Frequently Asked Questions

What is LOGIS?

A joint and cooperative intergovernmental association that is run for and by its members. Officially it is called a joint-powers association, which is basically an intergovernmental cooperative established for the purpose of providing technology solutions to local governments. The mission of LOGIS is to “Facilitate leading-edge, effective and adaptable public sector technology solutions through the sharing of ideas, risks and resources in a member-driven consortium.”

Is LOGIS a government agency or a private company?

Upon first encountering our Golden Valley headquarters and meeting our staff, you might get the impression that we are a successful private technology enterprise. But in reality, LOGIS is a governmental entity. It was set up under the Joint Powers statute, which makes LOGIS a political subdivision of Minnesota and therefore a governmental entity of its own.

Due to the competitive nature of the technology industry, we tend to operate and appear like any private business today. We have structured ourselves to be polished and professional to give our members the highest tier of professional services, technology systems and support. Our professional standards are evident in everything from the quality of the building and facilities to the way we conduct ourselves in our work each day.

Does LOGIS only serve Minnesota?

Yes. When our board of directors first charted LOGIS back in 1972, it was limited to providing services for the state of Minnesota. However, in the past we have formed some strategic alliances in a few entities in other states. Still, our primary focus is local governments and entities in Minnesota.

What different types of organizations are a part of LOGIS?

Our members include small cities, such as New Hope and Robbinsdale, up through middle tier and larger cities, such as Eagan, Bloomington and Minnetonka. We also count counties and essential infrastructure organizations like the Metropolitan Airports Commission and Hutchinson Utilities as our members.

What if my entity doesn’t need all of LOGIS’s services?

LOGIS is, by its structure, a cafeteria plan. You can use as few or as many of its software applications as your organization needs when you join. Therefore, you only pay for what you need.

Who controls LOGIS and how is it governed?

LOGIS has a very effective governance structure. Each member appoints a director and an alternative director to be on the LOGIS Board of Directors. The Board, which controls LOGIS, is made up of a variety of member city and county professionals, from police chiefs to city managers to finance directors. The Board then elects a five-member executive committee. This Executive Committee, which has fiduciary authority and responsibility, directs and controls the day-to-day operations of LOGIS staff and resources.

How can my city become a member of LOGIS?

Interested Minnesota entities are welcome to tour the LOGIS facilities, meet with our professional staff as well as speak to our members. Once it has been determined that LOGIS is the right technology partner for you, the process is quite simple: You only need to sign one document: a Joint Powers Agreement. This document is an agreement by LOGIS and its members to work in consortia with the new member. Once signed and approved by the entity’s governing body, you can choose to engage whatever LOGIS services you need.

How does the payment or fee structure work?

LOGIS charges annual fees for access to applications. The exact fees vary depending upon the type of application a member is signing on to, as well as where that application is in its lifecycle. For some applications that are relatively new and more expensive, there is an upfront, one-time fee. After that one-time charge, only annual fees are assessed.

This fee structure is very cost-effective for our members because it includes all of the systems that go into providing that application: software, licenses, support, servers, backup systems and disaster recovery systems. This takes a great deal of operational burden and worry off LOGIS members.

What kind of support does LOGIS offer when I join?

The member fees you pay cover all of the support you need to run the applications you have joined. LOGIS operates a telephone support help desk as well as an online support system, staffed by local LOGIS professionals who are experts in all LOGIS systems and applications. LOGIS support can handle just about any issue or question from end-user PC desktop application questions to issues surrounding Local Area Network or telecommunications infrastructure.

Do you have training facilities at LOGIS?

Yes, our building in Golden Valley has two well-equipped training rooms to meet all of the training needs of our members. We encourage our members to make good use of these facilities, which allow them to get away from their offices so that they can truly focus on learning the applications free of distraction. Our training rooms can handle up to 14 people and are outfitted with multi-monitor stations. In addition to providing unlimited one-on-one or group training, LOGIS also provides scheduled application classes, again all included in the LOGIS fees.

How can I be assured that I am getting the best solution for my needs?

LOGIS employs only leading-edge, top-tier technology. The vendors we choose are all national players and technology leaders like TriTech, Oracle, JD Edwards and others. A clear advantage for our members is that even the smallest entity can get access to a very robust software solution that, in many cases, would only be affordable for very large organizations.