FROM: Joe Michael, Chief Information Officer
SUBJECT: Licensing Agreement with Forrester Research, Inc.
RECOMMENDATION:
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Recommend that the Board approve a one-year contract with Forrester Research, Inc. for information technology research and consulting services in the amount of $129,417.18; authorize the Chief Executive Officer to execute an agreement with Forrester Research, Inc. in a form approved by Chief Counsel.
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BACKGROUND:
SBCERA's strategic initiatives and priorities are designed to benefit the organization, the membership, staff, and other stakeholders. The technology required to fulfill many of these objectives is becoming substantially more complex. SBCERA's Information Technology (IT) Department has a wide range of knowledge and expertise but still leverages consultants to help identify best in class solutions, upcoming trends, and build strategic partnerships. As SBCERA continues its transition to the Cloud, creating strategic partnerships with consultants is imperative to ensure we are leveraging secure and supported solutions.
With the shift to the Cloud, and ever-increasing cybersecurity threat risks, SBCERA has prioritized several initiatives for 2024. The first of these initiatives is the selection and a provider (or providers) for Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and a Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) provider. These solutions are needed to provide the security framework that will allow our data and services to be moved to the Cloud, while only being accessible by authenticated staff and appropriate stakeholders. Without implementing these two core Cloud strategies, SBCERA will be unable to advance any additional Cloud or collaboration initiatives. In addition, SBCERA plans to issue an RFP to select and engage a new IT Auditor/Adviser in 2024.
In the past, SBCERA has generally leveraged the assistance of solution-specific consultants focused on a single deliverable or project. Examples of this would be Line...
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