Box 9, Folder 4, Document 13

Box 9, Folder 4, Document 13

MEMORANDUM
TO: Members of the Data Processing Review Committee
FROM: John vaceoh
SUBJECT: HUD RFP 2-70, Urban Information System Grant

The City has received RFP 2-70 from the Department of Housing and
Urban Development. This statement of work invites proposals for the
research and development of a comprehensive, integrated municipal infor-
mation system or sub-system. This is an experiment to learn whether or
not a prototype can be developed and succdeseuliy operated as a relative-
ly standardized system which can be transferred to other municipalities
with a minimum of alterations,

Past approaches to urban information systems have been fragmentary .
What is needed is a system formulated as an integral part of municipal
operations.based on the satisfaction of operational requirements of
municipal decicias and maintenance of the data base for that system,

To achieve this broad goal, a fourfold integration is required, linking
together the following:

1. The processing, analytical and control capabilities of urban

information systems.

2. The several complimentary approaches to information develop-
ment; housekeeping, data bank, model-building, and process
control. =

3. The various processes of urban administration,

4. The many urban and other governmental entities within a
minicipality.

There are several basic principles which this project must observe:

1. A fundamental analysis of the entize system and its needs is

necessary.

2. The system must be operationally based, i.e. in support of
sustel pail operations.

The system is municipal - oriented, since it is at this level
that urban problems and programs are dealt with.

Automation rather than computerization of the system is desired.
The system must provide for feedback from the community & its
government.

Since this is an R & D effort, experimentation and innovation
are desirable. Careful documentation is an absolute necessity.
Success and failures should be explicitly recorded for the bene-

fit of other municipalities.

One complete system and several subsystems will be funded in this

project. In general, the functions of a municipality fall. in four
categories:

QO i.

2.

4.

Public safety - police, fire, inspections

Public finance - usually every department has an accounting
function, with an overall budget department,

Human resources development - health, welfare, education, rec-
reation, etc.

Physical and economic development - planning,«construction,

maintenance, engineering, utilities.

A subsystem comprising one of the above divisions should be complet-

ed and tested within two years, while the complete system will have three

years.

Respondents are required to propose their respective formation into

consortia, consisting of at a minimum the municipality as the prime con-

tractor and a systems/software subcontractor. A college, university, or

center subcontractor as a third member of the consortium is urged but


not required. No contractor or sub-contractor may be involved in more
than one such project,

A.municipality must demonstrate that it has already made a sub-
stantial investment of human and material resources into the develop-
ment of a municipal information system, Existing experience and resources
must be utilized to expedite the development of a system, The proposal
must have a rational relationship to existing development of an infor-
mation system or subsystem in the municipality.

The municipality must provide the project leader and leadership

for_all phases of the project. Assuming that a university or research



center is included, the following roles are most appropriate:

- educational and training course design, and orientation connected with
the project

- cost/benefit analysis and evaluation of the success & failures

= systems conceptualization

- rationalization of information and decision processes

The systems/computer software organization would perform the following:

- systems conceptualization

detailed systems design

programming

systems & procedures

detailed documentation & manual preparation

technical training
The proposal must specify who will do what and when it will be done,

The consortium project team should include the following types of

personnel:


- experienced municipal functional and managerial professionals
- municipal government analysts
- computer technicians
- documentation & procedures manual specialists
- researchers, humsn factors scientists, social scientists
- training specialists
= academicians - political scientists, public administrators, urban-
Ologists, and information and computer scientists, r
The municipality must show evidence of the commitment of all pov-
ernment individuals & units whose cooperation is essential to the scope
of work proposed, It must also show a commitment of the following re-
sources to the project:
1.. Personnel:
suthe mix of talents available
= the specific persons involved, their contribution and reie-
vane background, & the time they will spend on it.
- the relationship of non-project municipal professional
employees & policy-making officials to the project.
2. Machines:
- the EDP equipment available
- the support available from suppliers/manufacturers
3. Organization: i
- a project leader
- the capability to continue the project beyond the life of
the federal funding
The municipality must include a “letter of intent" from all members of

the consortium. It must also show evidence of its commitment to utilize

the systems in planning, operations, and management.
€)

(mr

The consortia involved in'the project will maintain a close liaison
to discuss common problem areas & expressed needs. Informal status and
progress reports will help to keep everyone informed and to reduce dup-
lication of efforts.

