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APPROVE MOTION TO INCREASE EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY FOR RADIO COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM FOR ONE ADDITIONAL YEAR OF MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS AND SUPPORT OF THE CURRENT PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO SYSTEM WITH DELTA WIRELESS, INC.
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council approve a motion to:
1. Authorize the City Manager to spend a total estimated amount of $607,685 beginning July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024 for public safety radio and infrastructure maintenance fees, non-covered repairs, and support services to Delta Wireless for the City’s radio communication system;
2. Approve findings under Stockton Municipal Code section 3.68.070 in support of an exception to the competitive bid process; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to take necessary and appropriate actions to carry out the purpose and the intent of this motion.
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Summary
The City is undertaking a major replacement of radio infrastructure that is used for Public Safety services, as well as by the Public Works and MUD departments. The current system is an outdated conventional radio system that is over twenty years old. The new system consolidates from the existing ten radio towers down to five towers and is a modern trunking radio system that replaces the City’s conventional system.
Currently, the project is in the final phase which is the replacement of all equipment at the five chosen radio tower sites. The City will be testing the new radio system for an extended time before transferring the Public Safety services onto it. To ensure proper testing and a reliable transfer to this new system, staff recommends adding one more year of vendor support for the legacy radio system.
Staff is recommending that Council authorize increased purchase authority to secure one additional year of annual maintenance and other system support services, for a total estimated amount of $607,685, beginning July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.
Staff further recommends Council approve findings in support of a sole source / single available source exception to the competitive bid process for one additional year, through the end of FY 2023-24.
DISCUSSION
Background
The City owns and operates a private 13-channel radio communication system utilized by the Fire, Municipal Utilities (MUD), Police, and Public Works departments. The system’s primary function is to support public safety activities, and ensures that police officers and firefighters have radio communication capabilities among individuals, vehicles, and dispatch/command centers. As part of the overall radio system, the City maintains 970 portables (handheld or worn by the officers, fire personnel, and other employees), 570 mobile radios (installed in vehicles), and an infrastructure consisting of ten radio tower sites.
The City is undertaking a major replacement of radio infrastructure, from an outdated conventional radio system to a modern trunking system. The first phases have been completed which entailed replacing the radio consoles in the dispatch centers, and installing a radio core and logging recorders. The final phase is the replacement of all equipment on the radio towers. The City remains on the old radio system while project phases 2 and 3 for microwave and channel equipment replacements are underway and nearing completion. Until completed, there is a requirement for continued maintenance of the current system. Expenditures for Public Safety communication technologies are managed by the Information Technology (IT) Department via the Technology Internal Service Fund (ISF).
The City maintains the Adtran equipment provided at the Stockton Fire Dispatch Center and stations and the standalone radio system through contracts with Delta Wireless, Inc., authorized by City Council Resolutions 01-0498 and 04-0548 respectively (Attachment A and B). The terms of the Fire Adtran contract began on September 25, 2001, and are renewed annually by “Stockton City Council adoption of the budget and appropriation of funds.” The term of the Radio System Maintenance contract was from August 15, 2004, through August 14, 2009, with the City reserving the right to extend this contract annually by the “Stockton City Council’s adoption of the budget and appropriation of funds from the original contract expiration date.” In December 2006, the radio maintenance contract was amended to add a subsection, which allowed for the inclusion of third-party systems on contract by a mutual written agreement, such as microwave equipment which are components of the radio infrastructure originally procured from a third party (Attachment C). In 2019, an increase in expenditure authority, driven by added equipment and inclusion of non-covered services, was authorized by City Council Motion 2019-06-18-1104 through June 30, 2022. In 2022, an increased purchase authority for the acquisition of one additional year of annual maintenance and other system support services was authorized by City Council Motion 2022-06-21-1204 through June 30, 2023, while continuing to develop and complete a multi-phase infrastructure replacement project. Without this key equipment maintenance, public safety staff do not have the necessary communications support for their daily jobs.
