TITLE
title
BUDGET AMENDMENT: FY23 STATE AND LOCAL CYBERSECURITY GRANT PROGRAM (SLCGP) AWARD
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SPONSOR
sponsor
Peter Purcell, CIO and Jeff McCartney, CISO
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BACKGROUND
background
Over the past few years, there has been a significant increase in cybersecurity threats, highlighting the urgent need for robust defenses. There are ongoing news reports of successful cyberattacks affecting private and public entities. These reports serve as a stark reminder of the growing sophistication and frequency of such attacks, underscoring the critical importance of proactive cybersecurity measures. The Guilford County Information Technology department, in support of the County’s mission to provide Quality Government, is committed to protecting personal data, maintaining services, and building public trust by strengthening the County’s defenses against Cyber-attack. As part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, the federal government established the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) providing crucial funding to help state, local and territorial governments bolster their cybersecurity defenses. The state of North Carolina was awarded approximately $10.8 million in federal grant funding for FY23, 80% to be disbursed to local government entities with a maximum award of $200,000.
The Guilford County Information Technology department applied on January 30, 2024 for, and was awarded on October 10, 2024, the FY23 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) grant provided by the NC Department of Public Safety in the amount of $199,090 with a period of performance thru February 28, 2027. These funds must be allocated to Equipment (which includes software) in the amount of $192,290, Planning in the amount of $4,800, and Training in the amount of $2,000. The funds will be used to further strengthen our Cyber defense by purchasing and implementing Checkpoint Harmony SASE Private Internet Access Solution through their reseller, the Teneo Group, to provide:
(1) Secure, Encrypted Remote Access for the County’s mobile workforce
(2) Management of Privileged Vendor, Contractor, and Support access to County Information Technology
(3) Endpoint Protection, both On and Off-Network, through Web Content Filtering preventing access to malicious or inappropriate content
The total cost of the Checkpoint Harmony solution is $213,393.25 including $13,493.25 in sales tax. The grant funding covers 96% of the pretax cost for the software licensing, $192,290. The remaining $7,610 will be funded through the existing Information Technology budget. The County would assume the ongoing costs to maintain the software services of $100,000 annually after February 28, 2027, commensurate with the County budget adoption.
By accepting the grant, and approving the FY23 SLCGP project to purchase and implement the Checkpoint Harmony solution, the Information Technology department anticipates the following positive impacts and outcomes:
(1) Improved ability to protect the infrastructure and systems vital in the delivery of County services that improve the safety, health, and wellbeing of the residents, constituents, and visitors
(2) Reduced the risk of a successful Cyber-attack and its corresponding negative impact on County services delivered
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BUDGET IMPACT
budget impact
Funding for annual maintenance costs to be included in the departmental budget commensurate with the adoption of the annual budget.
Grant Projects Fund
FY23 SLCGP Grant
$199,090 appropriation to grant project
$199,090 in Federal/State Funds
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REQUESTED ACTION
requested action
Accept receipt of the NC Department of Public Safety FY23 SLCGP Grant in the amount of $199,090; and, Adopt a grant project ordinance for FY23 SLCGP in the amount of $199,090 with $199,090 in Federal/State Funds. Approve purchase of the Checkpoint Harmony SASE Private Internet Access Solution as specified in the attached quote in the amount of $213,393.25.
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