HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 13d - Grant Reimbursement of In-Car Mobile Radio Equipment Costs
DATE: January 18, 2022
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
(“SHSP”) FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF IN-CAR MOBILE RADIO COSTS IN
THE AMOUNT OF $39,770
Recommendation: Accept
SUMMARY
The Arcadia Police Department (the “Department”) has applied for 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 in-car mobile
radio equipment in an amount not to exceed $39,770. The Department’s funding request
has been approved and the grant Agreement has been finalized. With City Council
approval, the Department will be able to proceed with purchasing the equipment.
Therefore, it is recommended that the City Council accept a grant award from the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security for a State Homeland Security Assistance Program
(“SHSP”) for reimbursement of costs related to in-car mobile radio equipment in the
amount of $39,770.
BACKGROUND
Since 2010, the Department has purchased portable handheld radios and in-car mobile
radios through the City’s annual Equipment Replacement Program. While the radios are
on a perpetual replacement schedule, only a certain number of radios are replaced each
year due to a limited budget.
Many police and fire agencies utilize the SHSP to help offset the extensive cost of
upgrading communications equipment. For the 2019 grant period, the Arcadia Police
Department was approved (as a sub-recipient under a larger Interoperable
Communications Equipment Project) to purchase five all-band mobile radios to be
mounted inside marked police vehicles.
Accept Grant Award from the State Homeland
Security Grant Program for Portable Handheld Radio Equipment
January 18, 2022
Page 2 of 3
The Department will purchase the Motorola APX8500 model, which is P25 compliant. P25
is a set of standards for federal, state, and local public safety agencies to provide
interoperable emergency communication within a jurisdiction as well as between
agencies and mutual aid response teams. The selected model offers unlimited mobility
and interoperability, integrated Wi-Fi, data connectivity, and information security.
DISCUSSION
The 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, which reflect applicable Federal, State, and local standards in the award of
any subcontracts. In the case of this equipment purchase, subcontracts include purchase
agreements.
Although the Department is eligible to piggyback on a regional contract for this purchase
such as the Los Angeles County’s Master Purchase Agreement for Regional
Communications Systems, the Department was required to conduct a Formal Request
for Quotations in order to comply with the grant’s purchasing guidelines. When solely
utilizing other agencies’ contracts, the Department is not able to expound upon their bid
processes and purchasing decisions in the event of an audit. Thus, by conducting a new
bid, the Department is able to demonstrate original bid paperwork and answer questions
about its own bid process.
In December 2021, the Department published a Notice Inviting Quotations three times in
the Arcadia Weekly newspaper and emailed the formal notice to two local equipment
vendors. The Notice listed the equipment needs of five in-car mobile radios. After a two-
week submission period, one bid was received from Day Wireless Solutions on December
16, 2021. A committee comprised of four City staff members later convened to review
and discuss the bid.
Day Wireless submitted a bid stating $39,769.71 for all five in-car mobile radios, which is
$7,214.46 per radio plus sales tax. The quote includes a 32% discount from the City of
Glendale’s Master Purchase and Service Agreement with Motorola Solutions, which is for
radios on the Interagency Communications Interoperability (“ICI") network. The
Agreement designates local government agencies as eligible purchasers, and the City is
an ICI member.
Although the purchase of Motorola radios is not considered a sole source, it is a product
whose selling territory is set by the manufacturer. Day Wireless is the only dealer in the
region authorized to quote Motorola products for Arcadia. No other radio equipment
provider (even Foothill Communications located in Pasadena) is able to quote or sell
Motorola products to the Arcadia Police Department, thus no other bids were received.
Accept Grant Award from the State Homeland
Security Grant Program for Portable Handheld Radio Equipment
January 18, 2022
Page 3 of 3
The grant award will be 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.
By purchasing the radio equipment from Day Wireless, the Department will ensure
compatibility with existing radio infrastructure, P25 compliance, and realize significant
cost savings of approximately $17,000.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental
Quality Act (“CEQA”), and it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the
environment. Thus, this matter is exempt under CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT
The funds for the radio equipment been allocated in the Fiscal Year 2021-22 Operating
Budget. All costs related to the Project will be offset by reimbursement at the end of the
grant period, in an amount not to exceed $39,770. Accepting these grant funds will
alleviate the burden on the Equipment Replacement Fund, which normally would fund
such acquisitions.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council determines 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 – State Homeland Security Assistance Program
(“SHSP”) for reimbursement of in-car mobile radio costs in the amount of $39,770.