Should the Commission authorize the Executive Director to amend the contract with Allen Communications Learning Services (Allen Comm) for Learning Portal enhancements in an amount not to exceed $1,823,878.00, as follows:

Amendment #1: $47,000.00 

Amendment #2: $152,145.00

Amendment #3: $1,624,733.00

Total: $1,823,878.00

The original requested contract amount was approved by the Commission on February 18, 2015 not to exceed $577,300.00 for a three-year term (2016 - 2018).

An amendment to the original contract was then approved by the Commission on February 7, 2018 for another three-year term (2019 - 2021) not to exceed $598,398.00. 

Amendments #1 and #2 are for enhancements to the POST Learning Portal to include expanding administrative features for exam coordinators, candidates, and testing.

Amendment #3 is an apportionment of reallocated Governor-Directed funding specifically designated for the Learning Management System (LMS) modernization to support distance learning.   

COVID -19 prompted the Governor's Office to direct POST to modernize or replace the Learning Portal for Instructor - Led Online (ILO) training. A Budget Change Proposal (BCP) was approved to use the special funding for this project not to exceed $3 million dollars.   

In response to the directive, POST sought and obtained approval from the Department of General Services (DGS) to, yet again, amend the current Learning Portal contract with Allen Comm in the amount of $1,624,733, and additionally extend the contract term by six months. 

POST Contracts Policy (ASB-04) requires that the Commission approve any contract or interagency agreement greater than or equal to $175,000. After contracts are approved by the Commission, the Executive Director is authorized to approve amendments as follows:  

·        An extension of time

·        An increase of cost up to $25,000

·        Modification of contractual services or solutions to other technical

         problems

In May 2021, during a self-initiated internal audit of the contract with Allen Comm, POST staff discovered the following issues related to the amendments:

Amendment #1: received Commission approval to contract up to $598,398.00.  Subsequent to Commission approval, additional Learning Portal enhancements were added in the amount of $47,000.00 increasing the contract to $645,398.00. The $47,000.00 was not presented to, nor received Commission approval. 

Amendment #2: in the amount of $152,145.00 was not presented to, nor received Commission approval. 

Amendment #3: in the amount of $1,624,733.00 was not presented to, nor received Commission approval.   

POST staff recommends the Commission authorize the Executive Director to amend the contract with Allen Comm for enhancements to the Learning Portal in an amount not to exceed $1,823,878.00.

Amendment #1: $47,000.00 

Amendment #2: $152,145.00

Amendment #3: $1,624,733.00

Total: $1,823,878.00