Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 3.L
Meeting Date: June 10, 2026
From: Andrew Diaz, Commander
Title: Purchase of Four (4) Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicles (PPV) for $427,169.28
RECOMMENDATION:
Authorize the purchase of four (4) 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicles (PPV) in the amount of $427,169.28, including vehicle acquisition, outfitting, decals, in-car video systems, and mobile data computers.
BACKGROUND:
In 2024, the Police Department initiated a fleet transition from the Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility (PIU) to the Chevrolet Tahoe PPV platform. The Tahoe PPV offers enhanced standard features, increased storage capacity, and improved durability. Since implementation, these vehicles have demonstrated strong reliability and have effectively met the operational demands of patrol personnel.
As part of the Department’s ongoing vehicle replacement plan, staff are seeking to replace the remaining frontline 2017 Ford Explorer PIU units. These vehicles have exceeded their recommended service life, are experiencing increased maintenance requirements, and are contributing to higher repair costs and operational downtime. To maintain officer safety and operational readiness, staff recommend replacing these units with the 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe PPV platform.
These vehicles are purpose-built for law enforcement operations and include heavy-duty suspension systems, advanced braking capabilities, and upgraded electrical systems designed to support emergency equipment. Each unit is equipped with a 10-speed automatic transmission, Brembo front brakes, and auxiliary battery systems.
The vehicles will be deployed as marked patrol units and outfitted with standard emergency lighting, mobile data computers, and in-car camera systems.
DISCUSSION:
Staff conducted market research within Cathedral City and the Coachella Valley regarding vendors offering the 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe PPV. At present, no dealerships within the Coachella Valley maintain available inventory of the requested vehicles. Jessup Auto Plaza indicated they could place factory orders; however, estimated delivery timelines range from approximately ten to twelve months. La Quinta Chevrolet responded they could not order them at all.
In addition to both local vendors, staff contacted Quality Chevrolet in Escondido, CA who produced a quote of $63,483.22 per 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe PPV, including tax.
Vendor Name Quoted Price
Jessup Auto Plaza Not in stock – Cannot order timely enough La Quinta Chevrolet Not in stock – not able to order
Quality Chevrolet $62,483.22 per vehicle; $249,932.88 total Factory ordering for the 2027 model year is not anticipated to open until June 2026, with estimated delivery timelines extending into early to mid-2027. Procuring available 2026 units allows the Department to place replacement vehicles into service in a timely manner and retire aging fleet assets without extended downtime.
The proposed vehicles match the specifications of those currently in service, ensuring consistency in fleet operations, maintenance, and training. Staff has further obtained quotes for the outfitting of the vehicles, including sole source quotes from Dana Safety for emergency lighting and equipment, Axon Enterprise for the in-car camera systems, and SoCal Graphics for the vehicle graphics. Quotes for laptops were coordinated through IT and through the City’s agreement with Dell. Quotes were obtained from multiple auto-body shops for the door painting and Fix Auto was identified as the lowest cost vendor, as shown in the table below.
Vendor Location Cost
Fix Auto Repair Cathedral City $1,382.26 per vehicle
Palm Springs Motors Body Shop Cathedral City $2,000.00 per vehicle Caliber Collision Cathedral City $1,950.00 per vehicle
Caliber Collision Palm Springs $1,600.00 per vehicle
Section 3.12.160 of the Cathedral City Municipal Code permits exceptions to a competitive bidding requirement when a commodity can be obtained from only one vendor or through a government contract, among other instances. Dana Safety is the only vendor that can obtain and install the necessary emergency lighting and equipment in a reasonable period of time.
The selection of Axon Enterprise ensures compatibility with the City’s current body worn cameras. SoCal Branding holds the City’s vehicle graphics design. The City is receiving beneficial pricing through its governmental contract with Dell.
During the biennial budget process for FY 2025/2026 and 2026/2027, $390,000 was included for these vehicle purchases. However, cost projections developed during the budget cycle did not anticipate the continued inflationary increases affecting vehicle acquisition and emergency equipment costs. As a result, the total cost for these four outfitted Tahoe PPVs totals $427,169.28.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this purchase is $427,169.28, including acquisition of the four vehicles, outfitting, decals, paint, in-car video systems, and mobile data computers (MDC’s).
The quotes all include the estimated local 9.25% sales tax. Axon’s original quote did not have a breakdown of the taxable and non-taxable prices for the Fleet 3 basic Axon in-camera system, so a supplemental invoice was created to show the breakdown of the pricing’s taxable and non-taxable components. There is a difference of $0.92 from the original invoice.
Funding for this purchase will be from the Equipment Replacement Fund (611).
Cost Breakdown:
Item Vendor Total Cost
4 - Chevrolet Tahoe PPV Quality Chevrolet $249,932.88
4 - Emergency Equipment Packages Dana Supply $117,149.78 4 - Fleet 3 In-Car Camera Systems Axon Enterprise, Inc. $38,041.31 4 sets - Vehicle Decals So. Cal Branding $4,981.64
4 – Mobile Data Computers (MDCs) Dell Computers $11,534.63 Door Paint Fix Auto $5,529.04
Total $427,169.28
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
Goal B: Community Investment
Action B-19: Develop fleet management policies to establish vehicle replacement and utilization standards.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe PPV Quote
2. Dana Safety Supply Emergency Equipment Quote
3. Axon Fleet 3 In-Car Camera Quote
4. SoCal Branding Decals Quote
5. Dell MDC Quote
6. Fix Auto Quote
7. Jessup Auto email
8. La Quinta Chevrolet email
9. Axon Fleet 3 sales tax addendum