Title
Staff Report for Purchase of Radios and Necessary Equipment to Comply with the East Bay Regional Communications System Authority (EBRCSA) Interoperability Project
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends the City Council approve the Police Department replacing 111 portable radios with the Motorola APX6000 P25 radios required to successfully migrate to the EBRCSA system. Additionally, staff recommends the replacement of 15 portable radios for Public Works by purchasing Motorola APX4000 P25 radios. Further, staff recommends the purchase of the required accessories, software, and equipment to maintain compliance with the EBRCSA Operating Agreement. Finally, staff is also recommending the Police Department replace 5 Motorola Model APX6500 vehicle radios and related accessories. This purchase will be accomplished through a cooperative agreement on Contra Costa County Bid # 0904-018 and contract dated January 5, 2012.
The Council Finance Committee reviewed this proposal at its meeting on June 1, 2012 and recommended forwarding to the City Council. It is recommended that the Council approve the resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement with Red Cloud, Inc. for the purchase of radios and equipment necessary to comply with the EBRCSA Interoperability Project.
DISCUSSION
EBRCSA was created on September 11, 2007 with the formation of a joint powers authority. The project mission is to build, own, and operate a state-of-the-art P25 compliant communications system for the public agencies within Alameda and Contra Costa counties. With this goal, the City signed the Project Operating Agreement on February 1, 2011 by Resolution 2010-124 (approved on September 20, 2010). The project is scheduled to be complete and fully operational on December 30, 2012. Based on this new operating system, the current portable and vehicle radios will no longer work. The purchase of the necessary equipment will bring the City into compliance with the EBRCSA Project Operating Agreement.
Coinciding with the implementation of the EBRCSA system is the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandate to meet Narrow Banding requirements by January 1, 2013. In December 2004, FCC Docket no. 99-87 mandated that all radio equipment operating below 512 MHz must operate using narrow, 12.5 kHz channel spacing that replaces the current 25 kHz banding by that date. On January 1, 2013, all public safety and business industrial land mobile radio systems operating in the 150-512 MHz radio bands must cease using 25 kHz efficiency technology and begin operating at least 12.5kHz efficiency technology. This deadline is the result of the FCC effort that began almost two decades ago to ensure more efficient use of the spectrum access for public safety and non-public safety users. Migration to 12.5 kHz efficiency technology (referred to as Narrow Banding) will allow the creation of additional channel capacity within the same radio spectrum, and will support more users.
After January 1, 2013, licensees not operating at 12.5 kHz efficiency will be in violation of the Commission's rules and could be subject to FCC enforcement action that may include admonishment, fines, or loss of license. Nearly all Police Department radios must be replaced to comply with this requirement, as do some of the Public Works radios.
The purpose of the EBRCSA is to implement and maintain an interoperable, region Project 25 compliant public safety radio system. Project 25, more commonly referred to as P25, refers to interface standards for digital radio systems enabling equipment from different manufacturers to work together. These standards allow effective communications between different public safety agencies in emergencies. Since its creation in 2007, EBRCSA has continued to acquire and develop a P25 compliant system.
EBRCS (the radio system of the EBRCSA) is based on a Motorola design with a Harris Stratex microwave system connecting the radio sites. The EBRCSA has secured about $46,000,000 in grant funding for the build-out of the system infrastructure (total cost of $64,000,000, excluding design costs). The remaining funds required to complete the system are funded by the $11,000,000 in local revenue generated by participating agencies that have already been contributed and $6,000,000 in issued debt. The repayment of the debt is included in the annual operating payments made by participating agencies. The radio system is scheduled to go live in June 2012, with the intent to have the migration of users onto the system by January 1, 2013 to meet the FCC Narrow Banding deadline.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City has obtained funds through a number of grants for replacement of some of the needed radios. Funding for this EBRCSA project has not been included in the 2012-13 budget since precise costs have only recently been determined.
The total purchase price for the EBRCS radio equipment amounts to $469,252 (net of a trade-allowance/credit for 116 radios valued at $52,700). This purchase will be made through an agreement with Motorola Solutions, Incorporated. Currently, the City utilizes the local Motorola Solutions Distributor, Red Cloud, Incorporated, and all purchases will be made through them. Additionally, all prices are based on the discounts incorporated in the current, competitively bid Contra Costa County Radio contract, derived from its RFQ # 0904-018 for Professional Grade P25 Subscriber Radios.
The costs for the departmental components for the purchase include:
111 Police portable radios $408,800
5 Police in-car radios 19,800
15 Public Works radios 40,700
Total $469,300
Funding for the radio equipment can be made available from grant funds, the Asset Seizure Fund, and the General Fund. Eligible grant funding can include the following:
Justice Assistance Grant 2009- $62,200
Justice Assistance Grant 2010- 60,200
Justice Assistance Grant 2012- 30,800
Supplemental Law Enforcement Service Funds 2013 25,000
$178,200
Asset Seizure Fund 50,000
Total Special Revenue Funds $228,200
Nearly one-half of the radio purchase costs can be covered by special revenue fund sources. The balance is recommended to come equally from the Information Technology Fund and the General Fund's fund balances. The 2012-13 Budget reflects adequate fund balances in both the Information Technology and General Funds for the balance of the radio costs. The proposed allocations are $120,550 from each fund.
Proposed Funding Source Table
Justice Assistance Grant 2009 $62,200
Justice Assistance Grant 2010 $60,200
Justice Assistance Grant 2012 $30,800
Supplemental Law Enforcement Service Funds 2013 $25,000
Asset Seizure Fund $50,000
Information Technology Fund $120,550
General Fund (fund balance) $120,550
Total EBRCS Radio Funding $469,300
PREPARED BY: Lieutenant Greg Lemmon, Police Department