Research & development is defined to consist of six steps:

1. Systems analysis 3

z.. Systems Conceptualization

3. Systems Design

4, Systems Development

5.. Systems Implementation

6.. Systems Evaluation
Each. step is: closely interrelated and provides inputs to the other. The
areas which will require the greatest attention to detail, and which
have been merely skimmed in the past, are data acquisition and data base
Management. Present emphasis should be on an information and decision
system rather than a data processing system.

The research and development projects must utilize the systems
approach, have clearly stated objectives, and exhibit effective systems
management. They must also be based on design concepts that are trans-
ferable to other municipalities, The information systems must provide
for continuing data base management and development, as well as implemen-
tation procedures for data base management,

Data base documentation will include the exact mame of each datum,
a discussion of its meaning where necessary .to.be absolutely clear, its
source location, the frequency with which it is reported, the range and
kind of values associated with it, the meaning of the codes, and the
medium, place and identity of its storage. This process should be automated

with a minimum of human interfacing wherever possible. The problem of
ea ae

data compatibility is greatly increased by multi-source reporting.
pb itevenen th coding and classification schemes, data names, area
definition, reporting dates and period covered will have to be reconciled.

A data access control plan must be developed for the system, govern-
ing the release of data in terms of hae, who, when and how. Certain
data will be considered mandatory, some will be recommended, and some
optional by Federal agencies. Geocoding of the data base is also required,

The data system should be open-ended to allow data sharing. Proposals
should reflect an interest to employ conventional models of hardware and
peripherals which have mcapacity appropriate for the system or subsystem.
This is necessary if the project is to be transferable to other cities.

This approach permits the conceptualization of incremental develop-
ment of the information system. At the least sophisticated level are
automatic data processing techniques conventionally employed in the
administrative affairs of the municipality. These include person
finance and property accounting,. billing and disbursing, registering
and licensing, and other routine tasks. The requirement for software is
generally limited to data and files Management, cross-tabulation and
report generation. The computer processing mode conventionally employed
is batch-processing.

A second level of sophistication are hardware and software in
support of the control of operation of a municipality. These include
scheduling, dispatching, allocation and monitering, e.g., traffic con-
trol, and emergency vehicle dispatching. Emphasis here is on a rapid
response capability, and therefore, the on-line, real time mode is more
generally appropriate.

A third level of sophistication is in terms of the hardware, soft-

ware and files required for planning support. Here, both batch processing
- 7J-«-

and on-line, real time modes are important. Generalized software

conventionally required includes PERT and/or CPM for planning and

any

scheduling, simulation and statistical analysis programs.

The remaining level of sophistication is at the policy- making
and management level. Here the requirement at its fullest development
is- for exception-reporting techniques, a planning-programming-budgeting
system, automated alerting systems, on-line cross-tabulation and report
generation and the cathode ray tube and teletypewriter for on-line
displays.

Detailed analysis of current municipal operations is required to
determine their relationship to the goals of the system. Existing
procedures ; forms, records, and reports must be evaluated in terms of
the basic functions performed by the city. Points of information
generation, processing, and utilization and the extent of this information

© must aiso be identified. Decision-flow analyses are aiso necessary.

Below is a check list of specific capabilities the data processing
system should have:

--Capabilities to accept and output data in a variety of forms.
--Capabilities to handle large volumes of data.

--Capabilities to operate on individual values in a data set.
--Capabilities to manipulate and alter data set structure.
--Capabilities for report production and graphic display.
--Capabilities for fact retrieval and analysis.

--Capabilities for data base reference service and documentation,
actapabl tities for process management.

