TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Chris Sternal, Director of IT
SUBJECT:
title
Award of Contract to Heartland Business Systems for VMWare Annual Renewal in the Amount of $66,014.08
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BACKGROUND:
The City of Joliet relies on VMware to operate more than eighty virtual servers that support critical business systems and daily operational needs. This virtualization environment ensures efficient hardware utilization, flexible resource management, and dependable system performance. VMware continues to be foundational to the City’s IT operations and is necessary for maintaining stable and secure infrastructure services.
CONCLUSION:
Renewing VMware licensing is essential to supporting the City’s IT environment and maintaining reliable, efficient, and flexible systems for staff and City operations. Continuing this subscription ensures that System Administrators have the resources necessary to manage the virtual infrastructure effectively and sustain the performance and availability of critical services.
This item was recommended for City Council approval by the Communication, Technology and Information Systems Committee at the May 6, 2026 meeting.
Section 2-438 of the City of Joliet Code of Ordinances states that purchases whose estimated cost is in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) may be awarded without written specifications or bidding under certain circumstances. Three of these circumstances apply:
(b) Purchases for additions to and repairs and maintenance of equipment owned by the City which may be more efficiently added to, repaired or maintained by a certain person;
(f) Purchases when authorized by a concurring vote of two-thirds of the Mayor and City Council;
(g) Purchases of professional services.
Sufficient Funds exist utilizing the Information Technology Infrastructure Repairs and Maintenance budget (Org 04013000, Object 524300, $66,014.08).
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Based on the above, it is recommended that the Mayor and City Council award a contract to Heartland Business Systems for VMWare annual renewal in the amount of $66,014.08.
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