Agenda Item
a. Gartner, Inc. ~ Professional Services Agreement Renewal (Not to Exceed $119,700) ~ Updated 8.10.26
Summary: Presented by: Mr. Ennis Harvey, Chief of Staff, Chief of Staff Division
Request: It is requested that the DeKalb Board of Education authorize the DeKalb School District to engage Gartner, Inc. utilizing the Georgia statewide contract (#99999-SPD-SPD0000208-0014) for the provision of flat-fee, subscription-based advisory and consulting services to the Office of Internal Audits & Compliance for an amount not to exceed $119,700.
Why: Gartner, Inc. provides subscription-based access to an extensive library of research, professional standards, regulatory documents, and industry performance data. Additionally, consultants are also available to advise and assist with the necessary research and development for internally managed upgrades and improvements to the operational and administrative processes in Internal Audits for the purpose of ensuring that our work meets or exceeds industry standards. Access to any and all of these services is unlimited during the contracted license term.
Details: Our critical priority is to modernize and mature DCSD's Internal Audit function to accommodate the growing need for compliance and fraud risk management and mitigating the financial risks inherent to both.
Financial impact: Budget Code: 100.2500.530000.00011.7230.9990.8010.010.0000 in an amount not to exceed $119,700.
Contact: Mr. Joel B. Thibodeaux, Executive Director of Internal Audits & Compliance, Chief of Staff Division, 678.676.0740
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Approved by the Office of Legal Affairs
CHRONOLOGY
GARTNER, INC. Contract Renewal (AUG 2026– AUG 2027)
Scope: Internal Audits & Compliance is seeking a one-year extension to our engagement with Gartner,
Inc. to provide subscription based, specialized and customizable research and advisory support for the
internal development of improved processes, skills development, and risk management procedures:
Provide both audit staff and management with updated skills development training and support;
Evaluation and assessment tools to audit management.
Provide certified audit staff and management with access to CPE credit courses at no additional
cost.
Provide consultants and facilitate engagements for best practices advisement and process
development, project management, and strategic planning.
Continuing the development of both Enterprise Risk Management and 3 rd Pary Risk
Management foundations and process monitoring, resulting in better coordination of cross-
functional risk management and asset security measures.
Continuing the development of post-audit issue and corrective action monitoring and
ESPLOST/Capital Improvements internal audit and activity monitoring plan.
All services are provided with unlimited access throughout the contract term.
Contract/Renewal Term: The DeKalb County School Board of Education approved the initial agreement
with Gartner, Inc. utilizing Georgia statewide contract (#99999-SPD-SPD0000208-0014 In August 2024,
and approved renewal in August 2025. This renewal contains no changes to services provided from prior
years. Individual licenses are increased by $1,200 from the previous year. Current Renewal Term:
August 1, 2026 – July 31,2027 for an amount not to exceed $119,700.00.
Summary: Our initial engagement with Gartner, Inc. was to address critical needs associated with
rebuilding the department following the loss of all but 2 auditors in the wake of COVID. Increasing BOE
and stakeholder demand for fiscal accountability and organizational efficiency, along with increased
attention to fraud risk and 3rd party risk management over the past year has led to need to continue
upgrading and refining our processes, along with skills development among all audit staff. This one-year
extension of services provided by Gartner, Inc. serves Strategic Goal Area 3: Recruit, Develop, and Retain
Talent – Performance Objective 2: Develop high performing staff to ensure quality teaching and learning
outcomes, an innovative workforce, and visionary leaders by providing skill, process, and management
development resources tailored to the specialized needs of Internal Audits & Compliance. Furthermore,
it also supports Strategic Goal Area 6: Organizational Excellence – Performance Objective 5: Ensure
excellent financial management of district resources by providing critical support and advisement as
Internal Audits & Compliance builds capacity to meet the growing challenges to risk and compliance
management.