Fremont City Council Meeting: 02/18/25 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Fire Department
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Agreements and Contracts
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5358) DOC ID: 5358
Updated: 2/14/2025 9:18 AM by Susan Gauthier Page 1
PURCHASE OF CHEMICAL IDENTIFICATION ANALYZER – Authorize the City Manager to Purchase Chemical Identification Analyzer from Fisher Scientific Through a Cooperative Agreement with NASPO, for an amount not to exceed $189,176
Contact Persons:
Name: Heather Mozdean Donna Do
Title: Deputy Fire Chief Management Analyst II
Div/Dept: Fire Department Fire Department
Phone: (510) 494-4200 510-494-4200
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: Staff seeks City Council approval to purchase a Chemical Identification Analyzer from Fisher Scientific in the amount of $189,176 through a NASPO Value Point cooperative agreement.
BACKGROUND: A significant upgrade to our chemical identification capabilities is long overdue. One of our machines expired in 2013 and is no longer supported, while our current FTIR and Raman devices are outdated and inefficient, often requiring up to 45 minutes to identify chemicals. Furthermore, these older systems lack the credibility needed for court proceedings, limiting their practical use in investigations. To address these challenges, the department conducted a comprehensive evaluation of available technologies and applied for grant funding to modernize our equipment.
Through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) program, the City was awarded $190,000 in July 2024 to fund the purchase of a new Chemical Identification Analyzer. This funding is administered by DHS through the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) to support regional preparedness and address the unique needs of high-threat, high-density urban areas.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: The new Gemini with LowDoseID Chemical Identification Analyzer is a modern solution for hazardous material identification. It combines both Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy technologies, allowing the rapid identification of over 13,000 chemicals, including hazardous solids, liquids, and gases, in as little as 1-2 minutes. This functionality eliminates the risks associated with transporting hazardous substances for off-site analysis and provides court-admissible data, enhancing the credibility of our operations. The LowDoseID capability further allows for the identification of substances with extremely low concentrations, such as trace amounts of fentanyl, significantly improving responder safety during chemical and drug-related incidents.
By replacing outdated systems with this handheld, cutting-edge analyzer, the Fremont Fire Department will be equipped to respond swiftly and accurately to chemical and hazardous material incidents, including potential terrorist threats. This upgrade will align our operations with those of neighboring jurisdictions, improving interoperability, efficiency, and safety.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5358) Meeting of February 18, 2025 Updated: 2/14/2025 9:18 AM by Susan Gauthier Page 2
Fremont Municipal Code Section 3.20.310(b) authorizes the City to dispense with competitive bidding and use the terms of another governmental contract (“piggyback”) to buy equipment or services. To qualify, the governmental contract must have resulted from procurement methods similar to those required by the City’s Purchasing Ordinance and the terms of the governmental contract must be consistent with the City’s contract terms.
NASPO ValuePoint is a public entity with a national cooperative procurement program offering its member agencies access to publicly solicited contracts. As a member of NASPO ValuePoint, the City has the opportunity to realize cost savings by utilizing existing NASPO ValuePoint contracts.
The solicitation method meets the requirements of the City’s Purchasing Ordinance and the terms of purchase in the recommended City contract with Fischer Scientific are materially the same as those of the Fischer Scientific contract with NASPO ValuePoint and consistent with the City’s contract terms. As specified in the Purchasing Ordinance, the Finance Director and the City Manager have approved the proposed use of the NASPO ValuePoint contract with Fischer Scientific.
By leveraging this cooperative agreement, the City benefits from the time- and cost-saving advantages of a streamlined procurement process while ensuring compliance with purchasing requirements. The pre-negotiated pricing through NASPO ValuePoint reflects substantial cost savings.
FISCAL IMPACT: The City Council previously appropriated $190,000 in the Federal Operating Grants Fund (Fund 191) for this purpose. There is no matching fund requirement.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The action recommended in this report is not a project subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per CEQA Guideline section 15378(b)(2) as it is an administrative and funding activity of government.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the City Manager or Designee to issue a purchase order to Fischer Scientific for an amount not to exceed $189,176 to purchase a Chemical Identification Analyzer through a cooperative agreement with NASPO ValuePoint.