now procuring e-learning course content to deliver to employees utilizing the existing LMS.
One-hundred eighty-five (185) firms were invited to submit proposals in response to Request for Proposal 09-RFP-03, which was advertised on December 3, 2008. The District received six (6) proposals: Enterprise Training Solutions, Vantage Solutions, LLC, New Horizons Computer Learning Centers, MindLeaders, Inc. and Business Training Library on January 23, 2009.
Staff from the Procurement and Materials Management and the Human Resources Departments evaluated each proposal on the following criteria:
a) courseware capability and functionality;
b) flexibility and ease of product implementation;
c) vendor client references;
d) cost.
The proposal received from MindLeaders, Inc. had the highest overall evaluation and lowest cost of any proposal received. The purchase order provides up to 750 users access to over 700 different courses for a two-year period. The courses cover a wide variety of management and supervisory topics, including Project Management, Leadership, Coaching, Building Teams and Effective Communication. Other courses include Business Ethics, Workplace Violence Prevention, and Diversity. Through the LMS, the Training Section of the Human Resources Department will be able to coordinate access to courses based on job title, and monitor course utilization, performance and completion. Employees participating in the on-line training will be able access to courses from any computer at any time.
MindLeaders, Inc. was founded in 1981 and has over twenty-seven years of experience in developing, delivering and supporting e-learning and other training and development solutions. It has over 700 corporate and government clients. Its e-learning courseware is compatible with the District’s LMS and complies with established e-learning technical standards.
In view of the foregoing, it is requested that the Director of Procurement and Materials Management be authorized to issue a purchase order and enter into an agreement with MindLeaders, Inc. to provide e-learning courseware from May 1, 2009 through April 30, 2011, in an amount not to exceed $44,477.00. Funds for the 2009 expenditure in the amount of $22,239.00 are available in Account 101-25000-601100. The estimated expenditure in 2010 is $22,238.00. Funds for the 2010 expenditure are contingent on the Board of Commissioners’ approval of the District’s budget for 2010.
Requested, Patrick J. Foley, Director of Human Resources, PJF:JPD
Recommended, Darlene A. LoCascio, Director of Procurement and Materials Management
Respectfully Submitted, Barbara J. McGowan, Chairman Committee on Purchasing
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for April 2, 2009