City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: May 19, 2026
From: Brian Saeki, City Administrator
Department: City Administration
Submitted by: Sara Sandoval, Management Analyst
Subject
Purchase Order with AT&T for VESTA 9-1-1 System Maintenance Recommendation
Approve and authorize issuance of a Purchase Order to AT&T for an amount not-to-exceed $23,776.11, for a one-year term extension of the Support Agreement for the VESTA 9-1-1 system from April 16, 2026 to April 15, 2027.
Background
The Vernon Police Department (VPD) Dispatch relies on the VESTA 9-1-1 emergency call handling system provided by AT&T. The existing maintenance agreement for the VESTA system expired on April 15, 2026. AT&T has provided a quote to renew the support agreement for an additional year (Attachment 1). The Support Agreement extends coverage from April 16, 2026 through April 15, 2027 at a cost of $23,776.11 and is essential to guarantee uninterrupted support and timely system updates as outlined in the Extended Maintenance Scope of Work (Attachment 2).
The California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) has agreed to reimburse Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) for the additional years of maintenance support. The State does not allow AT&T to bill Cal OES directly for the maintenance services; however, the City would issue a purchase order (PO) referencing the attached quote, and AT&T would invoice the City accordingly. The City would then seek reimbursement from Cal OES for the total cost of the extended maintenance of $23,776.11.
The renewal of the maintenance agreement with AT&T for the VESTA 9-1-1 system is essential to ensuring the continued reliability of emergency services provided by the VPD. The State’s reimbursement for maintenance services ensures that this necessary upgrade can be completed with minimal cost to the City. Approval of the maintenance renewal will allow the City to maintain uninterrupted 9-1-1 services while complying with the State’s reimbursement processes.
AT&T is the current equipment and maintenance provider for the City of Vernon Police Department’s 9-1-1 VESTA call handling solution. The City’s existing AT&T VESTA equipment, originally installed in 2018, is approaching nine years in production and requires ongoing specialized maintenance and support. Due to the proprietary nature of the system, no other provider can maintain or access the AT&T-supported platform without compromising the security and integrity of the system. There are no other providers certified or trained on the VESTA platform that can support the City’s system, including replacement hardware and 24-hour, 7- days-a-week, 365-days-a-year response coverage. As such, AT&T remains the sole source provider for Vernon Police Department’s 9-1-1 system, and only AT&T-certified technicians are authorized to perform maintenance or modifications to the City’s AT&T 9-1-1 infrastructure (Attachment 3). For these reasons, pursuant to Vernon Municipal Code Section 3.32.110(A)(2), this purchase is exempt from competitive bidding since the services are only available from one vendor.
Additionally, pursuant to Vernon Municipal Code Section 3.32.030(B), City Council approval is required if, in the 12 months preceding the effective date of the proposed new, renewed, or otherwise amended contract, the City has paid or awarded the proposed vendor more than $100,000 pursuant to contract(s) with the vendor. Within the past 12 months, the City has paid AT&T approximately $210,753.79. The Support Agreement quote, and related Scope of Work from AT&T have been reviewed and approved as to form by the City Attorney.
Fiscal Impact
The total fiscal impact is not-to-exceed $23,776.11. Sufficient funds are available for the AT&T VESTA 9-1-1 System in General Fund - IT Department - Repairs and Maintenance - IT 011-010- 110-529110 (Project No. IT00230009-0200-0200) for the current fiscal year. Staff expect to receive reimbursement for the VESTA-related expenditure from Cal OES.
Attachments
1. AT&T Vesta Maintenance Renewal Quote
2. Extended Maintenance VESTA SOW
3. AT&T Sole Source Justification Letter