The City has utilized Motorola radio equipment to support Public Safety for over 30 years. The vendor selected to provide maintenance and support services is required to be certified by Motorola to service Motorola equipment. The vendor must also be knowledgeable with the City’s radio infrastructure and multiple systems that integrate with Motorola equipment. Delta Wireless, the City’s radio support vendor since 2004, has the expertise to service all components of the City’s radio infrastructure and is the only Motorola-certified vendor for Stockton, California (Attachments A, B, C and D).
The request before Council is to extend radio infrastructure and equipment maintenance and support services for one additional year, through June 30, 2024, to complete the retirement of the legacy equipment and the operations of the new equipment.
Present Situation
Staff from IT, Fire, and the Police Department have been working on a comprehensive plan for emergency radios and infrastructure over the last several years to identify priority replacements, allocate adequate funding, and develop long-term maintenance and replacement financing structure.
The existing equipment currently in use is requiring frequent repairs and causing operational impacts to MUD, Police, and Fire radio communications. The handhelds and mobile radios are on a lifecycle replacement schedule with adequate funding. The radio infrastructure has received substantial investments in recent years for a full-scale system infrastructure replacement. The long-term infrastructure replacement project is underway and nearing completion; however, while the City remains on the current radio infrastructure, there is a requirement for continued maintenance of the current system. Without this key equipment maintenance, public safety staff do not have the necessary communications support for their daily jobs.
The City currently purchases the following services from Delta Wireless: annual maintenance of radio equipment, including handheld radios, mobile radios, and radio infrastructure; Fire Adtran maintenance; David Clark headsets which integrates with the radio system; and annual expenditures for non-covered repairs of older equipment no longer supported. As shown in Table 1, approximately $607,301 was expended during the current fiscal year or most recent 12-month period under the current contract. The estimated cost for continued services in FY 2023-24 is $607,685. (Attachment E)
Table 1 - Proposed Purchase Authority
|
Expenditure Description |
Current Annual Spend |
FY 2023-24 |
|
Radio System Maintenance |
$504,437 |
$504,821 |
|
Fire Adtran Support Contract |
$32,664 |
$32,664 |
|
David Clark devices Maintenance |
$10,200 |
$10,200 |
|
Non-covered Repair Services |
$60,000 |
$60,000 |
|
Total |
$607,301 |
$607,685 |
Staff recommends Council adopt findings to support an exception to the competitive bidding process for sole source/single available source vendors, authorizing a continued increase in expenditure authority for current maintenance contracts, purchase of additional repairs, and system support services from Delta Wireless, Inc. Using a non-Motorola vendor for support would require the vendor’s work be certified by Motorola before connecting to the radio network, leading to the risk of higher support costs and radio system downtime. Maintaining the existing system while transitioning through the long-term infrastructure replacement project is vital for uninterrupted radio communications and will minimize operational impacts on system users. Continuing to use Delta Wireless will ensure that maintenance and support are available while the City completes the radio system infrastructure replacement project and negotiates a new long-term maintenance agreement.
Findings
Stockton Municipal Code section 3.68.070(A)(4) provides an exception to the competitive bidding process for sole source/single available source vendors in cases where the City Council has approved findings that support and justify the exception. The proposed findings are as follows:
1. Delta Wireless is Motorola’s Manufacture Representative certified to provide maintenance and support services for the City’s current radio system, and Delta Wireless is the only certified vendor assigned by Motorola to service Stockton, California.
2. Delta Wireless has been the City’s radio support vendor since 2004 and has the expertise to provide maintenance and support services on the legacy equipment until the new long-term maintenance agreement is fully implemented.
3. Staff cannot support the current system without assistance from Delta Wireless.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
The services procured through Delta Wireless are for the maintenance, support, and integration with the City’s radio communication system. Total expenditure authority requested is for an estimated amount of $607,685 starting July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024, and is included in the annual budget appropriation process for FY 2023-24 in the 510 Technology Fund and department accounts. There is no impact to the General Fund.
Attachment A - Delta Wireless Contract for Fire Adtran
Attachment B - Delta Wireless Contract for Radio Maintenance
Attachment C - Delta Wireless Radio Maintenance Contract Amendment
Attachment D - Delta Wireless Certification Letter
Attachment E - Delta Wireless Quotes