TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THRU: Rick Otto, City Manager
FROM: Sean deMetropolis, Fire Chief
1. Subject
title
Authorize purchase of one hundred twenty Bendix King handheld VHF radios and twenty one Bendix King mobile VHF radios from Cross Connections Mobile Communications.
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2. Summary
The Fire Department is seeking the purchase of one hundred twenty digital P25 compliant Bendix King handheld VHF radios and twenty-one Bendix King mobile VHF radios, to replace aging analog equipment. VHF radios are key to local, regional, and statewide mutual aid response communications and allow us to operate on emergency incidents with both Cal Fire and the United States Forest Service.
3. Recommended Action
recommendation
Approve the purchase of one hundred twenty Bendix King handheld VHF radios and twenty one Bendix King mobile VHF radios in an amount not to exceed $300,000, from Cross Connections Mobile Connections, through National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) Contract 06913.
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4. Fiscal Impact
The total expenditure for this purchase is $300,000 and will be funded in Bendix King Radio Replacement (20474) through Capital Projects (500).
5. Strategic Plan Goals
Goal 1: Provide for a safe community
a: Provide staffing and resources to deliver services that ensure public safety.
6. Discussion and Background
The Fire Department has used the Bendix King VHF radios for over 18 years. Bendix King radios are approved on the National Interagency Incident Communications Division (NIFC) list for VHF Fire Radios, UHF Fire Radios, or Cooperator Radios. VHF radios are key to local, regional, and statewide mutual aid response communications. The Bendix King VHF single band radios are the only ones that are supported on State and Federal incident team run incidents. These radios allow us to operate on emergency incidents with both Cal Fire and the United States Forest Service. VHF radios also provide redundancy to agency communications should a large-scale failure of the communications system occur within the countywide 800MHz network.
Our current inventory of Bendix King analog radios are being phased out in favor of the upgraded digital P25 compliant models. The new digital models are both clonable and field programmable. The analog models are forecast to not be supported for parts and repair within the next two to five years. The life expectancy of BK radios is fifteen to eighteen years. Our current inventory of BK radios were purchased approximately 18 years ago.
The following three companies were asked to provide quotes for these radios: 49er Communications, Silverado Avionics, Inc., and Cross Connections Mobile Communications. Cross Connections Mobile Communications provided the most cost-effective purchase price, due to the fact that they were able to provide pricing through the NASPO Valupoint contract.
7. ATTACHMENTS
• Quotes from Cross Connections Mobile Communications reflecting National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) Valupoint pricing
• NASPO Contract 06913 Price List
• State of California Participating Addendum Number 7-16-58-15