Rate Structure
The Information Systems Department (ISD) provides core information technology and business services necessary to carry out the day-to-day business and operations of the County. These services are billed to customer departments on a cost recovery basis.
Rates for ISD services are developed annually based on the projected cost of delivering essential technology services across the County. These services include software services, infrastructure support, data center operations, cybersecurity, support staff, and the hardware required to maintain a secure and reliable enterprise IT environment.
Most rates are applied on a per-user or per-device basis and reflect a blended average of commonly used software and services across departments. This approach ensures equitable cost-sharing, supports efficient billing, and provides consistent access to essential tools across the organization, all in alignment with public-sector cost allocation standards.
Licensing Considerations
It is important to note that rates do not include a license for every piece of software for every user. Instead, licensing is allocated based on:
- The demonstrated need for the software or service to support business operations
- The number of active users currently utilizing the software and services
- Reasonable forecasts for usage within the fiscal year
- Departmental usage in comparison to countywide norms
Licenses are provided in line with these factors as part of the rate development process. Departments with licensing needs that significantly exceed countywide norms or planned levels may incur additional costs.
Baseline Categories and Cost
User Baseline Rates
The User Baseline Rates encompass key technologies and support services that support day-to-day operations for County staff, vendors, and other authorized users.
Calculation methodology: Charged on a Per User basis; count adjusted monthly.
| Rate per User ID | FY 2024-2025 | FY 2025-2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Rate | $642.59 | $1,714.34 |
| Monthly Rate | $53.55 | $142.86 |
Technologies and services included in User Baseline Rates may include:
- Microsoft 365 Tools and Services
- Enterprise email and collaboration tools
- Secure cloud file storage (OneDrive, SharePoint Online)
- Desktop and mobile versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.
- Power BI (standard) and Power Automate (standard)
- Account Management Services
- Account setup for new users
- Account removal when staff leave or change roles
- Updates when users transfer departments or change responsibilities
- Password assistance
- Management of special-purpose accounts (e.g., automated system accounts)
- Integration with external systems when needed
- Service Desk Support
- Standard support during business hours
- 24/7 support for emergency situations
- Cybersecurity Tools and Protections
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) tools and remote access support
- Security Awareness Resources
- Secondary accounts for administrative tasks (when needed; Does not include a Microsoft 365 license)
- Other user focused protections are incorporated into User Baseline Rates, while computer focused protections are incorporated into Computer Baseline Rates.
- Other common software and enterprise platforms used across the County for day-to-day work or to support the organization - e.g., Zoom, Java, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Sign, VPN software, SimpliGov, California Public Records Act Portal, Change & Asset Management Systems, etc.
Add-On Software and Tools (Additional Cost)
The following software and tools are not included in the User Baseline Rates but are available at an additional cost. These charges will be billed separately based on actual licensing costs.
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Fee-Based Artificial Intelligence Tools – e.g., Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, etc.
- OnePlan – Project Portfolio and Management platform
- Microsoft 365 Premium Licenses – e.g., Teams Premium, Visio, MS Project, Power BI Pro, Power Automate Premium, etc.
Computer Baseline Rates
The Computer Baseline Rates encompass foundational technology services, hosting, and cybersecurity protections that support departmental operations across the County.
Calculation methodology: Charged on a Per PC (desktops and laptops) basis; count adjusted monthly.
| Rate per PC | FY 2024-2025 | FY 2025-2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Rate | $2,525.82 | $2,808.47 |
| Monthly Rate | $210.49 | $234.04 |
Technologies and services included in Computer Baseline Rates may include:
-
- Software and Hardware Procurement Services through ISD
- Second-Tier Desktop Support Services for covered devices
- Printer Troubleshooting and Support for ISD managed printers
- Web hosting and support for department websites and intranet pages 1
- 99.9% uptime with 24/7 monitoring
- Regular backups and content recovery support
- Standards web protections and security monitoring
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and accessibility monitoring
- Assistance with routine maintenance and basic content updates
- SSL certificate support
- Assistance with domain registration and DNS management
- Website analytics and reporting
- GovDelivery integration support
- Cybersecurity Tools and Protections (Computer Focused)
- Antivirus and endpoint protections
- Vulnerability scanning
- Standard security patching of supported operating systems and software
- 24/7 security monitoring
- Other security protections
- Network Operations Support
- Network and Internet connectivity at ISD-supported facilities.
