Title
a. Authorize the Contracts Purchasing Officer or Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to execute an Agreement with West Publishing Corporation for Westlaw Pro Edge Government Plan Online Legal Research, for the period retroactive to January 1, 2024 through March 31, 2027, in the maximum amount of $230,000;
b. Accept non-standard contract provisions as recommended by the Public Defender; and
c. Approve and authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer or Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to sign up to three future amendments to this Agreement where the total amendments does not exceed 10% ($23,000) of the original Agreement amount and does not significantly change the scope of work and does not exceed the revised maximum amount of $253,000.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Authorize the Contracts Purchasing Officer or Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to execute an Agreement with West Publishing Corporation for Westlaw Pro Edge Government Plan Online Legal Research, for the period retroactive to January 1, 2024 through March 31, 2027, in the maximum amount of $230,000;
b. Accept non-standard contract provisions as recommended by the Public Defender; and
c. Approve and authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer or Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to sign up to three future amendments to this Agreement where the total amendments does not exceed 10% ($23,000) of the original Agreement amount and does not significantly change the scope of work and does not exceed the revised maximum amount of $253,000.
SUMMARY:
It is requested that the Board authorize approval of a non-standard Agreement and amendments with West Publishing Corporation, for the provision of online legal research services, specifically, Westlaw PRO Edge Government Plan for legal support software and attorney reference materials including Westlaw law library and online reference products.
DISCUSSION:
Westlaw Pro Edge Government Plan Online Legal Research software/internet service provides online legal research and writing assistance to the Public Defender’s Office, in order to fulfill its legal duty to represent indigents charged with crimes in Monterey County. Westlaw PRO Edge Government Plan for online legal research includes the primary constitutions, laws, and cases (published and unpublished) for all federal and state jurisdictions. This service also includes the proprietary Key Cite reference system used to pinpoint legal research efforts. The service likewise includes the published legislative history for all federal and state jurisdictions. The service moreover provides the statute and regulation versioning for all federal and state jurisdictions. The service includes forms for all federal and state jurisdictions and has a proprietary forms builder program that self populates templates to increase the efficiency and accuracy of prepared and filed motions. The service likewise includes the proprietary Drafting Assistant program that integrates with the Public Defender’s native word processing program and reviews, checks, and corrects citation and quotations in legal briefs. Finally, the service provides the proprietary Case Timeline program that builds a timeline of legally significant events in the case; this program is used by the Public Defender’s Office for trial preparation and presentation.
The Agreement is non-standard for the County. It adopts modifications to the County’s standard agreement, set forth in Exhibit B, Addendum to Order Form Q-07904836
This proposed agreement provides the legal research and legal drafting tools described to the Public Defender from July1, 2024, through March 31, 2027. The Public Defender negotiated a three-year contract to receive a lower rate that includes pro-rated months.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County has approved as to form. County Auditor-Controller has approved as to financial terms.
FINANCING:
Funding is available withing the existing budget for the Public Defender, and future funding is anticipated to continue.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This contract meets the Board’s strategic initiatives by providing “Efficient and Effective Government Operations”. This contract also meets a Key Objective by achieving a balanced budget that sustains core services and efficiently allocates resources.
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives
__Economic Development
_X_Administration
__Health & Human Services
__Infrastructure
__Public Safety
Prepared by: Becky Avila, Management Analyst II, Ext. 3048
Approved by: Susan E. Chapman, Public Defender, Ext. 5806
Attachments:
Board Report
Agreement with West Publishing Corporation- Westlaw Edge Pro Government Plan