REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 11/15/2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Police Department
SUBJECT:
Title
PURCHASE OF MULTI-BAND PORTABLE RADIOS FROM MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC. UTILIZING THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA CONTRACT NUMBER C1837
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council for authorization to issue a purchase order for multi-band portable radios and associated radio accessories from Motorola Solutions, Inc. The total amount of the purchase order is $1,737,342. These multi-band portable radios are intended to replace outdated models that have reached the end of their operational life. The new radios will facilitate seamless communication with neighboring cities and public safety agencies across a wide range of radio frequencies, all compliant with the P25 standards for interoperable multi-band portable radios.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council:
a. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to issue a purchase order to Motorola Solutions, Inc. in the amount of $1,737,342 for the purchase of multi-band portable radios and associated radio accessories.
b. Make a determination under Corona Municipal Code (CMC) Section 3.08.140(c) that competitive bidding has been satisfied based upon the reasons provided in the "Basis for Determination of Competitive Bidding" section of this report.
c. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to negotiate and execute non-substantive extensions, amendments, and change orders up to $ 173,734 or 10% of the original purchase order amount as provided by the Corona Municipal Code (CMC) Section 3.08.060(j).
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BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The Police Department responds to numerous emergency incidents annually requiring the use of a portable radio on each call. The portable radio is the most frequently used piece of police department equipment, and it must have the capability to operate on multiple band frequencies and contain enhanced safety features for officer safety. The Corona Police Department began purchasing the Harris unity quad-band radios in 2013. The unity quad-band radios used by the Corona Police Department have reached the end of their useful life, and parts are no longer available for major repairs. Additionally, these units are not interoperable with the radio system used throughout Orange County, leaving officers to rely on cellphones to communicate with each other and dispatch during a pursuit. There is a pressing need for improved interoperability, especially when maintaining seamless communication with the Corona Communications Center and other agencies. Communication can become challenging due to radios losing connectivity with the Public Safety Enterprise Communication (PSEC) network.
ANALYSIS:
The Corona Police Department conducted research for a replacement portable radio and identified the need for a multi-band radio with the following key features and capabilities:
1. Multi-Band Radio: This radio should be capable of operating on multiple frequency bands, including VHF, UHF, and 700/800 MHz, ensuring compatibility with various public safety and emergency communication systems.
2. Long-Term Evolution (LTE)/Broadband: The integration of LTE or broadband capabilities into the radio system enables high-speed data transmission and internet access, facilitating real-time communication, data exchange, and access to critical applications.
3. Over-the-Air Programming (OTAP): The radio should support over-the-air programming, allowing remote configuration and updates without the need for physical access. This feature ensures efficient maintenance and adaptability during emergency situations.
4. Mitigation of Signal Loss: The radio system should be designed to minimize signal loss from the Public Safety and Emergency Communications (PSEC) network, ensuring reliable communication even in challenging environments and critical incidents.
5. Embedded Global Positioning System (GPS): Incorporating GPS functionality enables real-time tracking of officers, enhancing officer safety and incident management by providing the exact location of personnel in the field.
6. Interoperability: The multi-band radio system facilitates seamless communication with neighboring cities and public safety agencies, promoting effective coordination during emergencies and critical situations.
7. Enhanced Officer Safety: The combination of GPS tracking, broadband capabilities, and reliable communication enhances the safety of officers in the field, allowing for quick response in emergencies and the ability to locate and assist officers in distress.
8. Incident Management: The advanced features of this radio system support more effective incident management by providing real-time officer locations and the ability to share critical data and information among team members and other agencies.
The Corona Police Department evaluated the two available multi-band public safety portable radios on the market and documented a side-by-side comparison of key features. The two radio vendors were Motorola and Harris. Both radios met most of the established requirements. However, the Motorola radio included two essential safety requirements that fulfilled the Department's needs.
The existing PSEC network relies on a Motorola core, which does not seamlessly integrate with radios from other vendors. This often leads to the loss of features or necessitates unreliable workarounds. PSEC has already implemented all of the required core equipment to enable the Motorola APX series radios with LTE/Broadband capabilities to maintain a communication lifeline back to the Corona Communication Center when operating outside PSEC coverage. This significantly enhances officer safety.
Both APX radio models, namely the APXNEXT and the APX 8000, provide GPS tracking capabilities that enhance officer safety and incident management. This GPS feature enables dispatchers and incident commanders to track the location of officers in real timeat dispatch andon the radio screens.
BASIS FOR DETERMINATION OF COMPETITIVE BIDDING
This method of procurement is permitted per the Corona Municipal Code (CMC) section 3.08.140(c), which states that competitive bidding is not required for non-public projects as follows:
“Competitive bidding already completed. When the Purchasing Manager and the authorized contracting party, with the approval of the City Manager, determine that:
1) A competitive bid procedure has been conducted by another public agency including, but not limited to, another local agency, the state through the California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS), the federal government through the General Services Administration (GSA), the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance, or the Western States Contracting Alliance (WSCA); and
2) The price to the City is equal to or better than the price to that public agency.
On November 3, 2020, City of San Diego issued RFP No. 10089713-21-K, Radio Communication Emergency Response and Mobile Interoperability Equipment and Supporting Services. Three proposals were received and opened by the proposal due date of January 8, 2021.
All responses were evaluated by City of San Diego staff. An agreement to Motorola Solutions, Inc. was recommended and approved for award on December 17, 2021.
Motorola is offering the City of Corona a further reduced price, which is the same discount promotion as the County of Riverside. The discount promotion is 40% off radios and 25% off accessories through December 15, 2023. After December 15, the pricing will revert to the City of San Diego pricing which is 27.5% off radios and 25% off accessories.
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.
Based on this previously conducted bid process by the City of San Diego the Corona Police Department requests approval to purchase the multi-band portable radios from Motorola Solutions, Inc. in the amount of $1,737,342.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Funding for the recommended actions is included in the Fiscal Year 2024 Police Department’s operating budget within the Measure X Fund 120. Future funding requests will be recommended through the annual budget process.
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 common sense 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 question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action merely approves the purchase of multi-band portable radios, and there is no possibility that this project will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: MATTHEW WINDISH, PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: ROBERT NEWMAN, CHIEF OF POLICE
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - City of San Diego - Contract Resulting from RFP Number 10089713-21-K
2. Exhibit 2 - City of San Diego - Contract (pages 1-3) Addendum A
3. Exhibit 3 - City of San Diego - Exhibit B - Scope of Work
4. Exhibit 4 - City of San Diego - Exhibit C - General Contract Terms
5. Exhibit 5 - City of San Diego - Exhibit D - Special Contract Provisions
6. Exhibit 6 - City of San Diego - Exhibit E - Pricing Sheet
7. Exhibit 7 - City of San Diego - Exhibit F - Specifications
8. Exhibit 8 - City of San Diego - Exhibit G - Acronyms
9. Exhibit 9 - Motorola - Quote - 2318263