CITY OF PACIFICA
COUNCIL AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
5/23/2022
1 SUBJECT:
Agreement with Telecommunications Engineering Associates for Information Technology Equipment and Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approve an Agreement with Telecommunications Engineering Associates for Technology Equipment and Services Related to Radio Communications Infrastructure, and authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents related to this project.
STAFF CONTACT:
Daniel Steidle, Chief of Police
650-738-7314
[email protected]
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
To facilitate critical, 24/7 communications between the 911 Dispatch Center in South San Francisco and officers utilizing portable and vehicle mounted two-way radios, the Pacifica Police Department utilizes a series of antennas, radio base station receivers and repeaters located at six locations in and around Pacifica. The high majority of the current infrastructure that facilitates this communication was installed in 2007-2008. The recommended lifespan for this equipment is approximately 10 years, or when manufacturers discontinue support for replacement parts. As such, the current infrastructure is well past life expectancy. Should replacement parts be required, they may be difficult to find and may only be sourced from the secondary market.
Fiscal constraints have caused the need to delay replacement of this equipment in recent years.
Law enforcement agencies are authorized by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to access the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications system (CLETS) for the purpose of accessing databases such as criminal history of persons and California Department of Motor Vehicle information (driver license and vehicle registration information). In October 2020, the Pacifica Police Department received information from DOJ that was disseminated to all California law enforcement agencies regarding the broadcasting of confidential information accessed via CLETS over law enforcement radio systems. It has been standard practice for law enforcement officers to utilize radio systems to send and receive information obtained via CLETS in conjunction with their law enforcement duties. The communication from DOJ mandated that certain information obtained via CLETS must be encrypted if broadcasted over radio systems. Law enforcement agency heads were directed to contact DOJ by December 31, 2020 to inform DOJ how they intended to come into compliance with this mandate. The Pacifica Police Department advised DOJ of the intent to switch to encrypted radio transmissions, as has been a statewide trend for law enforcement agencies. Encrypted radio transmissions protect confidential information obtained via CLETS as they cannot be heard over scanners commonly available to the general public. The deadline set to come into compliance with this mandate is December 31, 2023.
Pacifica City Council 2
May 23, 2022
Replacement of the radio communications infrastructure allows for the upgrade of outdated equipment already beyond expected life span and allows for the Pacifica Police Department to come into compliance with the DOJ mandate.
Telecommunications Engineering Associates (TEA), the company that currently services and maintains our radio communication needs, has the necessary equipment and unique expertise to perform the worked required to replace the aged radio infrastructure. TEA has been contractually responsible for city police and countywide fire radio systems in San Mateo County for more than 20 years. TEA has been the organization that has ensured all San Mateo County police departments can communicate with each other via radio. TEA also previously designed, implemented and currently maintains the Pacifica Police Department integration with the South San Francisco Police radio system. This integration has been necessary since October 2011, when the South San Francisco Police Department was contracted to provide 911 and radio communication services to the Pacifica Police Department.
The proposed Agreement with TEA (Attachment A) details the cost of this project to be $167,039.92 to complete the radio infrastructure equipment replacement. A component of the Agreement is five years of maintenance and support services related to the infrastructure at a cost of $65,088.00, for a total contracted amount of $232,127.92.
The $167,039.92 is currently budgeted and approved as part of the 2021-2022 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The maintenance and support cost of $65,088.00 over a five year period is an ongoing expenditure that is allocated for each year in the Pacifica Police Department budget for contractual services.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
Council may choose to not approve the Agreement; however, as this critical infrastructure is already beyond its life expectancy, staff does not recommend this alternate action.
RELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND WORK PLAN:
Approval of the Agreement to replace radio communications infrastructure supports City Council Goals of Stewardship of City Infrastructure and Maintaining a Safe Community.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of the Agreement will create an expenditure of $232,127.92. Funding for the expenditure is already allocated for in the CIP and Police Department budget.
ORIGINATED BY:
Police
ATTACHMENT LIST:
Pacifica City Council 3
May 23, 2022
Attachment A - Agreement with TEA (PDF)