FROM:
Innovation & Technology
SUBJECT:
Title
Authorize the Purchase of Next-Generation Firewalls to Replace End-of-Life Firewalls
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
1. Authorize the Purchasing Division to procure next-generation firewall hardware utilizing Purchasing Policy and Procedure Manual 3.1.5 Non-Competitive Proposal - Purchase by Another Agency.
2. Authorize the Purchasing Division to use the OMNIA Partners Contract #01-154 to purchase a pair of replacement firewalls from authorized reseller NowTech Solutions of Sacramento, CA, including all required licensing, maintenance, and support in the amount of $126,744.31.
End
COUNCIL GOALS:
• Improve public safety by increasing operational efficiency, visibility and availability.
• Operate in a businesslike manner by improving services through the effective use of technology.
• Practice sound fiscal management by living within our means while investing in the future.
• Invest in the City’s infrastructure (streets, sewers, parks, etc.) by maintaining and improving the city's existing infrastructure.
DISCUSSION:
The City’s perimeter firewalls serve as the primary security barrier protecting internal technology systems by inspecting and securing all inbound and outbound network traffic across departments, including public safety, financial systems, and enterprise applications.
The existing firewall pair, installed over six years ago, is reaching end-of-life (EOL) and will soon no longer receive vendor updates, security patches, or technical support. As a result, the City will be unable to utilize modern threat protection capabilities, and the devices are limited to basic, legacy functionality. In addition, replacement parts are increasingly difficult to obtain, increasing the risk of extended outages in the event of hardware failure.
Beyond security concerns, the current firewalls cannot process network speeds above 1 Gbps. The City is actively pursuing an upgrade of its Internet connection to 5 Gbps or higher to support cloud services, digital initiatives, remote work, and system integrations. Without replacement, the existing firewalls would create a significant bottleneck, limiting the return on the City’s planned investment in upgraded Internet services.
To address these issues, staff recommends replacing the aging firewall pair with a modern, high-capacity solution that provides continued vendor support, advanced security capabilities, high-availability failover, and sufficient throughput to meet current and future network demands.
This replacement is a planned lifecycle upgrade that maintains existing service levels rather than expanding programs or scope. It ensures the City can continue to deliver reliable services, protect sensitive data, and support critical operations.
Failure to replace the firewalls will result in increased cybersecurity risk, reduced system performance, potential service disruptions, and higher emergency replacement costs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact associated with the approval of this item is $126,744.31 and funds for this purchase are included in the Innovation and Technology Department’s Hardware Replacement Program in Project #02621003.
MOTION:
Approve staff recommendation.