DATE: February 11, 2021
SUBJECT:
Title
RESOLUTION SELECTING AND AUTHORIZING AN AGREEMENT WITH DAY WIRELESS SYSTEMS FOR REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM RADIO AND DISPATCH CONSOLE EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE SERVICES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $200,000 FROM MARCH 1, 2021 THROUGH FEBRUARY 29, 2024. FUNDS REQUIRED FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR ARE INCLUDED IN THE APPROVED FISCAL YEAR 2021 BUDGET. ALL FUNDS REQUIRED FOR FUTURE FISCAL YEARS WILL BE BUDGETED IN THE APPROPRIATE FISCAL YEAR, SUBJECT TO BOARD APPROVAL UPON ADOPTION OF EACH FISCAL YEAR’S BUDGET.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The District relies on the San Diego Regional Communications System (RCS) radios, components and connectivity for emergency and ongoing operational communications, both within the District as well as with allied public safety and government agencies. RCS is the District’s critical life-safety voice communications capability and extends from the Harbor Police dispatcher consoles to the mobile and portable radios deployed throughout the District and across all public safety agencies in the San Diego region. To sustain the performance of RCS components and connectivity, maintenance and emergency response services in the form of technical and professional labor is required.
For the provision of maintenance and related services to the District’s RCS system components, the District issued Request for Bids number 20-25JR (RFB No. 20-25JR) on November 24, 2020, and allowed a 37-day submission period due to the complex and technical nature of the requirements, which included:
• District Equipment List by Component Model and Description
• Preventative and Repair Maintenance Requirements
• Programming and Re-programming Requirements
• Examples of Anticipated As-Needed Services
• Manufacturer Service Certifications Required for RCS Components
The District posted the opportunity via PlanetBids for over 30 days and notified 388 registered vendors based on eight industry categories. The Request for Bids was engaged by 17 prospective bidders, resulting in a bid from one vendor. The bid was found to be responsive and, as it was submitted by the District’s past provider of RCS services with a proven record of acceptable performance, was selected. Based on this selection and record of past performance, staff recommends the Board select and authorize an agreement with Day Management Corporation dba Day Wireless Systems (Day).
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Adopt a Resolution Selecting and Authorizing an Agreement with Day Management Corporation dba Day Wireless Systems for Regional Communications Systems (RCS) Radio and Dispatch Console Equipment Maintenance Services for a Maximum Expenditure of $200,000.00 from March 1, 2021 through February 29, 2024.
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FISCAL IMPACT:
Funds for the remainder of this fiscal year are budgeted for in both Harbor Police and Information Technology Departmental FY20/21 Non-Personnel Expense budgets. Funds required for future fiscal years will be budgeted for in the appropriate fiscal year and cost account subject to Board approval upon adoption of each fiscal year’s budget.
Ongoing use of RCS, and therefore the need for maintenance and services, will likely occur beyond the three years covered in the proposed agreement. Funds required for future fiscal years will be included in the corresponding budget year subject to Board approval upon adoption of each fiscal year budget.
Compass Strategic Goals:
This agenda item supports the following Strategic Goal(s).
• A thriving and modern maritime seaport.
• A Port that is a safe place to visit, work and play.
• A Port with an innovative and motivated workforce.
DISCUSSION:
The San Diego-Imperial County Regional Communications System (RCS) is an intergovernmental activity with participation by all local and county public safety agencies and departments throughout the San Diego region. RCS defines the standards for equipment and configuration of the portable and mobile radios, 911 dispatch consoles, and transmission equipment used for all public safety and much of the other government radio communications. The District participates in RCS in order to achieve voice communication interoperability with allied public safety agencies. This enhances the ability to respond to incidents with multi-agency and mutual aid coordination, as well as to improve officer safety through consistent performance on an incident-by-incident basis. RCS achieves this through the San Diego Sheriff’s Department’s Wireless Division administration of a region-wide radio communications backbone of transmission sites and a computer-managed “trunked” radio system in the 800mhz public safety radio band. The RCS provides public safety voice and data communications to System Agencies consisting of Partners, Customers, and Mutual Aid users totaling 116 local, state, and federal agencies in San Diego and Imperial counties and over 20,000 active radios on the system. A high degree of coverage throughout both Counties is provided for the purpose of improving public safety, public service communications, and interoperability. (www.rcs800mhz.org).
