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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Approval of Amendment to Design Build of the Fire Systems Improvements at Various City Facilities Project, Approve Amendment to Design-Build Agreement 1) Resolution dispensing with competitive bidding, incorporating additional project scope, and authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute an amendment to design-build agreement No. 8003204 with Glendale Fire Systems, Inc. (GFS), increasing the agreement amount by $98,453, and approving an additional 10% contingency of $9,845.
2) Resolution of appropriation to appropriate funds for the Fire Systems Improvements at Various City Facilities Project.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Action Item
Approved for August 11, 2026 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Fire Systems Improvements at Various City Facilities Project is currently in the final stages of construction. Improvements included the design and replacement of the fire alarm panels at the Police Building and the design and replacement of fire sprinkler piping at Fire Station 21/Verdugo Dispatch Center, both of which have been completed. The remaining component is the design and installation of a fire suppression system within the Radio Room located at the General Services Building (GSB). Staff recommend replacing the originally planned pre-action fire sprinkler system with a Clean Agent Fire Suppression System and relocating the automatic fire sprinkler main supply piping to bypass the Radio Room while maintaining sprinkler protection for the remaining second- floor areas as part of the design-build process.
The purpose of this item is to seek City Council's approval to amend the design-build agreement for this project and increase the amount, as well as appropriate additional funds for the project.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the resolution dispensing with competitive bidding and authorizing an amendment to design-build agreement with GFS, increasing the agreement amount by $98,453, approving an additional 10% contingency of $9,845, plus a resolution of appropriation providing adequate funding for the project.
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ANALYSIS
On May 13, 2025, the City Council awarded a design-build agreement for the Fire Systems Improvements at Various City Facilities Project. The project is currently in the final stages of construction, with the fire alarm panel replacement at the Police Building and the fire sprinkler piping replacement at Fire Station 21/Verdugo Dispatch Center completed. The remaining project component is the design and installation of a fire suppression system within the Radio Room located at the GSB which have not yet begun.
As originally designed and awarded, the GSB Radio Room improvement consisted of the installation of a pre-action fire sprinkler system to provide additional protection for the City’s primary radio communication hardware and reduce the risk associated with the existing wet-pipe sprinkler system serving the space. The advantage of a pre-action system is that it keeps the fire sprinkler piping empty of water, and the pre-action valve will not fill the system with water until after smoke or heat is detected. This design prevents water damage from taking place due to a burst water sprinkler pipe or faulty sprinkler head.
Since the Project was first conceived, the importance and value of the equipment housed within the Radio Room have increased substantially. The Radio Room currently contains approximately $11 million in critical communications and emergency response equipment that supports essential City operations. A shortcoming of pre-action systems is that it won’t prevent water damage when the system is activated from small fires or false alarms.
Although a pre-action system offers greater protection than the existing fire sprinkler configuration, it does not eliminate the risk of water damage once the system is activated, whether due to fire or an inadvertent activation.
During the final design phase, staff and the design-build contractor conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the existing conditions, operational risks, value of the equipment housed in the Radio Room, and the potential impacts of a fire event or accidental sprinkler discharge. Through that process, staff determined that a Clean Agent Fire Suppression System would provide a more appropriate and protective solution than the originally planned pre-action system. The revised approach also includes relocating the automatic fire sprinkler main supply piping to bypass the Radio Room while maintaining sprinkler protection for the remaining second-floor areas.
The Clean Agent Fire Suppression System is specifically suited for spaces containing sensitive electronic and communications equipment. Unlike a sprinkler-based system, the clean agent suppresses fire without exposing equipment to water and without leaving residue, thereby reducing the risk of equipment damage, prolonged service disruption, and downtime following a fire event or system activation. Given the Radio Room's role in supporting critical public safety communications and housing approximately $11 million in essential equipment, staff determined that this solution provides a substantially higher level of protection for this critical facility.
The revised scope represents a more resilient and technically appropriate improvement than what was contemplated at the time of award. However, because this approach 310a
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requires a different suppression system, associated controls, coordination with the existing fire alarm system, room-specific design considerations, and relocation of sprinkler supply piping, additional funding is required to complete the work.
Switching the project approach at this stage will increase the project cost by $108,298, representing a significant additional investment in the Radio Shop space. However, staff believe this investment is justified by the long-term benefits of reducing the risk of potential future losses. So far no resources have been used for the pre-action system project approach.
Approval of the requested funding will allow the City to proceed with the recommended fire suppression improvements, better protect critical communications infrastructure, reduce the risk of water-related damage to essential emergency response equipment, maintain continuity of City operations, and provide a more durable long-term solution for the GSB Radio Room.
The purpose of this item is to seek City Council approval to increase both the base agreement amount and the approved project contingency. The originally approved agreement amount and contingency are not sufficient to accommodate the additional scope of work associated with the revised fire suppression system, relocation of the automatic fire sprinkler main supply piping, and related modifications necessary to complete the remaining project component.
Given the current 85% completion level and thorough evaluation by the contractor and city staff, it is the collective assessment that all major cost and schedule impacts have been identified. The additional funding requested is expected to carry the project through to final completion.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
The Public Works Department will coordinate with GSB Radio Room staff to minimize any disruption to operations.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed agreement amendment for the Fire Systems Improvements at Various City Facilities Project will cost $108,298, which was not included as part of the FY 2026-27 budget. Therefore, staff is requesting for an appropriation of $108,298 from the General Fund, undesignated fund balance. The appropriation request is outlined below:
Requesting Appropriation
Amount From (Account
String)
To (Account String) Funding Source
$108,298 GL: 25300—1010-
0000
GL: 52100-4010-PWD-
0020-P0000
PL: PWD00588AN
Capital
Improvement Fund
Department Cost Center Program
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Public
Works
Projects
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
This project is Categorically Exempt under the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as a Class 1 and exemption pursuant state CEQA Guidelines, Section 15301.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
The names and business addresses of the members of the board of directors, the chairperson, CEO, COO, CFO, subcontractors and any person or entity with more than 10 percent interest in the company submitted their proposals or recommended for contract in this Agenda Item Report are attached in Exhibit 1, in accordance with the City Campaign Finance Ordinance No. 5744.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Do not approve the resolutions which would prevent approval of the additional project work, including the increase to the base agreement amount and project contingency, and the remaining project component will not be completed as recommended.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Daniel Hernandez, Director of Public Works
Prepared by:
Arthur Asaturyan, Senior Project Manager
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit 1: Campaign Disclosure Form