Laurel council approves $274,500 data-governance contract, staff says technical fit drove choice

The Laurel City Council voted May 11 to award a contract for Microsoft data governance implementation to Keefer Consulting Inc. of Folsom, California, at a maximum all-inclusive cost of $274,500, funded through the FY2023 state and local cybersecurity grant program.

Director Carmel Shield told the council the procurement team evaluated proposals on estimated hours, hourly pay rates and technical approach. "The lowest [bid] was paying their staff significantly lower by about 33% of what the industry standard is for people with those certifications," Shield said, and added that Keefer’s technical proposal "best aligned with our expectations and our understanding of the product." Council members pressed for clarification because Keefer was not the lowest bidder.

Councilwoman Clark moved approval of the award and Councilman Cole seconded; the clerk recorded roll-call votes in favor and the motion carried.

The contract award certificate in the meeting record identifies Keefer Consulting Inc., a Folsom-based vendor, as the recommended recipient and specifies the contract will be fully funded through the cited cybersecurity grant. The record also shows council discussion focused on ensuring contractor staff are compensated at industry-standard rates and that the vendor’s technical plan matched the city’s data-governance strategy.

The council did not discuss contract start dates or milestone schedules during the meeting. City staff indicated they are available to answer further procurement or technical questions outside the meeting.

The council moved on after the vote to other agenda items.