City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: DECEMBER 2, 2025 FROM: PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY WARDS: ALL
SERVICES DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH RIVCOMM, INC., OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, FROM REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 2444 FOR DIGITAL RADIOS AND INSTALLATIONS FOR SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $203,695.75; AND AUTHORIZE 10% CHANGE ORDER AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,369.57, FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $224,065.32, FOR THE TERM OF ONE-YEAR WITH THE OPTION TO EXTEND THE AGREEMENT FOR ONE ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR TERM ISSUES:
Approve the Service Agreement with Rivcomm, Inc., of Riverside, California, from Request For Proposal No. 2444 for digital radios and installations for Special Transportation in the amount of $203,695.75; and authorize 10% change order authority in the amount of $20,369.57, for a total contract amount of $224,065.32, for the term of one-year with the option to extend the agreement for one additional one-year term.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve the Digital Radios and Installations Services Agreement, from Request For Proposal No. 2444 for the Special Transportation Division with Rivcomm, Inc. of Riverside, California, in the amount of $203,695.75, for a one-year term with the option to extend for one additional one-year term; Authorize 10% change order authority on the base contract price in the amount of $20,369.57, for a total contract amount of $224,065.32; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Agreement for Digital Radios and Installations Services for the Special Transportation Division with Rivcomm, Inc., including an extension for an additional one-year term subject to budget approval, and making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Riverside Special Transportation Division operates the Riverside Connect service and receives annual funding allocations from various federal, state, and local sources administered by both the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The funds are used to support 100 percent of the operating budget, including employee salaries and benefits, as well as all capital projects.
The Mills-Alquist-Deddeh Act (SB 325) was enacted by the California Legislature to improve existing public transportation services and encourage regional transportation coordination. Known as the Transportation Development Act (TDA) of 1971, this law provides funding to be allocated to transit and non-transit related purposes that comply with regional transportation plans.
The TDA provides two funding sources:
1. Local Transportation Fund (LTF), which is derived from a ¼ cent of the general sales tax collected statewide.
2. State Transit Assistance (STA) fund, which is derived from the statewide sales tax on diesel fuel.
The State Board of Equalization, based on sales tax collected in each county, returns the general sales tax revenues to each county’s LTF. The STA funds are appropriated by the Legislature to the State Controller’s Office; that Office then allocates the tax revenue, by formula, to planning agencies and other selected agencies. The Statute requires 50% of STA funds to be allocated according to population and 50% be allocated according to operator revenues from the prior fiscal year.
DISCUSSION:
Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 2444 was posted on the City’s online bidding system, Planet Bids, on May 20th, 2025, seeking prospective bidders to provide Special Transportation a turnkey conversion from its current analog radio system to digital. The vendor is to provide services to remove and install a digital radio system compatible with the Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) digital radio system already deployed throughout the City. The notification was sent to 168 City of Riverside registered vendors and 500 external vendors. A non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting was held on May 28th, 2025, with eight (8) vendors in attendance. Accumulating 34 prospective bidders, RFP No. 2444 closed on July 8th, 2025, with a total of three (3) responses. All responses were found to be responsive and responsible. Under the guidance of the purchasing department, four (4) City staff evaluated the proposals for one round, which resulted in Rivcomm, Inc. ranking No. 1. The evaluation criteria, total points, and rankings are summarized in the tables below.
Round 1
Evaluation Criteria
Total Points
Qualifications
35%
Pricing
20%
Experience (Projects of similar size and scope)
20%
Approach and Methodology
15%
Professional References
10%
Evaluation Results
Vendor
Location
Total Cost
Total Points
Rank
Rivcomm, Inc.
Riverside, CA
$203,695.75
925.63
1 Applied Technology Group, Inc.
Bakersfield, CA
$391,619.43
764.03
2 Commline, Inc.
Gardena, CA
$384,251.62
746.02
3 Purchasing Resolution 24101, Section 508 Awards states, “Contracts procured through Formal Procurement shall be awarded by the Awarding Entity to the Lowest Responsive and Responsible Bidder, except that: (c) Contracts procured through Formal Procurement for Services or Professional Services, where a Request for Proposals or Request for Qualifications was used to solicit Bids, shall be awarded by the Awarding Entity in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in the Request for Proposals or Request for Qualifications.” The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommended actions are in accordance with Purchasing Resolution 24101.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of the agreement is $203,695.75 with 10% change order authority in the amount of $224,065.32. The agreement is fully funded with state grants. Sufficient funds are budgeted and available in the following expenditure account as listed in the table below.
Fund
Program
Account
Amount
Special Transit
Radio Comm Replace 24/25 - STA
9411020-462200
$203,695.75
Total
$203,695.75
Prepared by: Ron Profeta, Transit Manager
Approved by: Pamela M. Galera, Parks, Recreation and Community Services 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: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
Agreement for Special Transportation – Digital Radios and Installations Award Recommendation
Digital Radios and Installations Service Agreement, Rivcomm, Inc. ● Page 3