County IT finalizes negotiated Drupal upgrade with vendor; $156,800 includes AI search and constituent‑feedback upgrades

An IT staff member reported that the county negotiated terms with ProMed for a Drupal upgrade project and came in at about $156,800, under a previously authorized not‑to‑exceed amount of $170,000.

The negotiated scope includes the core platform upgrade plus two optional components the county selected: an AI‑enabled site search intended to return results in natural language and an upgraded constituent feedback system (formerly branded as the e‑gov constituent feedback form) to improve how residents submit and track requests. Staff said they also included a limited support allocation for the current website during the upgrade process.

Contract language and legal review: the IT staff said the county attorney’s office reviewed the contract and asked for an indemnification clause; when that clause was added, venue language for Iowa was accidentally removed and was subsequently restored before finalizing the negotiated terms.

Why it matters: the upgrade updates the county website platform and tools residents use to find information and submit feedback. Staff emphasized the AI search may not suit every user depending on implementation, but it could make site search more conversational.

Action and next steps: staff presented the negotiated contract terms during the committee of the whole. The transcript records the negotiated price and selected options; no formal award vote was recorded in the committee discussion. The county will proceed with final contracting steps consistent with county procurement rules.

Budget and scope notes: the previously authorized maximum was $170,000; staff reported the negotiated total of about $156,800 covers the upgrade, two optional items, and transition support for the existing site.