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City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: Police
Meeting Date: June 17, 2024
Report #:2405-3086
TITLE
Approval of a Professional Services Contract Number C24188127 with Telecommunications Engineering Associates (TEA) in an Amount Not to Exceed $834,882 for Public Safety Radio Network Maintenance and Construction for a Period of Five (5) Years; CEQA Status: Not a Project
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve and authorize the City Manager or their designee to exempt solicitation and execute Contract No. C24188127 (Attachment A) with Telecommunications Engineering Associates (TEA) for a term of five (5) years and a total amount not-to-exceed (NTE) $834,882 for:
1. Public safety radio maintenance for the Police and Fire Departments for NTE $645,000 with an additional services contingency of $40,000; and
2. Services related to the design and construction of the Public Safety Building (PSB), project PE-15001, for $189,882.
BACKGROUND
The Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority services the regional public safety radio network which includes the County of Santa Clara, its fifteen cities and towns, and all special districts. In 2010, the Palo Alto City Council approved an agreement to form the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority, a joint powers authority in partnership with other Santa Clara County municipalities and agencies to enhance and coordinate regional public safety data and radio communications systems. City Council approved a subsequent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in June 2015 to participate in a multi-year project with other Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority members to fund and construct a county-wide digital radio communications Silicon Valley Regional Communications System (SVRCS) to layer on to the legacy analog systems each agency maintains.
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The SVRCS is a trunked digital communications system using the 700 MHz frequency spectrum currently in use in Santa Clara County. Radio sites and dispatch centers are connected through the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority EComm digital microwave system that provides connectivity to remote government radio sites. EComm is a private microwave network connecting all Public Safety Answering Points (9-1-1 centers), selected key public safety facilities and numerous radio sites throughout Santa Clara County. EComm provides secure data and voice communications to public safety agencies and other cooperating agencies for mission critical applications.
The City continues to maintain one type of analog radio system for the Police Department and another type of system for the Fire Department. The analog radio systems are used for disaster recovery purposes for both the Departments in the event the digital system becomes unusable.
The new Public Safety Building (PSB) is one of ten key projects included in the 2014 Council Infrastructure Plan. The PSB was identified as the plan’s highest priority project. In June 2018, Council authorized a five-year contract with TEA as the City’s radio system maintenance provider1. In June 2019, Council authorized Contract Amendment No. 1 with TEA to add provision of detailed information about the existing radio system infrastructure to assist in designing the radio system and equipment specifications for the new PSB2. In March 2022, Council authorized Contract Amendment No. 2 with TEA to increase the scope of services to include program verification and design review for the PSB3.
ANALYSIS
TEA will continue to provide professional telecommunications engineering services to maintain the three legacy channels, radio infrastructure and related equipment. All equipment covered under this agreement will be maintained by TEA and kept operational, utilizing contemporary industry standards and modern preventative maintenance techniques. An additional contingency of $40,000 is requested for unplanned replacement replace of any parts or components if required.
Staff recommends entering a single source contract with TEA pursuant to PAMC 2.30.360 (d) - 1 City Council, June 25, 2018; Agenda Item #6, SR#9246, https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/agendas-minutes-reports/reports/city-manager-reports- cmrs/year-archive/2018/id-9246.pdf
2 City Council, June 24, 2019; Agenda Item #26, SR#10352 https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/agendas-minutes-reports/reports/city-manager-reports- cmrs/year-archive/2019/id-10352.pdf
3 City Council, March 14, 2022; Agenda Item #7, SR#13978 https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=59382&repo=r-704298fc&searchid=340390a8-da13-4bb8- aa91-a8e08b88550a
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Contracts for goods, wholesale commodities and services, general services or professional services available from only one source, where the Procurement Officer has determined, in writing, there is no adequate substitute or equivalent provider. Examples of acceptable sole source acquisitions or purchases may include, without limitation: equipment or services for equipment, for which there is no comparable competitive product or service except that provided by the equipment manufacturer, distributor or dealer; proprietary products sold directly by the manufacturer; a component or replacement part, for which there is no commercially available substitute and which can be obtained only from the manufacturer; goods where there is only one authorized distributor in the area; and goods where compatibility with goods in use by the city is an overriding consideration.
TEA is the only provider capable to provide these services to the City for several reasons. TEA has extensive knowledge of the system, City facilities, and carries the spare equipment required to maintain it and has been satisfactory in its work with the City over the past 15 years. TEA is based in San Carlos, CA, and is the only provider that can meet the service response times for on-site service. Given the design and completion timelines of the Public Safety Building, additional benefits for expediency and security include an ability to ensure safe decommission existing infrastructure without damaging the remaining equipment and compliance with the necessary City and Police Department background checks required to access the facilities in which the system is housed.
TEA will charge an hourly rate of $210 for the added services, with a not-to-exceed amount of $189,882 for the services necessary to transition to the new PSB, for a new total not-to-exceed amount of the contract of $834,882. These services will be approached as Additional Services, as defined in the contract, which are assigned via written Task Order approved by the City’s Project Manager as detailed in the contract.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
The Contract is for the following services: 1) ongoing public safety radio maintenance for the Police and Fire Departments for $645,000, 2) replacement service contingency of $40,000 and, 3) services related to the design and construction of the Public Safety Building project (PE- 15001) for $189,882.
Funding for the ongoing public safety radio maintenance and the contingency are partially funded in the proposed FY 2025 Police Department budget. If the proposed budget is not sufficient and the costs can not be absorbed in the proposed FY 2025 budget, the Department will come back to City Council at mid-year for a request of additional funding. Funding for the services related to the PSB are in the proposed FY 2025 Capital Improvement Budget under project PE-15001 and no further funding is required.
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STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
This contract was reviewed and coordinated with internal departments including legal, procurement, and financial functions to ensure alignment with City policies and procedures.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
These services do not constitute a project for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Contract with Telecommunications Engineering Associates (TEA) C24188127 APPROVED BY:
Andrew Binder, Police Chief