- Management and maintenance of core network equipment (e.g., switches, routers, firewalls)
- Wireless network infrastructure support across County campuses supported by ISD
- 24/7 network performance and security monitoring
- ISD Hosted and Managed Servers
- Departments may request standard virtual servers as required to perform County business 2
- Standard operating system (OS) licensing included 2
- Security patching for OS and common software
- Disaster recovery and backup services for hosted systems
- 24/7 performance and security monitoring
- Network and internet connectivity
- Secure, climate-controlled environment with resilient backup power
- ADA document remediation, advanced web development, project-based work, and after-hours support is available upon request at the ISD Hourly Rate.
- Additional costs may apply for non-standard OS licensing or when server or storage requirements significantly exceed countywide norms. Project work associated with setting up new servers or configuring new networks is billed at the ISD Hourly Rates. Costs will vary based on the complexity and number of hours required to complete the task.
Infrastructure Support Baseline Rates
This category of baseline is dedicated to the planned lifecycle management and replacement of network infrastructure hardware, such as switches, routers, firewalls, and wireless access points, that supports Internet and network connectivity across County campuses supported by ISD.
Calculation Methodology: Charged on a Per PC (desktops and laptops) basis; count adjusted monthly.
| Rate per PC | FY 2024-2025 | FY 2025-2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Rate | $776.15 | $793.56 |
| Monthly Rate | $64.68 | $66.13 |
Costs associated with purchasing, configuring, and installing new equipment or communication lines at new County facilities are not included in baseline rates. These initial costs should be covered by the associated capital project. Once installed, ongoing maintenance and support costs will be incorporated into future baseline rates as appropriate at the beginning of the new fiscal year.
SQL Database Baseline Rates
The SQL Database Baseline Rates encompass database hosting, monitoring, and maintenance services that support County systems and applications.
Calculation Methodology: Charged monthly per each SQL database.
| Rate per Database | FY 2024-2025 | FY 2025-2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Per Database Annual Rate | $1,111.02 | $1,176.90 |
| Per Database Monthly Rate | $92.59 | $98.08 |
Technologies and services included in SQL Database Baseline Rates include:
- Hosting of Microsoft SQL Server databases on ISD-managed database servers (includes Microsoft SQL licensing)
- Routine patching and maintenance of SQL Server instances
- Regular backups and recovery support for hosted databases
- Basic monitoring and alerting for database health and performance
- Role-based security and access management
- Standard storage allocation within countywide norms
- Basic performance assistance (e.g., indexing recommendations, query guidance for common issues)
Additional costs may apply when database size requirements significantly exceed countywide norms. Project work associated with setting up new databases is billed at the ISD Hourly Rates. Costs will vary based on the complexity and number of hours required to complete the task.
Application Support, Maintenance, and Development
Application Support, Maintenance, and Development services encompass technical expertise and project-based support for departmental and countywide systems.
Calculation Methodology: Billed at $150 per hour per employee. Actual charges will reflect the total number of hours worked by all assigned ISD staff. ISD will provide estimated hours for project work in advance, and for ongoing support needs, ISD will provide historical billing and support data to assist departments with budget planning.
| Application Support and Maintenance | FY 2024-2025 | FY 2025-2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Per Hour | $150.00 | $150.00 |
Some examples of available services include:
- Software Maintenance and Support
- Data integrations and mapping
- Support for Request for Quote (RFQ), Request of Proposal (RFP)
- Vendor evaluation and software implementations
- Custom software development
- Production support and bug fix analysis and resolution
- Reporting services (Power BI, SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), SQL)
- Project Lead, requirements gathering and Project Management
GIS Baseline Rates
This category of baseline is for costs related to Geographic Information System (GIS) operations and support.
Calculation Methodology: Estimated annual cost billed monthly on fixed percentage to specific departments.
| GIS Rates |
|---|
| Varies. Total costs are allocated based on departmental use and consumption of GIS data, mapping, and related services. |
Technologies and services included in GIS Baseline Rates include:
- 24/7 GIS support during emergencies and critical events
- Maintain and update the County base map and core GIS data layers (e.g., parcels, streets, orthophotography)
- Manage operational GIS data, map services, and publishing to hosting platforms
- Support address geocoding and geo-processing
- Provide and support access to external GIS datasets (e.g., Census data)
- Ensure reliable GIS system operations with 99.9% uptime, regular backups, and cybersecurity protections
- Install and support ESRI ArcGIS software and administer the County’s GIS Enterprise License Agreement
- Develop and support the County’s new “One Stop” GIS Hub (in process)
- Troubleshoot software issues and provide workarounds
- Facilitate GIS governance and GIS-TAC meetings
- Assess specific business GIS needs and provide project cost estimates not covered by the above services
Project work associated with setting up and/or maintaining custom GIS maps or non-standard services is billed at the ISD Hourly Rates. Costs will vary based on the complexity and number of hours required to complete the task.
