HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 3689
City of Palo Alto (ID # 3689)
City Council Staff Report
Report Type: Consent Calendar Meeting Date: 5/13/2013
City of Palo Alto Page 1
Summary Title: Approval of Police/Fire/Park Ranger Uniform Contract
Title: Approval of Contract with Summit Uniforms for Five Years for an
Amount Not to Exceed $520,000 for the Purchase of Police, Fire, and Park
Ranger Uniforms and Related Equipment
From: City Manager
Lead Department: Police
Recommendation
Approve and authorize the City Manager or his designee to enter into a contract with
Summit Uniforms for five years for an amount not to exceed $520,000 for the purchase
of Police, Fire, and Park Ranger uniforms and related equipment.
Discussion
The City is responsible for collectively outfitting more than 220 Police, Fire, and Park
Ranger personnel with uniforms and related apparel and equipment. Summit Uniforms
has been the City’s sole provider of police and fire uniforms and police equipment for
nearly 25 years. The City has had several existing blanket purchase orders in place for
police and fire uniforms which expire in September 2013. The intent is to create a new,
consolidated contract that will cover Police, Fire and Park Ranger personnel. The price
lists for each personnel group are attached. Staff anticipates minimal changes in these
lists for the duration of the agreement.
Almost all of the public safety agencies in Santa Clara County contract with Summit for
their uniform needs. Summit is the only resource in the county that offers the
uniforms, tailoring and equipment to meet all our requirements (police, fire, park
rangers, community service officers, animal services, and support services staff). There
are no vendors in Santa Clara County that offer the complete range of uniforms and
equipment needed for daily operations.
City of Palo Alto Page 2
In addition, there are a number of other benefits from continuing to contract with
Summit. In particular Summit offers free, life-time, personalized fitting to ensure
uniforms fit properly with associated equipment like ballistic vests (other vendors
typically charge per piece) and Summit has a convenient, central location in Downtown
San Jose, near the jail and other county facilities, and in close proximity to a large
number of employee residences. It’s also closest to the City’s police academies in
South San Jose and Morgan Hill. Staff conducted research to identify other possible
vendors and was unable to find a vendor in the surrounding area that offered the
breadth of uniforms and equipment that Summit offers.
Summit has specific knowledge of the City’s needs and has been a reliable business
partner. When the Police and Fire Departments issued a request for proposal three
years ago, Summit submitted the only response. Any potential savings from a new
vendor would likely be quickly absorbed in the re-work and training of a new vendor, as
well as increased travel time and the necessity to establish additional contracts for any
equipment not provided by a new vendor.
Resource Impact
The annual cost for police and fire uniforms and related equipment is budgeted for in
the Department’s operating budget. The proposed contract amount does not represent
an increase from prior years as costs have remained relatively consistent in recent
years.
Policy Implications
The recommendations in this report do not represent a change in City policies.
Environmental Review
The recommendations in this report do not constitute a project requiring review under
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Attachments:
C14149903 SUMMIT FINAL CONTRACT (PDF)