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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 11g - Grant for Reimbursment of Portable Handheld Radio Equipment Costs DATE: September 19, 2023 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Roy Nakamura, Chief of Police By: Amber Abeyta, Management Analyst SUBJECT: GRANT AWARD FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY - STATE HOMELAND SECURITY PROGRAM (“SHSP”) FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF PORTABLE HANDHELD RADIO COSTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $61,230; REJECT LOW BID FROM FOOTHILL COMMUNICATIONS AND AWARD BID TO DAY WIRELESS CEQA: Not a Project Recommendation: Accept and Approve SUMMARY The Arcadia Police Department has applied for a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to implement communications improvements. The grant is from a State Homeland Security Program (“SHSP”) and will reimburse the cost of portable handheld radio equipment, in an amount not to exceed $61,230. 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. While two bids were received, it is recommended that the bid from Foothill Communications be rejected because their bid included Kenmore brand radios instead of the Motorola radios the City currently uses. Therefore, it is recommended that the City Council accept the grant award from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SHSP for reimbursement of portable handheld radios in the amount of $61,230; reject the low bid from Foothill Communications; and approve the bid from Day Wireless based on the discussion below. BACKGROUND The Department purchases portable handheld radios through the City’s annual Equipment Replacement Program. In order to reduce the overall impact to the City’s budget, and to ensure a supply of modern, reliable equipment is on hand, a portion of the Department’s radios are replaced each year. Accept Grant Award from the State Homeland Security Grant Program for Portable Handheld Radio Equipment September 19, 2023 Page 2 of 4 Many police and fire agencies utilize the SHSP to help offset the extensive cost of upgrading communications equipment. For the 2021 grant period (grant period is two years behind the current calendar year), the Arcadia Police Department was approved as a sub-recipient for eight portable handheld radios with programming cables and two radio charging stations, under a larger Interoperable Communications Equipment Project. The Department will purchase the latest radio technology, Motorola Model APX 6000, which are compatible with the Department’s new Project 25 (“P25”) radio system. 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. DISCUSSION The grant is 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. As such, the Department was required to conduct a Formal Request for Bids to comply with the grant’s purchasing guidelines. In May 2023, the Department published a Notice Inviting Bids three times in the Arcadia Weekly newspaper and on the City’s RFP/BID webpage. The formal notice was also emailed directly to two local equipment vendors. The Notice listed the equipment needs of eight portable handheld radios with eight programming cables and two multi-unit radio charging stations. After a three-week submission period, one bid was received from Foothill Communications on May 17, 2023. Since only one bid was received, the Department sought to make the bidding process more competitive, and extended the bid deadline from May 17, 2023, to June 8, 2023. On June 8, 2023, another bid was received from Day Wireless. The Foothill Communications’ bid included Kenmore brand radios and is the lowest bid at $59,822.88. The bid submitted by Day Wireless included Motorola brand radios and was slightly higher at $61,225.10. A breakdown of each bid is provided below. Company P25 Handheld Portable Radios (8) Programming Cables (8) Multi-Unit Battery Charger (2) Tax Bid Total Foothill Communications $51,605.12 ($6,450.64/radio) $1,235.20 ($154.40/cable) $1,420.80 ($710.40/charger) $5,561.76 $59,822.88 Day Wireless $52,399.76 ($6,549.97/radio) $542.08 ($67.76/cable) $2,727.98 ($1,363.99/charger) $5,555.28 $61,225.10 After reviewing the bids, the Department selected the bid submitted by Day Wireless. Although Foothill Communications bid was slightly lower (by $1,402.22), the Department Accept Grant Award from the State Homeland Security Grant Program for Portable Handheld Radio Equipment September 19, 2023 Page 3 of 4 selected the bid from Day Wireless because their bid included Motorola radios, and for the following reasons: • The Department is in the process of phasing out Kenwood radios (radio inventory has typically included more Motorola products than Kenwood products) because over the years, it has been determined that Kenwood radio products do not integrate well with Motorola radio products, leading to compatibility issues. • Motorola does not operate its own service centers and requires users to obtain repairs at certified service centers to maintain product warranties. The Department’s current contract provider for radio maintenance only services Motorola radios. • If Kenwood radios are purchased, it requires an additional maintenance contract with a provider that is authorized to service Kenwood radios. Based on the foregoing, selecting Motorola radios will allow the Police Department to streamline its operations, create efficiencies with a singular service contract, and maintain consistency within its communication systems. It should also be noted that Day Wireless is the only provider in the region authorized to quote Motorola products for Arcadia. No other radio equipment provider, including Foothill Communications, can quote or sell Motorola products to the Arcadia Police Department. Since the Department’s Request for Proposals for this purchase didn’t list a specific radio brand due to SHSP grant bid regulations, Foothill Communications was able to submit a quote for Kenwood radio products. 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. Based on the foregoing, it is recommended that the City Council accept the grant award from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SHSP for reimbursement of portable handheld radio costs in the amount of $61,230; reject the low bid from Foothill Communications and approve the bid from Day Wireless. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS 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. Accept Grant Award from the State Homeland Security Grant Program for Portable Handheld Radio Equipment September 19, 2023 Page 4 of 4 FISCAL IMPACT The funds for the radio equipment have been allocated in the FY 2023-24 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 $61,230. 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 Program (“SHSP”), for reimbursement of costs related to portable handheld radio equipment in the amount of $61,230; reject the low bid from Foothill Communications and approve the bid from Day Wireless.