Berlin councilmembers voted unanimously on Monday to approve a Request for Proposals from companies interested in providing audit services for the town’s existing IT contract and system.

By Charlene Sharpe, Associate Editor

The Town of Berlin is hiring someone to perform an audit of existing Information Technology services.

Town councilmembers voted unanimously on Monday to approve a Request for Proposals from companies interested in providing audit services for the town’s existing IT contract and system. Officials want to evaluate the town’s current IT systems to see if they’re meeting Berlin’s needs.

“We have not gone to bid for IT services for some time,” Mayor Zack Tyndall said. “It keeps things competitive.”

Mary Bohlen, Berlin’s town administrator, said the town was interested in having a company come in to examine IT systems and contracts “to determine if improvements can be made, if things are as they should be, if there are areas that need improvement.” 

She said the next step, if needed, would be to have that firm help develop an RFP for IT services if the town wasn’t satisfied with what it had. She noted that the firm doing the evaluation and helping draft the RFP would not be able to bid on providing the town’s IT services. 

“You have to have someone who knows what they’re doing to help you develop that RFP but then prohibit that vendor from bidding,” she said.

Councilman Steve Green asked if the town would be able to get out of current IT contracts if officials opted to find a new provider. Bohlen said the town would be able to do so. 

“I think this is a splendid idea to get an independent opinion as to the status of our IT,” Councilman Dean Burrell said. “I think this is the way to go. We don’t have that expertise or that knowledge. Someone may come in and say that based on IT what we have is appropriate and will last us down the road. They also may come in and say what we have is lacking in several areas. I think getting an independent opinion is the way to go.”