The development of an implementation plan must be effected in coordi-

on ~ nation with all participating agencies. The plan should outline the steps

necessary to implement the system. It should include:
©

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ape

--Hardware and software considerations, i. e., detail the hardware
installations and system programming.

--Facility requirements.

--Procedures necessary to integrate the system into operations.
--Discussion of user needs and how the system will meet them.
--Discussion of subsystem development and strategy.
“Definition of external agency relations.
--Automatic data processing policies.

--A central index of information that presently exists in the muni-
cipality.

HUD will require that the proposals be submitted prior to 3:00 P.M.
(EDT) October 31, 1969. Format for submission will be Part I, Technical
and Administrative Data, and Part II, Financial Data. Standardized terms
and conditions for federal grant programs will apply to the contract.
Proposals will be evaluated by HUD and results of the competition should be
known during December, 1969.

Factors in Selection

The selection of participants in this program will be determined by
the extent to which each of the items listed below is satisfied in the
proposals of respondents. These icéms are summarized from indicated loca-
tions elsewhere in this scatement of work. They are listed in the order
they appear, and not in order of importance.

1. Objectives of the Project.

2. Selection of project.

3. Emphasis on Fundamental Analysis.

4, Emphasis on operationally based.

5. Emphasis on municipal orientation,


10..

1l.
12.
13.

14.
15.
16.

17.

18.
19.
20.
21.
22.

23.

Emphasis on automation.

Emphasis on providing environmental and governmental feedback. : I
Emphasis on research and development.

The type of project. If an information subsystem, the municipal
functions which will be grouped together and served by the subsystem
should be listed and discussed. If an integrated municipal infor-
mation system, the functions grouped together in each subsystem
should be listed according to subsystem. Full justification should
be set forth for departures from the classification of functions |
im the statement of work.

Population of the municipality. Departures from the expressed

rule must be justified. og
Assurance of sufficient level of investment to promise completion
of project within the allowed time.

Current existing level of investment in municipal information
systems,

Relationship of the proposal to existing information system develop-
ment in the municipality.

Formation of Consortium and identification of members.

Definition of roles of members of the consortium.

Range of talents made available by the consortium,

Evidence of cooperation.

Resource commitment.

Letters of intent.

Long-range commitment.

Plans for extra-consortium participants.

Willingness to participate on Inter-Consortium Panel.

Concept of Data Acquisition.
24.
25.

26...

29.
30.
31.

32.

333.
34..
35%.
35:.

oF
38,

39.
40.

41.

42.
43.
44,
45.
46.
47.

= 10 = a

Concept of Pata Base Management.

Concept of Data Base Documentation.

Concept of Data Compatibility.

Concept .of Data Access Control.

Concept of Data Standarcization.

Statement of willingness to comply USAC standardized, data lists.
Geocoding. | |

Concept of system expansion.

Concept of documentation.

Concept of. Transferability--hardware,

Concept of Transferability--software.

ed of Transferability--System design.

Concept of Transferability--Documentation.

Concept of internal monitoring and evaluation.

Statement of willingness to plan a program of briefings and
demonstrations.

Concept of Research Program.

If the comprehensive integrated municipal ineoeeteien system
(IMIS) option is exercised: Concept of IMIS,

If the municipal information subsystem (MIS) option is exercised:
Concept of MIS,

Proposal of special area of research.

Concept of system perspectives.

Definition of effort and mix of resources allocated by tasks.
Specification of task time-phasing.

Agreement to perform tasks.

Agreement to use conventional, non-machine language in programming.


48.

49...

50...
aia

52.

53.

54.

55...
5h..

a7.

58.
59.

60.

a he

keeeeneat to use conventional, easily transferable programming
language(s).

Agreement to place all software and related documentation developed
in this project in the public domain.

Agreement to the principle of program modularity.

Agreement to project orientation.

Description of organizational arrangements.

Disseuinatton plans.

Continuation plans.

Existing long-range information system development plan.
Relate the proposal to the long-range plan.

Identification of probable other resource support for plan.
Agreement to maintain a project journal for case study.
Agreement to use systems approach.

Concept of specifications and characteristics.