Fremont City Council Meeting: 07/09/24 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Fire Department
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Property Acquisitions & Dispositions
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5153) DOC ID: 5153
Updated: 6/27/2024 5:46 PM by Susan Gauthier Page 1
FIRE STATION ALERTING SYSTEM - Authorize the City Manager to Enter into an Agreement with US Digital for the Purchase of a Fire Station Alerting System in the Amount of $1,536,914
Contact Persons:
Name: Corina Campbell Heather Mozdean
Title: Business Manager Deputy Fire Chief
Div/Dept: Fire Department Fire Department
Phone: 510-494-4200 (510) 494-4200
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: The Fire Department seeks Council approval to execute an agreement with US Digital Designs for $1,536,914, for the purchase of a new Phoenix G2 Alerting System, which will replace the current Locusion Station Alerting System and will enable the Fire Department to continue to receive calls dispatched from Alameda County Regional Emergency Communications Center (ACRECC).
BACKGROUND: In August 2003, the Fremont Fire Department (FFD) joined the Alameda County Regional Emergency Communications Center (ACRECC) consortium, and, in January 2008, the Alameda County Fire Department assumed responsibility for administration and operation of the ACRECC dispatch center. ACRECC currently dispatches fire emergency calls using a software program called Locution, which was installed approximately twenty years ago. This software and the alerting system have surpassed their useful life expectancy.
FFD has contracted with ACRECC for dispatch services since 2008, and recently renewed that agreement through June 30, 2028. The replacement of the alerting system in Fremont fire stations is not included in FFD’s contracted portion of ACRECC’s budget.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) has worked with the ACRECC consortium operations committee to determine the most appropriate station alerting software to replace the outdated Locution system. The committee brought back the recommendation to move forward with Phoenix G2 Station Alerting, which was approved by the ACRECC Advisory Board at its November 16, 2022, meeting. Fremont Fire has been working in collaboration with ACRECC on this project with members of the Advisory Board.
The new system includes improvements to dispatched alerting times and will enable FFD to maintain National Fire Protection Association standards.
FFD will partner with staff from the Information Technology Services Department and the Maintenance Operations Department for the installation of the Phoenix G2 System in the City’s eleven fire stations. The overall system includes a mobile app, communications dashboard, displays, scrolling messaging, LED indicator lighting, software and hardware.
Installation and maintenance are also included in the recommended agreement.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5153) Meeting of July 9, 2024 Updated: 6/27/2024 5:46 PM by Susan Gauthier Page 2
Use of Another Agency’s Contract Terms
Pursuant to the City’s Purchasing Ordinance, Section 3.20.310(b), the City is authorized to “piggyback” and enter into a contract to buy equipment or services based on the terms of an existing contract between the contractor and another public agency without competitive bidding. To qualify, the terms of purchase in the City’s proposed contract must be materially the same as those of the existing contract, and the contract must have resulted from procurement methods similar to those required by the Purchasing Ordinance.
The Cooperative Purchasing Program NPPgov is a national cooperative procurement program offering its member agencies access to publicly solicited contracts. As a member of NPPgov, the City has the opportunity to realize cost savings by utilizing existing NPPgov contracts.
Pursuant to a public solicitation in 2020, NPPgov entered into a contract with US Digital for the purchase of public safety software solutions. The solicitation method meets the requirements of the City’s Purchasing Ordinance, and the terms of purchase in the recommended City contract with US Digital are materially the same as those of the US Digital contract with NPPgov. As specified in the Purchasing Ordinance, the Finance Director and the City Manager have approved the proposed use of the NPPgov contract with US Digital.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this agreement was included in Fire Station Alerting System Project (PWC9098-501) adopted as part of the FY 2023/24-2027/28 Capital Improvement Program.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Approval of this agreement is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is an organizational or administrative governmental activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment and is therefore not a project as defined in CEQA Guidelines section 15378.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the City Manager or her designee to issue a purchase order to US Digital Designs for the purchase of a Phoenix GS Alerting System in a total amount not to exceed $1,536,914 using the terms of the NPPgov contract to be paid from the Fire Station Alerting System Project (PWC9098-501).