Agenda Item #13.7
For Council Meeting of: April 12, 2022
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: SCOTT WESTROPE, FIRE CHIEF
FIRE DEPARTMENT
BRANDALYN TRAMEL, PURCHASING AGENT
FINANCE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF PURCHASE ORDER UNDER THE HOUSTON-GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL (H-GAC) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT (RA05-21) TO MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC. TO REPLACE AND MODERNIZE EXISTING MOBILE RADIOS AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Fire and Finance Departments that the Council, by resolution, approve use of the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) Cooperative Agreement (Contract Number RA05-21) with Motorola Solutions, Inc. to issue a purchase order for Motorola radios, equipment, and installation in an amount not to exceed $666,000 to modernize and replace aging radio systems used by the Fire Department.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Fire Department needs to replace its obsolete mobile radios. The components of this system are 15-20 years old, are no longer reliable, and parts are difficult, if not impossible to obtain.
This recommendation will enable the Fire Department to purchase radios and provide an adaptable platform for critical wireless communication for our fire equipment when in use throughout the City and during mutual aid responses throughout the State. The specified Motorola radio equipment will also have the enhanced ability, to integrate with the Santa Rosa Police Department radio system during emergencies and disasters. The purchase will utilize the City’s standard purchase order terms and conditions.
The current radios are no longer compliant with industry standards. Standards such as “P25” which allows the interoperability between legacy and modern equipment, digital and analog. And, FIRESCOPE which dictates statewide CalOES mutual aid required radio channel frequency and capacity.
Use of Measure O funds for this purpose was passed as part of the mid-year budget adjustment on February 15, 2022.
BACKGROUND
The Fire Department responds to emergencies 7 days a week, year-round. Effective radio communication is vital to the Fire Department’s day-to-day operations, especially during emergency events where Fire provides frontline services to the City, County and State. The radio infrastructure in use by the Fire Department is obsolete and presents significant risks of system failure.
In 2016, the Police Department received approval from the City Manager for a five-year standard specification for the purchase of radio equipment from Motorola. It was determined that it was in the City’s best interest to standardize on a single manufacturer to ensure secure radio communications, product uniformity and operation efficiencies.
ANALYSIS
Enhancement
Currently the Fire Department’s mobile radio system is exposed to failure of aging components and an inability to source replacement parts and accessories, which could lead to major issues with communications with the fleet of vehicles that respond to emergencies.
The recommended radio upgrade would ensure the Fire Department’s ability to communicate with each apparatus and dispatch. Additionally, we would be a part of a contracted system with maintenance and service for many years.
Cooperative Agreement
The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) Cooperative Purchasing Program is a competitive bidding process that assists local governments in reducing costs through this government-to-government procurement service available nationwide.
Santa Rosa City Code Section 3-08.160 permits cooperative purchases when advantageous to the City. H-GAC’s procurement process includes research, specifications preparation, pre-bid and preproposal conferences, legal notice posting and advertising, bid/proposal review and contract execution available at a national level. Additional benefits to utilizing a cooperative purchase agreement is an expedited procurement process, volume purchasing discounts, on-duty professional staff assistance, research and development of technical specifications, and contract management services provided by the lead Agency (H-GAC). Based on the pricing the City obtains under the H-GAC Cooperative, Fire staff consider it advantageous to the City to use the cooperative purchase. Upon approval by Council, a purchase order will be issued using the city’s standard Purchase Order Terms and Conditions for the radios, equipment, and installation.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for this procurement will come from Measure O funds already passed as part of the mid-year budget adjustment on February 15, 2022.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The Council finds that the proposed action is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Section 15061(b)(3) and 15378 in that there is no possibility that the implementation of this action may have significant effects on the environment, and that no further environmental review is required
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Quote from Motorola Solutions under HGAC RA-05-21 Resolution
CONTACT
Scott Westrope, Fire Chief, [email protected], 707-543-3531
Brandalyn Tramel, [email protected] 707-543-3706
APPROVAL OF PURCHASE ORDER UNDER THE HOUSTON-GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL (H-GAC) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT (RA05-21) TO MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC. TO REPLACE AND MODERNIZE EXISTING MOBILE RADIOS PAGE 3 OF 3