REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 05/15/2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Police Department and Public Works Department
SUBJECT:
Title
AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASE OF ONE NEW DODGE DURANGO FOR THE POST RELEASE ACCOUNTABILITY & COMPLIANCE TEAM (PACT) OF THE CORONA POLICE DEPARTMENT
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This Staff Report requests that the City Council authorize a purchase order for one new Dodge Durango for use by members of the Police Department’s PACT Team, using funds already allocated to PACT expenses.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council:
a. Authorize an Exception to Competitive Bidding pursuant to Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.140(E) that competitive bidding has been satisfied based upon the reasons provided in “Basis for Determination of Competitive Bidding” with Young Automotive Group., for the purchase of one (1) new vehicle for the Police Department in the amount of $53,141.
b. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to issue a purchase order to Young Automotive Group in the amount of $53,141.
c. Authorize an appropriation in the amount of $38,272 to the Police Department’s operating budget in the General Fund 110 in Fiscal Year 2025 for the recurring motor pool costs associated with the vehicle purchase.
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BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The Corona Police Department currently has one Police Officer and one Corporal assigned to the Riverside County Post Release Accountability & Compliance Team (PACT). Our officers join with members from the Riverside Police Department, Riverside County Probation Department, and other agencies to ensure local individuals who are on parole, probation, supervised release, or mandatory supervision follow the terms of their release. The team is supervised by a Riverside Police Department Sergeant and the Corona personnel assigned to the team divides its time between Corona and Riverside.
Funding for these Officers and their associated equipment officers comes from the State of California and is managed by the Riverside County Probation Department, under the guidance of other local chiefs of police as part of the Association of Riverside County Chiefs of Police and Sheriff (ARCCOPS).
The City’s PACT budget currently has approximately $100,000 in remaining funds. The Police Department has received approval from the Riverside County Probation Department and the ARCCOPS to purchase a vehicle for use by our assigned PACT officers. The officers currently have one Dodge Charger assigned to them that can be used for enforcement purposes.
Staff are requesting approval to purchase a Dodge Durango, which will allow for more room for the officers, subjects in the backseat, and equipment in the rear compartment. Team members assigned to PACT are also part of our Special Response Team (SRT) and carry extra vests, helmets, breaching equipment, and weapons as part of this assignment.
ANALYSIS:
As noted above, the vehicle purchase and upfit costs do not require the expenditure of any additional city funds because the funds have been previously allocated to PACT. However, recurring motor pool costs will require an appropriation from the General Fund 110.
BASIS FOR DETERMINATION OF COMPETITIVE BIDDING
A competitive bid procedure has been conducted by the State of Utah regarding the purchase of new vehicles. On 10/01/2021, the State of Utah entered into a long-term contract with Young Automotive pursuant to Bid #NH21-79. The contract runs until 09/03/26 and allows government entities around Utah to rely upon this bidding process to purchase vehicles from Young Automotive. The Purchasing Division has reviewed this process.
Additionally, the Purchasing Division informally requested quotes from other dealerships offering cooperative purchasing pricing but received no responses.
This method of procurement is permitted per the Corona Municipal Code (CMC) section 3.08.140(E), which states that competitive bidding is not required for non-public projects as follows:
“Purpose of bidding is otherwise accomplished. When the purchasing agent and the authorized contracting party, with the approval of the City Manager, determine that it is in the best interest of the city and its administrative operations to dispense with public bidding for non-public projects under this chapter.”
The City seeks out cooperative purchasing agreements because they allow the City to save time, cut administrative costs, improve agency efficiency, and maximize city budgets by securing collective competitive pricing. By utilizing cooperative purchasing, the City will be leveraging a previous purchasing solicitation that another government agency performed. Here, we are relying upon previously negotiated rates agreed to by another state government that allows state, county, and local agencies to avoid a prolonged bidding process.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
PACT funding for the one-time vehicle purchase and upfit costs is available in the Police Department’s operating budget within the General Fund 110. Approval of the recommended actions will result in an appropriation in the amount of $38,272 to the Police Department’s operating budget in the General Fund 110 in Fiscal Year 2025 for the recurring motor pool costs associated with the vehicle purchase.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in questions may have significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action merely approves the purchase of a vehicle, and there is no possibility that this purchase will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: ROBERT MONTANEZ, POLICE SERGEANT
REVIEWED BY: ROBERT NEWMAN, CHIEF OF POLICE
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - Quote from Young Automotive Group
2. Exhibit 2 - Quote from Innovative Emergency Equipment