SR 09-26-2017 3H
City Council Report
City Council Meeting: September 26, 2017
Agenda Item: 3.H
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Susan Cline, Director, Public Works, Architecture Services
Subject: Award Bid for the Purchase and Install of City TV Master Control &
Production Equipment Project
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Award Bid #SP2250 to First Fire Systems, Inc., a California-based company, to
purchase and install equipment for the City TV Master & Production Control
Equipment Project, as required by the Architectural Services Division;
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with First Fire
Systems, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $468,695 (including 10% contingency);
3. Authorize the Director of Public Works to issue any necessary change orders to
complete additional work within contract authority.
Executive Summary
City TV’s master control and production control equipment at City Hall needs to be
removed from an area of City Hall that will be demolished in the initial phase of the City
Services Building Project construction. The equipment is outdated and recurrently
breaks down, causing issues with airing Council and other meetings, and has reached
the end of its useful life. Staff recommends purchasing and installing new equipment to
ensure City TV is able to continue to broadcast community meetings and events,
including Council meetings, Board and Commission meetings, Twilight Concerts and
school board meetings.
Background
City TV’s master control equipment broadcasts live or pre-recorded programs to five
cable channels and transmits them to Charter Spectrum and Frontier. This content, in
turn, is utilized through the rapidly expanding range of alternative broadcast media,
including social media. Programming includes City Council and Board and Commission
meetings, Twilight Concerts, school board meetings, and community events like Breeze
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Bike Share and the State of the City. Production control equipment includes recording
equipment, cameras, monitors and digital storage for Council Chambers. The existing
equipment, installed in 2008, is unreliable and unsupported, frequently requires repair,
and is likely to fail in the near future. New equipment would provide high definition
upgrades for web streaming, and the enhancements would streamline City TV
operations to eliminate technical issues.
Discussion
Construction of the City Services Building requires demolition of the portion of City Hall
where City TV control equipment is currently located. Because of the regular repair work
required to these two control systems, staff recommends replacing this equipment
instead of trying to relocate the existing, outdated equipment.
The new locations for the control equipment are in two areas of City Hall: master control
would relocate to the basement; and production control would relocate to the second
floor directly adjacent to Council Chambers. Construction of these spaces would begin
in September 2017, and installation is slated to be completed by December 2017.
The switch from old equipment to new equipment would take place in late December
when no Council meetings are scheduled, and the area can be closed without impact.
The existing master control equipment would continue to broadcast until the new
equipment is tested and it is confirmed that the existing equipment can be switched off.
City TV broadcasting would be affected for approximately one hour in the early morning
on a weekday in mid-December. Staff is working with local cable providers, and will
notify patrons/viewers in advance of the shutdown to minimize complaints.
Vendor/Consultant Selection
On July 6, 2017, the City published a Notice Inviting Bids to purchase and install
equipment for the Council Chambers Audio-Visual Equipment Project & City TV Master
& Production Control Equipment Project in accordance with City specifications. The bid
was posted on the City’s on-line bidding site, and notices were advertised in the Santa
Monica Daily Press in accordance with City Charter and Municipal Code provisions. A
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total of 51 vendors downloaded the bid. One bid was received and publicly opened on
August 3, 2017.
Contractor Bid
First Fire Systems, Inc. $1,184,180
The bid was evaluated based on the criteria in SMMC 2.24.072, including price,
previous experience, capacity and skill, ability to deliver, quality of product, and
compliance with City specifications and scope of work. Staff conducted additional
outreach to vendors who downloaded the bid to see why they did not submit a bid;
responses include a general misunderstanding of project requirements and difficulty
accommodating the compressed installation schedule. Vendors also stated that heavy
schedules prevented them from submitting a bid.
First Fire Systems Inc. started as a low voltage contractor specializing in Fire Alarms in
1980 and has expanded to provide expertise and solutions in sound, closed circuit
television, voice data, fiber optic and other low voltage systems. References for First
Fire Systems, Inc. provided good recommendations about the contractor’s quality of
work on similar types of projects, communication, ability to work effectively under a tight
deadline and experiences working with the contractor on multiple projects. Staff verified
the bidder’s license is current and in good standing with the Contractors State License
Board. Based on these criteria, First Fire Systems, Inc. is recommended as the best
bidder.
The City TV Project, which affects the timeline for the City Services Building Project, is
recommended to move forward according to its bid schedule and scope of work. The
cost of the City TV Project is $468,695 (includes 10% contingency). To ensure timely
completion of the City TV relocation, staff removed the Council Chamber Project from
this phase of work and will rebid this scope of work separately in the fall. This is why the
base bid is larger than staff’s recommendation to move the project forward.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
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The contract to be awarded to First Fire Systems, Inc. is for an amount not to exceed
$468,695 (includes 10% contingency). Funds are available in the FY 2017-18 Capital
Improvement Program budget in accounts C019149.589000 ($438,920) and
C010162.589024 ($29,775).
Prepared By: Alex Parry, Senior Architect
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. June 14, 2016 Staff Report - CIP Budget
B. Oaks Initiative Form - First Fire Systems
REFERENCE:
CONTRACT NO. 10552
(CCS)