SR-12-08-2015-3J
City Council
Report
City Council Regular Meeting: December 8, 2015
Agenda Item: 3.J
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Jory Wolf, Chief Information Officer, Software Systems, Information Systems
Department
Jacqueline Seabrooks, Police Chief
Subject: Sole Source Purchase of Radio Equipment for Police, Fire and Public Works
in Preparation for Implementation of an Interoperable Public Safety Trunked
Radio System
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Authorize the Purchasing Services Manager to issue a purchase order with
Motorola Solutions, Inc., an Illinois-based company, for the purchase of new and
upgrade of existing portable and mobile radios, including related accessories.
This would be a sole source purchase in an amount not to exceed $5,300,000.
2. Authorize budget changes as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
section of this report.
Executive Summary
Like most cities across the nation, Santa Monica utilizes multiple disparate radio
systems for Police, Fire and Public Works. These systems are not centrally managed
and utilize infrastructure equipment that is no longer manufactured and is either no
longer supported or soon will not be supported by the manufacturer. This comes at the
same time as the City seeks to implement an Interoperable Public Safety Trunked
Radio System that would integrate with other regional first-responders to enhance
public safety and allow for the City to participate and establish connectivity to the
regional Interagency Communications Interoperability System (ICIS) Master Site and
enable countywide communication on the ICIS and LA-RICS systems. The total cost of
the system to be completed in two phases is $9,500,000. The first phase of the radio
system project would replace existing aging radio communications equipment, before
support is no longer available, at a costs of $6,500,000. Staff recommends purchasing
new or upgrading existing portable and mobile radios, including related accessories
from Motorola in the amount of $5,300,000, as well as purchasing other related radio
equipment and software from various manufactu rers in the amount of $1,200,000,
including $500,000 for contingencies. These purchases would be funded from funds
currently budgeted in the Capital Improvement Program budget and from fund balance
reserves. The final phase of the project would be comple ted in 2016, pending award of
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a $3,000,000 grant from the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI). The City expects the
UASI 2014 funding to be awarded in early 2016, at which time staff would return to
Council with a recommendation to accept and appropriat e the grant award and enter
into a contractual services agreement for the purchase and installation of radio
infrastructure equipment.
Background
On June 11, 2013 (Attachment A), Council authorized the sole source purchase of radio
equipment and replacement parts from Motorola Solutions, Inc. for a total amount not to
exceed $2.5 million.
On June 23, 2015 (Attachment B), Council approved the execution of a Joint Powers
Authority Agreement with ICIS in collaboration with nearby cities. At that time, staff
reported to Council that it would return with recommendations for plans to purchase and
implement a replacement radio system that integrates with ICIS.
Like most cities across the nation, Santa Monica has utilized multiple disparate radio
systems for Police, Fire and Public Works. These systems are not presently centrally
managed and utilize infrastructure equipment that is no longer manufactured and is
either no longer supported or soon will not be supported by the manufacturer.
Approximately 95% of the Police Department’s portable and mobile radio inventory is no
longer supported by the manufacturer and replacement parts are no longer available.
Nearly all of the portable and mobile radio equipment used by Police and Public Works
would not be compatible with, nor would be capable of being upgraded to be compatible
with, the future radio system. Most of the portable and mobile radio equipment used by
the Fire Department is able to be upgraded to be compatible with the future radio
system.
Discussion
Staff recommends replacing or upgrading the City’s existing radio systems with an
Interoperable Public Safety Trunked Radio System in two phases at a cost of
$9,500,000. When both phases are completed, the new radio system would allow the
City to participate and establish connectivity to the regional ICIS Master Site and enable
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countywide communication on the ICIS and LA-RICS systems. Staff has worked with
representatives from ICIS and Motorola Solutions, Inc. to engineer an advanced radio
system that would support Police, Fire, Public Works and other City departments that
have needs for radio communications, as well as integrate with the ICIS regional
system.
The new radio system utilizes technology that requires all existing radio equipment
either be replaced, or upgraded if still supported and capable of being upgraded. In
Phase I, approximately 850 new portable and mobile radios, including related
accessories, for Police and Public Works need to be purchased, and approximately 300
portable and mobile radios that are still supported by the manufacturer and being used
by the Police and Fire Departments need to be upgraded. The new radios would work
on the City’s three existing disparate radio systems utilized by Police, Fire and Public
Works and would only need to be reprogrammed by staff when the new system is
implemented. In addition to the purchase of radio equipment, staff will begin other
project related tasks to prepare for the new radio system such as building interfaces to
the Computer Aided Dispatch system, 9-1-1 voice logging system and site preparation.
Implementation of the new Interoperable Public Safety Trunked Radio System will cost
$9,500,000. Phase I of the project requires $6,500,000 for the purchase of new or
upgrade of existing portable and mobile radios, including related accessories from
Motorola in the amount of $5,300,000 and purchasing related equipment and software
from various manufacturers in the amount of $1,200,000, including contingency. Phase
II will require the purchase of radio infrastructure equipment and installation services in
the amount of $3,000,000, pending award of UASI 2014 grant funding in 2016 .
Vendor/Consultant Selection
The future system and the proposed equipment to be purchased from Motorola
Solutions, Inc. utilizes a proprietary form of radio communications technology that is
needed to communicate with the ICIS regional radio system. This technology was
developed by, and is only available from and supported by, Motorola Solutions, Inc.
Therefore, this sole source purchase is necessary in order to ensure connectivity with
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the ICIS radio system as specified in SMMC 2.24.080 (a). Competition does not exist,
for proprietary items of original equipment manufacturers and/or their authorized
exclusive distributors.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
The total cost of the equipment that needs to be purchased at this time is $6,500,000,
including $700,000 in related equipment and software and $500,000 contingency. In
addition to funds of $2,000,000 available in the FY 2015-16 Capital Improvement
Program budget at account C019051.589000, purchase of the new radio equipment
requires the following FY 2015-16 budget changes:
1. Release of fund balance from reserve account 1.380220 (capital projects) of
$4,500,000;
2. Appropriate $4,500,000 to account C019051.589000.
Prepared By: Eric Uller, Systems Analyst (Lead) - Public Safety
Approved
Forwarded to Council
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Attachments:
A. June 11, 2013 Staff Report (web link)
B. June 23, 2015 Staff Report (web link)