Agenda Item #13.5
For Council Meeting of: December 17, 2024
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: JOHN CREGAN, POLICE CHIEF
POLICE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: WAIVER OF COMPETITIVE BID AND APPROVAL OF NONSTANDARD MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH FLOCK GROUP INC.
AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Police Department that the Council, by resolution: 1) waive competitive bidding pursuant to Section 3.08.100(D) of the Santa Rosa City Code; and 2) approve and authorize the City Manager or designee to execute a non-standard Master Services Agreement and all documents necessary to effect the lease, installation, training and licensing for Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) cameras and stationary cameras from Flock Group Inc., Atlanta, Georgia in an amount not to exceed $897,999.94 for an initial three-year term for software and hardware with three optional year renewals.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The approval of this resolution will allow the Police Department to enter into an agreement for the lease, installation, training and licensing for Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) cameras and stationary cameras for the Real Time Crime Center from Flock Group Inc. These devices will be installed throughout the City of Santa Rosa in strategic areas based on statistical information.
BACKGROUND
The Santa Rosa Police Department was awarded federal earmark funding of $898,000 for the Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) earlier this year. In January the department entered into an agreement with Flock Group, Inc. to install 34 ALPR cameras in the downtown area which was the starting point of implementing the RTCC. These additional cameras will provide more comprehensive coverage and expand situational awareness throughout the city and support county wide operations during critical incidents.
The ALPR data platform will allow for the integration of ALPR data with existing camera systems, providing comprehensive coverage of the target area. The Flock safety lease will install 71 ALPR products and 28 stationary cameras. The Santa Rosa Police Department has a dedicated ALPR policy which restricts access to the ALPR data and limits sharing of the data. (SRPD Policy #426).
The decision in continuing the partnership with Flock Group, Inc. is rooted in the necessity of maintaining consistency by utilizing the same ALPR technology vendor to ensure seamless integration, standardized protocols, and optimal collaboration among the consortium members. With an established presence in Sonoma County and the larger Bay Area, Flock Safety facilitates real-time alerts and rapid inter-agency coordination, offering an unparalleled, integrated surveillance solution.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
Not applicable.
ANALYSIS
The incorporation of fixed Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) cameras presents the city with a highly cost-effective force amplification tool. This technology significantly aids law enforcement by efficiently guiding officers to areas experiencing criminal activities, while also furnishing crucial investigative leads subsequent to an incident. Widely adopted by numerous local police agencies, fixed ALPR technology has proven instrumental in resolving crimes and tracing stolen vehicles involved in various criminal activities.
Section 3-08.100(D) of the City Code provides that purchases of supplies, material, equipment, and services may be made without recourse to competitive bidding requirements where the source of supply, necessary restrictions in specifications, necessary standardization, quality considerations, or other valid reasons for waiving competition appears.
Under Section 3-08.100(D), the approval of the waiver of competitive bidding must be approved at the same level of authority as set forth in Section 3-08.110 of the City Code. Council is the award authority for a purchase with a not-to-exceed amount over $100,000 and must approve the waiver of competitive bidding.
Waiver of competitive bidding is in the best interests of the City and there are valid reasons for a waiver for the recommended contract with Flock Group Inc. This decision is rooted in the necessity of maintaining consistency with the current technology being used by the department and the Sonoma County Public Safety Consortium. The continued use is a cost and time savings to the department requiring less resources and time to implement. It also will provide consistent data that can be coordinated for officers while in the field saving valuable time. This technology will seamlessly integrate with the current ALPR systems the department and county already have in place.
The attached Flock Group, Inc. form of Master Agreement contains a number of provisions not favorable to the City, including limited warranty and limitation of liability to fees paid or payable to Flock Group, Inc. for services under the Agreement for the preceding 12 months.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have a fiscal impact on the General Fund.
Funds were awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance Byrne Discretionary Grant Program specifically for this purchase and are in project Key 95958.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, the proposed action is not a “project” subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it does not have a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. In the alternative, the proposed action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the project may have a significant effect on the environment.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution / Exhibit A – Master Services Agreement
PRESENTER
John Cregan, Police Chief
APPROVAL OF MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH FLOCK GROUP INC.
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