EDMS Baseline Rates
This category of baseline is for costs related to Electronic Document Management Systems (EDMS) operations and support.
Calculation Methodology: Estimated annual cost billed monthly on fixed percentage to specific departments.
| EDMS Rates |
|---|
| Varies. Total costs are allocated based on departmental use and consumption of electronic document related services. |
Technologies and services included in EDMS Baseline Rates include:
- Assistance with setting up file plans, including folder structures and retention rules based on approved records schedules
- Access to document import tools through the OnBase Unity client, web client, and integrations with systems like PeopleSoft and Accela
- Use of Trusted Storage to support legal destruction of original paper records after import
- Full-text search of documents using built-in Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
- Mobile access to documents and workflows via the OnBase mobile app for iOS and Android
- Optional public access to approved documents through the OnBase Public Access Portal
- Integration with Microsoft Office and Outlook for saving and retrieving documents directly within those applications
- Integration with ESRI for linking documents to GIS map features and location data
- Support for basic workflows and electronic signatures (no additional licensing required)
- Ongoing system administration, user access setup, routine maintenance, and platform support
Project work associated with creating new electronic document repositories or ISD-assisted imports is billed at the ISD Hourly Rates. Paper-to-electronic scanning is available at the Records Scanning hourly rate (see Records Management rates). Costs will vary based on the complexity and number of hours required to complete the task.
Device Modernization Program (DMP)
This category of baseline supports the lifecycle management and replacement of standard end-user computing equipment, including desktops, laptops, monitors, and common peripherals such as docking stations, keyboards, and mice.
Calculation Methodology: Charged on a Per PC (desktops and laptops) basis; count adjusted as new PCs are purchased and replaced.
| DMP Rates |
|---|
| Varies. Rates are calculated based on the total cost of the originally purchased equipment, with a modest increase to anticipate future price changes, spread over a typical 4–5 year lifecycle. Costs also include estimated ISD services for imaging, delivering, and setting up new devices, as well as removing old equipment, as part of the refresh process. |
While the goal of DMP is to plan and budget for timely replacements, there may be instances where collected funds do not fully cover actual costs. In such cases, departments will need to contribute additional funding or extend the replacement timeline.
Standard Hourly Rate
For all other support not listed, including projects.
Common examples include department-specific IT support, special projects, event setup, vendor coordination, or non-standard troubleshooting beyond baseline services.
| Standard Hourly Rate | FY 2024-2025 | FY 2025-2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Hourly Rate | $150.00 | $150.00 |
Communication Rates
| Service | FY 24-25 Annual |
FY 24-25 Monthly |
FY 25-26 Annual |
FY 25-26 Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telephone Line Charge (per line) | $602.40 | $50.20 per month | $619.32 | $51.61 per month |
| Telephone Usage | - | Cost | - | Cost |
| Data Line Usage | - | Cost | - | Cost |
| Cell, Satellite Device Lines (per line) | $72.00 | $6.00 per month | $72.00 | $6.00 per month |
| Cell, Satellite Device Charges | - | Cost | - | Cost |
| Pagers (per line) | - | Cost plus $1.72 per month | - | Cost plus $1.72 per month |
| Telephones, headsets, other equipment | - | Cost | - | Cost |
Records Management Rates
Courier and Delivery
| Service | FY 24-25 Annual |
FY 24-25 Monthly |
FY 25-26 Annual |
FY 25-26 Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courier Services per stop | $3,486.85 | $290.57 | $3,833.88 | $319.49 |
Records Management
| FY 2024-2025 | FY 2025-2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Records Storage Boxes (with lid) | $3.50 each | Cost, currently $3.50 each |
| Extra Box Lids | $0.60 each | Cost, currently $0.60 each |
| Other Box Types | $2.95 each | Cost, currently $2.95 each |
| Records Shredding Services | Contract Cost- est. $4.00 per box | Cost, currently $4.00 per box |
| Records Recycling Services | Contact Cost- est. $2.00 per box | Cost, currently $2.00 per box |
| Records Management Consulting and Training | $150.00 per hour | $150.00 per hour |
| Records Scanning | $39.25 per hour | $57.10 per hour |
Mail Processing
Current Rates of United States Postal Service (USPS)
| FY 2024-2025 | FY 2025-2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Automated First Class Letter- First Ounce ($0.187 discount) | $0.54 | $0.593 (effective July 13, 2025) |
| Mail Room Barcoding Fee Includes barcoding, sorting, traying, and preparing USPS documentation | $0.10 per piece | $0.13 per piece |
| Mail Room Processing Fee Applies to outside entities |
$0.03 per piece | $0.03 per piece |
Translate