HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 3858
City of Palo Alto (ID # 3858)
City Council Staff Report
Report Type: Consent Calendar Meeting Date: 6/10/2013
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Summary Title: Radio Maintenance Contract - TEA
Title: Approval of a Five-Year Contract Between the City of Palo Alto and
Telecommunications Engineering Associates (TEA) in an Amount of $168,972
Per Year For Annual Maintenance Services of Radio Infrastructure and Project
Funding Not To Exceed $50,000 Per Year
From: City Manager
Lead Department: Police
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute a five-year
contract with Telecommunications Engineering Associates (TEA) in the amount of $168,972 per
year for five years. The contract will provide for annual maintenance services for the City’s
radio infrastructure and related console radio equipment, as well as the City’s Fire Ring-down
system. In addition, staff recommends a not-to-exceed contingency amount of $50,000
annually for consulting, equipment replacement and relocation by TEA as needed.
Background
The City’s radio system is an analog Very High Frequency (VHF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF)
system that supports Police, Fire, Animal Control, Public Works, Park Rangers and Utilities. The
system has been well-maintained over the past decade. There is a countywide initiative to
implement a 700 MHz system that would support Police and potentially Public Works and
Utilities. However, the project is not fully funded and lacks a build out plan for the region.
Given the uncertainty of that project, Palo Alto needs to maintain the existing radio
infrastructure in good working order until a funding and implementation model for the
countywide system is approved or another solution is reached.
As part of the Fiscal Year 2003-05 budget process, the Police Department eliminated most of
the City’s Radio Shop as part of cost-cutting efforts. In June 2003, the Police Department
executed a five year contract with TEA and renewed that contract in 2008. TEA has provided
quality engineering and maintenance services to the City of Palo Alto. TEA also provides
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maintenance services under contract for the Cities of Los Altos and Mountain View. The three
cities are engaged in a “virtual consolidation” effort that will ultimately include the Police and
Fire radio consoles. The three Police Departments share a grant-funded UHF radio channel that
was completed this year. There is an associated benefit of using the same vendor to maintain
our systems as personnel from all three cities will ultimately utilize the equipment.
Discussion
Staff released an RFP for Radio Maintenance in April 2013. Three companies responded to the
RFP. Using predetermined selection criteria, TEA was selected by the review panel to continue
as the City’s radio maintenance provider. It is imperative that the City’s radio infrastructure and
related equipment be maintained and equipment engineered and installed at the highest levels
of service. Continuing to contract out these services provides a more efficient means of
meeting the service level demands of the user departments and a more cost-effective approach
for delivering these essential services. TEA will continue to provide professional
telecommunications engineering services to maintain the City’s radio infrastructure and related
equipment 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. All equipment covered under this agreement will
be maintained by TEA and kept in premium working condition, utilizing contemporary industry
standards and modern preventative maintenance techniques.
There are also radio base stations and other ancillary equipment that should be replaced to
maintain system integrity. Staff recommends relocating the equipment currently at the Eagan
School in Los Altos to a better geographic location. In addition, if the City Council approves the
proposed plan to build a new Public Safety Building the project will require extensive radio
engineering design and consulting. TEA has agreed to a not-to-exceed rate for these services of
$155 per hour. Staff requests up to $50,000 contingency per year for these projects as needed.
Continuing to receive high-quality maintenance services through the TEA agreement will ensure
that our first responders and other users of the City’s radio systems, including Utilities, will be
able to operate on radio systems that are well-maintained and reliable.
Resource Impact
The annual cost of $168,972 is covered in the Police Department’s FY 2014 operating budget.
By entering into a multi-year contract, the City receives a guarantee of cost stability over the
length of the contract. The annual maintenance cost of $168,972 will remain constant for the
duration of the five-year agreement. Other projects and consulting within this agreement that
are within the scope of the Radio Infrastructure CIP can be funded through that project, if
needed.
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Policy Implications
This agreement is consistent with existing City policy.
Environmental Review
This contract is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA), pursuant to Section 15301 of the CEQA guidelines.
Attachments:
Attachment A - C14149755 Contract - TEA 060113 (PDF)