AGENDA REPORT
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 09/02/2020
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Fire Department
SUBJECT:
Title
City Council consideration of the purchase of multi-band portable radios from Motorola using the cooperative purchasing program of the Houston-Galveston Area Council of Governments Contract Number RA05-18.
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RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council:
a. Authorize the Purchasing Manager to issue a purchase order to Motorola in the amount of $259,032.34 for the replacement of (26) multi-band portable radios.
b. Make a determination under Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.140(C) (Competitive Bidding Already Completed) that competitive bidding has been satisfied based upon the reasons provided in the “Basis for Exception to Competitive Bidding” section of this agenda report.
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ANALYSIS:
The legacy portable radios used by the Corona Fire Department are nearing the end of life, and parts are becoming more challenging to acquire. Research conducted for a replacement portable radio identified the need for a multi-band radio. A multi-band radio platform enhances the department's ability to communicate with neighboring cities and public safety agencies.
The Corona Fire 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 a majority of the established requirements. However, the Motorola radio met all of the department's needs; this included two key safety requirements. The first key safety feature provides the ability to lock out the transmit tone. Without this feature, a firefighter could inadvertently change the transmit tone rendering the radio communications unheard by other users. The second key safety feature is the integration into the Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) software platform. This feature allows the radio to transmit a geospatial position into the ATAK platform when operating in an area with poor or no cell service. This allows the incident commander and firefighters to see resource and personnel locations even in cellular denied areas such as the adjacent foothills and underground spaces.
The purchase of the (26) multi-band portable radios is the first phase of a three-phase purchasing plan. The subsequent two phases are anticipated in Fiscal Year 2022 and Fiscal Year 2023. Though the Harris multi-band portable radio is less expensive, the Corona Fire Department is requesting approval of the recommended actions due to the enhanced safety features provided by the Motorola product. The bid for the Harris radios is $181,731.10, and the bid for the Motorola radios is $259,218.53. Both bid proposals are submitted as attachments.
BASIS FOR EXCEPTION TO COMPETITIVE BIDDING
The Fire Department requests City Council authorization to purchase multi-band portable radios using the Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC Buy) Cooperative Purchasing Contract Number RA05-18. Staff believes that an exception to competitive bidding is warranted for this purchase pursuant to Corona Municipal Code (CMC) Section 3.08.140(c), which states as follows:
“(C) Competitive Bidding Already Completed. When the purchasing agent and the authorized contracting party, with the approval of the City Manager, determines 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.”
Staff believes the above two required findings can be made for the following reasons:
(1) Competitive Bid Procedure Already Conducted by Another Local Agency:
On October 5, 2017, HGAC Buy, issued Proposal Solicitation #RA05-18 for the purchase of Radio Communication/Emergency Response and Mobile Interoperability Equipment. Radio Communication vendors from across the country were solicited, with fifteen vendors submitting proposals by the bid due date of January 11, 2018. On March 20, 2018 HGAC Buy, awarded contracts to fifteen vendors. Motorola was awarded all four categories in the solicitation:
A. Radio Communication Equipment and Services
B. Emergency Response Command and Control Equipment and Services
C. Mobile Command Interoperable Communication Equipment and Services
D. Integration of Services
HGAC awarded a contract to Motorola with an effective performance period beginning May 1, 2018 and ending April 30, 2021.
(2) Price to City is Better:
Not only will the proposed pricing offered to the City from Motorola will reflect the established and negotiated pricing structure outlined in the contract with the HGAC Cooperative Purchasing Program, but it also comes with a savings of $99,249 over what was initially proposed by Motorola. Motorola is offering the City a discount of twenty-seven percent (27%) for the radios and programming and twenty percent (20%) for radio accessories.
COMMITTEE ACTION:
Not applicable.
STRATEGIC PLAN:
This item supports the City Strategic Plan Goal to Promote Public Safety: Protect our Residents and Businesses (b) ensure adequate funding for facilities and equipment needed to support the timely delivery of fire services to our community.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended actions will not result in additional budgetary impacts. Funding for the radio purchase was discussed as a service level adjustment at FY 2021 budget workshops. The funding was included in the Adopted FY 2021 Fire Department’s General Fund operating budget.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
No environmental review is required because the proposed action is not a project governed by the California Environmental Quality Act.
PREPARED BY: ANDREAS JOHANSSON, FIRE CAPTAIN
REVIEWED BY: BRIAN YOUNG, FIRE CHIEF
REVIEWED BY: SCOTT BRIGGS, PURCHASING SPECIALIST V
REVIEWED BY: KIM SITTON, ACTING ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR
REVIEWED BY: ROGER BRADLEY, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
SUBMITTED BY: JACOB ELLIS, CITY MANAGER
Attachments:
1. EXHIBIT 1 - HGAC-Motorola Agreement
2. EXHIBIT 2 - Motorola APX8000xe
3. EXHIBIT 3 - Harris XL-200
4. EXHIBIT 4 - Radio Communication/Emergency Response Equipment Summary
5. EXHIBIT 5 - HGAC Bid Invitation No. RA05-18
6. EXHIBIT 6 - Proposal Login Sheet
7. EXHIBIT 7 - Bid-Tab Summary
8. EXHIBIT 8 - HGAC Legal Advertising