01-27-20 Regular Meeting of the La Porte City Council

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REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM Appropriation Agenda Date Requested: January 27, 2020 Requested By: Source of Funds: CIP Kristin Gauthier, Coordinator Department: Office of Emergency Management Account Number: 015-6054-510-1100 Amount Budgeted: $189,000.00 Report Resolution Ordinance Amount Requested: $175,954.40 Exhibits: Sealed RFP #20502 Whelen Siren Project, Budgeted Item: Yes No RFP #20502 - Work Breakdown, RFP #20502 - Public Access Report SUMMARY For the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Budget, City Council approved $189,000 in General CIP funds for the Whelen Siren Project. As presented during budget discussions, the City has a total of thirteen (13) outdoor warning sirens. Some of the sirens are nearing twenty (20) years of age, have reached their end of life, and are in need of replacement or repair. The goal of this project is to assess the status of each existing siren, and determine what actions need to be taken to ensure the system is working properly. One of the sirens was substantially upgraded in 2018, so staff sought recommendations for theremaining twelve (12) sirens. Also, the approved funding will allow the City to purchase and install an updated encoder/control unit that will allow staff the opportunity to monitor the status of the sirens 24/7 from the La Porte Police Department dispatch center. This will allow the City to quickly identify if there is an issue with one of the sirens, so that it can be addressed in a more timely and effective manner. Staff advertised and received Sealed Bid Requests for Proposal #20502 Whelen Siren Project. Bids were opened and read on December 19, 2019. Solicitation requests were advertised in the Bay Area Observer (11/28 & 12/5), and posted on Public Purchase and the City of La Porte website with one (1) vendor responding. The Request for Proposals included a requirement that each responding vendor conduct an assessment of the twelve (12) sirens, and provide recommendations on needed repairs at each location. The City relies on the expertise of authorized Whelen dealers to identify potential maintenance issues and make repairs, when needed. This diagnosis is achieved by the vendor conducting a silent test at each site, which tests the main components of the siren (batteries, amplifiers, speaker drivers, etc.)There is a limited number of authorized Whelen dealers in our area, which resulted in the low vendor response for this project. The responding vendor made recommendations based on their assessment conducted for the RFP. The responding vendor is Crosspoint Communications, an authorized Whelen dealer. This vendor has staff has been satisfied with