Finance and administration committee
ITEM:		ACTION ITEM
2.	CONSIDER RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE CONTRACT WITH idm us hOLDINGS, iNC “GRAVITY” – budget book
Meeting Date:			October 13, 2025	Budgeted:	Yes
From:			David J. Stoldt,	Program/	Budget Book
			General Manager	Line Item No.:	xx-02-781900
Prepared By:			Nishil Bali	Cost Estimate:	Approx. $15,000 annually + Implementation
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: The Finance and Administration Committee reviewed this item on October 13, 2025, and recommended _______________.
CEQA Compliance: This action does not constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378.

SUMMARY: District staff has conducted a comprehensive review of potential solutions to streamline the development and presentation of the District’s annual Budget Book. As part of this evaluation, multiple software platforms were assessed for their functionality, ease of use, and alignment with the District’s operational and reporting needs.

Based on this analysis, staff recommends the adoption of Gravity’s Budget Suite as the most suitable option to meet the District’s current and anticipated budgeting requirements. This cloud-based platform will modernize the budget development process by automating existing manual workflows and consolidating work currently performed across multiple Excel spreadsheets and Word documents.

Gravity’s Budget Suite will improve efficiency, enhance accuracy, and provide advanced publication features, including data visualization and automated formatting. These enhancements will help the District produce a more professional, consistent, and accessible annual budget document.

RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Finance and Administration Committee recommend the Board:

1. Approve a three-year contract with Gravity Software Services for Budget Suite software licensing and implementation at a total not-to-exceed amount of $52,704 per Exhibit 2-B, and

2. Authorize two one-year optional renewals at an annual cost not-to-exceed $16,000 each, and

3. Approve a budget adjustment to increase the Fiscal Year 2024–25 budget by $23,000 for the first year of licensing and implementation.

BACKGROUND: The District currently relies on a highly manual budget preparation process utilizing multiple Excel worksheets and Word documents. While effective, this method is labor-intensive and poses an increased risk of human error despite various control measures in place. To identify a more efficient and scalable solution, staff conducted a comprehensive review of budget software platforms used by peer agencies and municipalities. Solutions evaluated included offerings from OpenGov, Questica, ClearGov, Gravity, and the Tyler Munis budget module, which integrates with the District’s existing ERP system.

Following this review, staff recommends separating the tools used for budget development and budget presentation. The District will use Tyler’s budget development module (purchased in the prior fiscal year) and proposes adopting Gravity’s Budget Suite software specifically for budget publication and presentation. Gravity’s Budget Suite offers key advantages aligned with the District’s needs, including:

· Integration with existing financial data and the District’s chart of accounts

· Automated formatting and publication features that streamline the creation of the Budget Book

· Cloud-based collaboration tools with role-based permissions and real-time progress tracking

· Rule-based data mapping to ensure data integrity and consistency across financial documents

· Customizable visuals and graphics to improve the presentation of financial information

Unlike other vendors, Gravity offers a standalone license specific to budget presentation functions, allowing the District to optimize its software investment without redundant features.

Implementation is expected to begin in November 2025, pending Board approval. The onboarding process will include configuration of the current budget structure, rules development, data modeling, and staff training. Following a three-month implementation lead time, the system is targeted to be operational for the preparation of the Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget.

EXHIBIT

2-A Gravity Budget Platform

2-B Gravity Contract Form

U:\staff\Board_Committees\FAC prev Admin\2025\101325\Action Items\02\Item-2.docx