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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 13e - Grant for Reimbursement of Portable ALPR Camera Systems DATE: February 2, 2021 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Roy Nakamura, Chief of Police By: Dr. Jennifer Brutus, Senior Management Analyst SUBJECT: GRANT AWARD FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY - STATE HOMELAND SECURITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF PORTABLE AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER CAMERA SYSTEMS IN THE AMOUNT OF $52,305 Recommendation: Accept and Approve Purchase SUMMARY The Arcadia Police Department (the “Department”) has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for a State Homeland Security Program (“SHSP”) grant centered on communications improvements, which will reimburse the cost of portable automated license plate reader (“ALPR”) cameras in the amount of $52,305. With City Council approval, the Department will be able to purchase five portable ALPRS units. Therefore, it is recommended that the City Council accept the SHSP grant award for reimbursement of costs related to portable ALPR camera equipment in the amount of $52,305. BACKGROUND Since 2008, the Police Department has utilized Automated License Plate Reader (“ALPR”) systems to combat criminal activity, enhance productivity, and improve officer safety. Currently, the City has ALPR cameras installed at fixed locations at intersections throughout the City. The ALPR system automatically captures license plates from passing vehicles and vehicles parked on a street. For the 2018 grant period, the SHSP is providing the City, as a sub-recipient, funding to purchase portable and/or vehicle mounted ALPR cameras under a larger Interoperable Communications Equipment Project. The Department wants to purchase the portable option as it plans to expand the current ALPR system by adding five ALPR cameras to existing mobile trailers, which are part of the current fleet. Currently, the City has one radar trailer and three message trailers. Since the Department only has four trailers, it Accept Grant Award from the State Homeland Security Grant Program for Portable ALPR Systems February 2, 2021 Page 2 of 4 plans to collaborate with the City’s Public Works Department (“PWSD”) to equip an existing PWSD message trailer with the fifth ALPR camera system. Having all of the Department’s trailers equipped with ALPR cameras serves as a force multiplier and provides flexibility as the trailers are easy to maneuver, enabling officers to use ALPR cameras wherever needed. By making the trailers dual purpose, the Department will also get more use out of the equipment and have a significant advantage towards reducing crime throughout the entire City. DISCUSSION The SHSP grant is being managed by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (“Cal OES”). Cal OES mandates that the City use its own documented procurement procedures. Since the dollar amount for this purchase exceeds $30,000, the Department was required to conduct a Formal Request for Bids in order to comply with the grant’s purchasing guidelines. In December 2020, the Department published a Notice Inviting Bids four times in the Arcadia Weekly newspaper and emailed the formal notice to six known equipment vendors. The Notice listed the equipment needs, including the ALPR camera system with mounting equipment, operating software, support services, maintenance, and installation. After a three-week submission period, four bids were received on January 7, 2021. A committee comprised of four City staff members later convened to review and rate the bids whose costs are described in the table below. Bids Received for Portable ALPR Cameras Systems Vendor Total Cost per Portable ALPR System # of Systems Grand Total (Funded by SHSP Grant, Year 1 - $0 City Obligation) One Year of Recurring Fees* on (5) Systems (Year 2 - City’s Obligation Starts) Four Years of Recurring Fees on (5) Systems (Total City Obligation over 5-year period) Leonardo (Selex ES Inc. - ELSAG ALPR Systems) Greensboro, NC $16,685 5 $83,425 $11,600 $46,400 Riverland Technologies Pearl, MS $10,061 5 $52,305 $5,423** $26,613** Utility Associates, Inc. Decatur, GA $14,312 5 $71,560 $6,500 $26,000 Vigilant Solutions, LLC Chicago, IL $14,419 5 $72,095 $12,500 $50,000 *Recurring fees include hardware and software warranty/maintenance costs, cloud service/support, and backend software/user fees. **Riverland’s warranty pricing (based on the equipment subtotal) increases by 2% annually. The rate is 10% at Year 2 and increases to 16% at Year 5. Accept Grant Award from the State Homeland Security Grant Program for Portable ALPR Systems February 2, 2021 Page 3 of 4 Of the bids received, Riverland’s cost per two-camera system is the lowest at $10,061, followed by Utility who quoted $14,312. Leonardo was the most expensive at $16,685, whereas Vigilant’s price is $14,419. The committee selected Riverland (the lowest responsive, responsible bidder) for the project and according to the company’s quote, the Department can afford to purchase five systems at a total cost of $52,305. Riverland uses an Optical Character Recognition (“OCR”) software combined with the use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) to capture license plate and vehicle information. Riverland’s system is user friendly and the company manages all software updates, thus the ALPR trailers will always be current with the latest requirements. The company, based in Pear, Mississippi, utilizes remote access methods when providing technical support; however, they also dispatch local technicians when a physical response is needed. The SHSP will cover the cost of the equipment, software, and installation; therefore, there will be no cost to the City to purchase the equipment. However, the equipment entails recurring annual fees, which cover the hardware and software warranty with maintenance (starting at 10% of the equipment subtotal), cloud storage and support ($240 per system, per year), and access to backend software ($120 per user, per year). Starting at Year 2, the City would be obligated to pay recurring annual fees. At Year 2, the amount would be $5,423 and the amount will increase each year as the warranty component increases by 2% each year. Over the course of four years, the City will spend $26,613, which will be included in annual operating budgets for the Department. The vendor states the equipment is expected to last approximately five years. The current cellular data plans used to support the existing citywide ALPR system will be used to support this proposed portable ALPR system. As a result of pending upgrades to the current ALPR system, the Department will be able to transfer over existing data plans to the proposed portable ALPR systems with no additional data plan costs anticipated. The grant award is distributed on a reimbursement basis, Cal OES will reimburse the City for all pre-approved costs upon receipt of the Department’s claims. The City will be required to comply with the terms and conditions of the grant, including expense reporting and auditing. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), based on Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, as it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the environment. Thus, this matter is exempt under CEQA. Accept Grant Award from the State Homeland Security Grant Program for Portable ALPR Systems February 2, 2021 Page 4 of 4 FISCAL IMPACT The funds for the five portable ALPR camera systems and installation costs have been allocated in the FY 2020-21 Operating Budget, under the SHSP Special Fund. The cost of the Project will be offset by reimbursement at the end of the grant period, in an amount not to exceed $52,305. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council determine that this project is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”); and accept a grant award from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for a State Homeland Security Assistance Program for reimbursement of portable Automated License Plate Reader Camera Systems in the amount of $52,305.