sr-110910-3kCity Council Meeting: November 9, 2010
Agenda Item: ~°~
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Timothy J Jackman, Chief of Police
Subject: Sole Source Purchase of Personal Protective Equipment for Police
Department Personnel
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that City Council authorize the City Manager to award a sole source
purchase order to Blauer Manufacturing Company Inc., in an amount not to exceed
$102,130.70, for 245 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Suits which guard against
contaminated environments.
Executive Summary
The purpose of this purchase is to provide Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, Nuclear,
Explosive (CBRNE) response certified PPE suits to Police Department personnel. This
will strengthen regional CBRNE detection, response, and decontamination capabilities
in order to protect, respond to, and mitigate terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other
all-hazard emergencies. The purchase of this equipment, with US Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant funds, at a cost of
$102,130.70, will further the City's goals to improve public safety.
Background
The primary Urban Area Security Initiative National Priority for FY2010 is to "Strengthen
Chemical, Biological, Radiological/Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) Detection,
Response, and Decontamination Capabilities". The Los Angeles County operational
area is in critical need of personal protective suits when responding to a chemical,
biological, radiological, or nuclear event/attack. In such an event, the role of law
enforcement would be scene control, evidence preservation, security, and some
decontamination procedures. This type of activity would take place in the "warm zone".
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Per the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1994 regulations, the warm zone
requires a minimum of Level 3 protection.
Discussion
In a mass regional CBRNE event, interoperability is critical. This purchase will provide
the protection for the City and region. This operational request follows other
departments within the LA County operational area, like Long Beach Police, Los
Angeles City Police and the LA County Sheriff's Department, all of which have already
purchased these products as part of their physical protection ensemble. Santa Monica's
Police Department suits must be interoperable with those of the other agencies within
the operational area because during a terrorism response situation, suits purchased by
one department may be used by other departments within the operational area due to
the depletion of resources.
Vendor Selection
In order to use of DHS funding through UASI for this purchase, the physical protection
in the chemical protective suits must meet NFPA 1994 regulations. The Police
Department found that Blauer is the only supplier in the nation who can provide aone-
piece, single-mission, NFPA 1994 (2007) CBRNE certified Level 3 protective suit (XRT
suit) that is certified as an ensemble with the agency's and area's Air Purifying
Respirators (APR), the Scott M120, Avon C50 and the MSA Millenium. The single piece
construction is critical due to a simplicity and quickness of donning, and front entry
design to allow self donning and without the assistance of chemical tape.
In addition, only Blauer Manufacturing Company Inc. makes suits that are NFPA
certified for use in a compromised environment and are certified to be worn with masks
that are used throughout the Los Angeles County operational area. The masks worn
throughout LA County are the Avon C50, MSA Millennium and the Scott M120. In the
case of a regional incident, and in order to meet grant guidelines, each agency needs to
be interoperable with the others "within the operational area". This means that there is a
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requirement to be certified to all masks by one suit. Blauer produces the only suit that is
certified to all masks. Therefore, staff recommends a sole source purchase with Blauer
Manufacturing Co Inc.
The City of Santa Monica purchased 145 PPE suits from Blauer Manufacturing Inc. on
March 3`d, 2010 for a total of $60,030 and 100 PPE suits on April 21St, 2010 for a total of
$42,100 using a City Management approved sole source purchase. However the
purchases were not in compliance with a Department of Homeland Security grant
guideline which required an additional sole source authorization from the California
Emergency Management Agency (CaIEMA). To comply with this guideline, the original
orders are in the process of being returned. Additionally, the City was able to obtain sole
source authorization from CaIEMA on October 21, 2010, fulfilling the guideline
requirement. During the week of November 8th, 2010 the return of the original
purchases will be complete and a full refund will be made to the City of Santa Monica.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
Blauer Manufacturing Inc. will refund $102,130.70 to the City of Santa Monica for the
original purchase of 245 PPE Suits. The refund is expected to be received during the
week of November 8, 2010. The refund will be credited to account number
20304.555393. The purchase order to be awarded to Blauer Manufacturing Company
will be $102,130.70. The refunded funds credited to account number 20304.555393, will
be used to purchase the equipment.
Prepared by: Kevin McGowan, Assistant to the Chief of Police
Approved: 1 Forwarded to Council:
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Timothy J J c an Rod Gould
Chief of City Manager
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