Title
a. Authorize the Chief Information Officer or his designee to execute Amendment No. 1 to a Non-Standard Agreement with ePlus Technology Incorporated, a re-seller of technology goods and services, incorporating the terms of the existing Master Technology Agreement with The Interlocal Purchasing System (TIPS), 230105, Technology Solutions, Products and Services extending the term through May 31, 2031, and adding $2,250,000 to procure a Security Suite, for a revised agreement amount not to exceed $3,250,000 and
b.Authorize the Chief Information Officer or his designee to sign order forms and such documents as are necessary to implement the agreement with ePlus Technology for the purchase and renewals of technology products and services; and
c.Accept non-standard contract provisions as recommended by the Chief Information Officer.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Authorize the Chief Information Officer or his designee to execute Amendment No. 1 to a Non-Standard Agreement with ePlus Technology Incorporated, a re-seller of technology goods and services, incorporating the terms of the existing Master Technology Agreement with The Interlocal Purchasing System (TIPS), 230105, Technology Solutions, Products and Services extending the term through May 31, 2031, and adding $2,250,000 to procure a Security Suite, for a revised agreement amount not to exceed $3,250,000 and
b.Authorize the Chief Information Officer or his designee to sign order forms and such documents as are necessary to implement the agreement with ePlus Technology for the purchase and renewals of technology products and services; and
c.Accept non-standard contract provisions as recommended by the Chief Information Officer.
SUMMARY
The approval of this Amendment will continue to allow the County to procure information technology related products and services which includes but not limited to security platform products and services, and process yearly support and subscription renewals through ePlus Technology Incorporated (ePlus), an authorized reseller of the government cooperative TIPS Contract No. 230105, Technology Solutions, Products and Services.
DISCUSSION:
TIPS is a cooperative purchasing program for public sector entities, under which ePlus Technology Incorporated was selected as an authorized technology reseller through TIPS Contract No. 230105. Participation in the TIPS program enables the County to realize efficiencies in both time and cost by reducing the administrative effort associated with contract development, while also achieving lower pricing through economies of scale. This agreement provides the County with access to standardized, pre-negotiated pricing for information technology products such as hardware, software, and critical technical services.
In fiscal year 2025-2026, the Information Technology Department (ITD) purchased the Tenable vulnerability management product through the TIPS Master Agreement. Tenable enables Monterey County to identify, prioritize, and reduce cybersecurity risk by continuously discovering vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and exposure across information technology assets.
To further strengthen the County’s security posture and operational resilience, ITD proposes the additional acquisition of a Security Suite, including endpoint protection, next-generation Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Security Operations Center (SOC), Identity Protection capabilities and vulnerability management.
. Expanding to the Security Suite extends existing investments to address active threats, identity-based attacks, and real-time incident response, and vulnerability management capabilities.
The Security Suite will enable the County to:
• Protects against cyber threats by spotting suspicious activity early and stopping attacks before they cause harm.
• Keeps systems running safely without slowing down devices or disrupting daily work.
• Simplifies security by bringing multiple protections into one easy-to-manage solution.
• Responds quickly to problems, reducing the impact of security incidents.
• Reduces manual work, so security teams can focus on what matters most.
• Provides peace of mind by continuously monitoring systems in the background.
The suite’s cloud-native design and real-time threat intelligence are essential to modernizing the County’s security operations and defending a hybrid enterprise environment. This suite aligns with recognized security frameworks and significantly reduces exposure to credential theft, ransomware, and advanced persistent threats.
The Chief Information Officer recommends the approval of this proposed Amendment.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT/COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
County Counsel has reviewed. Auditor-Controller reviewed the contract but does not agree to the non-standard payment provisions.
FINANCING:
Required funds will be included in each respective Requested Budget for the Information Technology Department, ITD 1930, Appropriations Unit INF002.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS:
The Interlocal Purchasing System Program (TIPS) is a cost savings procurement method for software, hardware products, and services that may be utilized when procuring IT-related products and services.
____ Well-Being and Quality of Life
X Sustainable Infrastructure for the Present and Future
X Safe and Resilient Communities
____ Diverse and Thriving Economy
____ Dynamic Organization and Employer of Choice
____ Administrative
Prepared by: Sandra Shaffer, Management Analyst III, 759-6957
Approved by: Eric A. Chatham, Chief Information Officer, 759-6920
Attachments:
TIPS RFP 230105 Vendor Agreement with ePlus Technology, Incorporated
<https://www.tips-usa.com/vendorProfile.cfm?RecordID=08F3320815938A70F70D6E39158E0882>
Amendment No 1