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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Mayor's Office
Information Technology
DATE: August 19, 2021
SUBJECT:
Resolution requesting approval to enter into an agreement with Crowe LLP, 225 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606 for consulting services to support the City of Aurora in developing, establishing, implementing, and operating an Open Data Strategy in the amount not to exceed $95,100.
PURPOSE:
The City of Aurora is working to establish a comprehensive and strategic Open Data Policy/Strategy consistent across all City departments, citywide. This project will not only provide better access to information citywide; it will provide a more effective means for management to monitor and measure projects in their departments. The process to create and implement such a program is significant, hence the request to have it managed by a third-party vendor with whom we have a track record of success.
Currently, the city has access to the technology tools needed to gather, synthesize and share data, but lacks a cohesive and city-wide strategy. The city seeks a best practice strategy and governance policy that can evolve over time and is cross-departmental focused on function.
BACKGROUND:
The process to implement an open data platform began in earnest during the city's participation in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative. The initial plans and process were delayed by the pandemic, but staff was able to use that time to learn more about the available options and we were able to in effect conduct a "pilot" with the COVID-19 dashboard.
Understanding the importance of empowering our residents and elected officials with information available to them at any time and the ability for city leadership to better manage our projects and processes is important. Implementing this process in a way that can be kept up to date and maintained is vital.
Utilizing Crowe to manage the policy creation and process management will allow the process to move forward in a timel...
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