City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: DECEMBER 12, 2023 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL SUBJECT: AWARD RFP NO. 2295 FOR THE LEASE/MONITORING SERVICES OF THE MOBILE SECURITY CAMERA UNITS AT THE REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL PLANT TO BEST ALARM COMPANY, INC., OF MORENO VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, IN THE AMOUNT OF $215,840, FOR A ONE-YEAR TERM ISSUE:
Award RFP No. 2295 for the lease/monitoring services of the mobile security camera units at the Regional Water Quality Control Plant to Best Alarm Company, Inc., of Moreno Valley, California, in the amount of $215,840, effective for a one-year term from issuance of Notice to Proceed.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve a Services Agreement with Best Alarm Company, Inc. for the lease and monitoring services of the mobile security camera units to be placed around the perimeter of the Regional Water Quality Control Plant for the one-year initial term, in the amount of $215,840, with the option to extend on a month-to-month basis for the next 12-month period after the initial contract term; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Service Agreement with Best Alarm Company, Inc., including making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Riverside Public Works Department, Wastewater Division, is responsible for collecting, conveying, and treating wastewater for over 93,000 customers within City limits. The facilities consist of over 850 miles of gravity sewers, 400 miles of City laterals, 20 wastewater lift stations, 16,500 sewer manholes. The Riverside Regional Water Quality Control Plant (RWQCP) has the capacity to treat 46 million gallons of sewage daily. In addition, under the agreements with the City, the RWQCP provides wastewater treatment for Edgemont, Jurupa, and Rubidoux Community Services Districts, and the unincorporated community of Highgrove.
The RWQCP is located on over 100 acres of land adjacent to the Santa Ana River. It has full perimeter fencing and partial perimeter lighting. Fencing consists of an 8-foot-high steel fence and two access rolling security entrance gates. The gates are equipped with a security card reader and call-in button combination stanchion.
Over the last few years, the RWQCP has been experiencing perimeter fencing breaches, resulting in unauthorized individuals roaming the plant grounds, intrusion into process buildings, and vandalism of City property. The plant operates 24 hours per day and these incidents have acutely impacted safety and operations during the evening and nighttime hours as most of the breaches occurred during these times.
Several projects were implemented to improve RWQCP staff’s safety and security:
Security guard at nighttime – Daily patrol of the RWQCP by the security guard from 7 PM to 5 AM.
Parking lot cameras – The installation of two new cameras in the Project Management Facility’s (PMF) parking lot and three new cameras in the Administration parking lot. In addition, replacement of the cameras already installed Administration building and Collection building.
Perimeter security fence rehabilitation – Replacement of the chain-link fence on the east side of the RWQCP with a black steel fence to match the rest of the Plant and filled in the gaps between the bottom of existing fence and the ground by constructing concrete block and AC paving on the north side of the fence against bike trail.
New access control system – Installation of a proximity card reader, door position switch, Request to Exit (REX) switch, and electrified locking door hardware at two administration building perimeter doors (front lobby and rear employee entrances).
A 30-day pilot of mobile security camera units to supplement perimeter security to focus on sections that had been previously breached.
The RWQCP Management Team enforced security awareness by implementing several Administrative Directives:
RWQCP Employee Communication Procedures – define the communications requirements when employees work on and off-site during off-shift hours.
Accessing Bike Trail and Santa Ana River Directive – advise RWQCP personnel requiring access to the Bike Trail or Santa Ana River must first secure the Manager or Deputy Director’s permission before leaving the facility.
Golf Cart Security – have all golf cart keys removed and stored inside the Administration Building after every use.
DISCUSSION:
On March 14, 2022, the Request for Proposals (RFP) invitation was sent out to the Consultant’s Panel to provide a Security Assessment Study for the RWQCP. In January 2023, Carollo Engineers developed a comprehensive Security Assessment Study for the RWQCP based on industry standards and best practices for physical, electronic, and operational security.
The Security Assessment Study provided recommendations for future Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects to close the gap between the current and desired security conditions. Based on the study, there are several crucial security measures that the RWQCP should address to improve safety for RWQCP operations, specifically site perimeter security, which is the first line of defense for the RWQCP – installing a permanent CCTV system around the perimeter of the RWQCP is recommended as a top priority. With the evolving camera technologies and heightened cyber-security, implementing such a complicated system can be costly and should be designed appropriately to ensure the appropriate platforms are employed. As an interim solution, the study recommends deployment of a temporary system to meet the immediate security needs of the RWQCP.
PURCHASING:
On June 30, 2023, Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 2295 was released on Planet Bids. The notification of release was sent to 222 City of Riverside vendors and 500 external vendors in Planet Bids. The RFP accumulated 37 prospective bidders, with only eight Companies attending a mandatory pre-bid meeting.
Of the eight companies able to submit a response, two provided submissions on the RFP close date of August 17, 2023, of which both were found to be responsive and responsible. An evaluation committee, consisting of three Public Works Department employees, reviewed the proposals and found Best Alarm Company, Inc., of Moreno Valley, California, to be the highest scoring company, based on the evaluation criteria included in the RFP.
Vendor
Total Points Received
Rank
Best Alarm Company, Inc.
278.00
1 Ollivier Corporation
168.90
2 The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommendation to award complies with Purchasing Resolution No. 23914.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item contributes to Strategic Priority 6 – Infrastructure, Mobility, and Connectivity and supports Goal 6.2 – Maintain, protect, and improve assets and infrastructure within the City’s built environment to ensure and enhance reliability, resiliency, sustainability, and facilitate connectivity.
Furthermore, this project aligns with each of the five Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – This project ensures wastewater discharges do not negatively impact the community and environment. The RWQCP manages and protects capital assets through ongoing conditional assessments and system maintenance by requiring all services and equipment to align with local laws and regulations. This project serves the public interest, benefits the City’s diverse populations, and results in greater public good.
Equity – This project supports RWQCP efforts to protect the public’s health and the environment by ensuring critical City infrastructure and RWQCP equipment are operating efficiently and effectively.
Fiscal Responsibility – The service agreement with Best Alarm Company supports RWQCP’s efforts to minimize inefficiencies and develop control methods to provide operating processes and maintenance routines to protect City assets.
Innovation – This project exemplifies a collaborative partnership between Best Alarm Company and the City of Riverside to enhance operational reliability by achieving measurable improvements through proper rehabilitation service of the wastewater treatment process.
Sustainability & Resiliency – The project supports the implementation of sustainability to treat wastewater generated within the City of Riverside and the communities of Edgemont, Highgrove, Jurupa, and Rubidoux at the Riverside Water Quality Control Plant.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this action is $215,840. Sufficient funds are budgeted and available in the Sewer Fund, PW Sewer System-Sewer Projects, Security System Upgrades – Phase III account number 9922123-440301.
Prepared by: Thuy Nguyen, Principal Engineer
Approved by: Gilbert Hernandez, Public Works Director
Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
Award Recommendation
Services Agreement
Approve RFP 2295 to Best Alarm Company for Mobile Security Camera Units at RWQCP ● Page 2