While the RCS backbone is administered for the region, the maintenance of the radios and other components used within a participating agency is the responsibility of each agency. This necessary maintenance includes providing periodic updates as defined by the component manufacturer, Motorola, as well as programming each device to use RCS standard ‘fleetmap’ that allows radio users to select groups by agency and purpose for direct communication.
This work is highly specialized and is normally performed by trained and certified radio and communication systems professionals. Past maintenance and services had been provided to the District under various multiple agreements with Day resulting in RCS component maintenance and services agreements being piecemealed and requiring more management and oversight than necessary. A single, multi-year agreement that defined the necessary maintenance and recognized the need for available funds to perform periodic, ad hoc services for the involved sites, systems and components was established.
As the existing RCS components maintenance and services agreement neared completion, the District opened the maintenance agreement to competition. For the provision of maintenance and related services to the District’s RCS system components, the District issued Request for Bids number 20-25JR (RFB No. 20-25JR) on November 24, 2020, and allowed a 37-day submission period due to the complex and technical nature of the requirements, which included:
• District Equipment List by component model and description
• Preventative and Repair Maintenance Requirements
• Programming and Re-programming Requirements
• Examples of Anticipated As-Needed Services
• Manufacturer Service Certifications Required for RCS Components
The District posted the opportunity via PlanetBids for over 30 days and notified 388 registered vendors based on eight industry categories. The Request for Bids was engaged by 17 prospective bidders. The specialized nature of the work and requirement of experience and ongoing service to RCS components - a necessary constraint given the criticality of communications systems - coupled with strenuous response and performance standards, are challenging to prospective bidders. The level of Motorola certifications and performance standards necessary to work on RCS systems, included in the detail of the bid, have been found to reduce prospective bidder interest.
Our existing vendor service manager has conveyed that larger companies or those from outside the region are often interested in maintaining RCS, but then approach the local service provider as potential subcontractor - a situation that causes pricing to be uncompetitive due to the corporate markup. The District received a single bid, submitted by the District’s past provider of RCS services, Day, which was found to be responsive. The costs proposed by Day were consistent with those provided under prior agreements with the District for like services. Day has a proven record of acceptable performance, and for these reasons, Staff recommends the Board select and authorize an agreement with Day.
General Counsel’s Comments:
The Office of the General Counsel has reviewed and approved this agenda, the proposed agreement, and resolution, as presented, as to form and legality.
Environmental Review:
The proposed Board action, including without limitation, a resolution authorizing an agreement for regional communications system and dispatch console maintenance services, does not constitute a “project” under the definition set forth in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Sections 15352 and 15378 because no direct or indirect changes to the physical environment would occur. CEQA requires that the District adequately assess the environmental impacts of projects and reasonably foreseeable activities that may result from projects prior to the approval of the same. Any project developed as a result of the proposed Board action that requires the District or the Board’s discretionary approval resulting in a physical change to the environment will be analyzed in accordance with CEQA prior to such approval. CEQA review may result in the District, in its sole and absolute discretion, requiring implementation of mitigation measures, adopting an alternative, including without limitation, a “no project alternative” or adopting a Statement of Overriding Consideration, if required. The proposed Board action in no way limits the exercise of this discretion. Therefore, no further CEQA review is required.
The proposed Board action complies with Sections 21 and 81 of the Port Act, which allow for the Board to pass ordinances and resolutions and to use District funds for expenses of conducting the District. The Port Act was enacted by the California Legislature and is consistent with the Public Trust Doctrine. Consequently, the proposed Board action is consistent with the Public Trust Doctrine.
The proposed Board action does not allow for “development,” as defined in Section 30106 of the California Coastal Act, or “new development,” pursuant to Section 1.a. of the District’s Coastal Development Permit (CDP) Regulations because it will not result in, without limitation, a physical change, change in use or increase the intensity of uses. Therefore, issuance of a Coastal Development Permit or exclusion is not required. However, development within the District requires processing under the District’s CDP Regulations. Future development, as defined in Section 30106 of the Coastal Act, will remain subject to its own independent review pursuant to the District’s certified CDP Regulations, PMP, and Chapters 3 and 8 of the Coastal Act. The proposed Board action in no way limits the exercise of the District’s discretion under the District’s CDP Regulations. Therefore, issuance of a CDP or exclusion is not required at this time.
Equal Opportunity Program:
Due to limited known subcontracting opportunities, no SBE goal was established for this agreement.
PREPARED BY:
Tiffany Walker
Public Safety Technology Program Manager
Information Technology Department
Attachment(s):
Attachment A: Agreement No. 02-2021JR