Title
Consider and take action on a resolution authorizing an expenditure of $1,599,114.11 with Motorola for radios for Public Safety (Mayor Long and Council Member Cones)
Background:
If approved, this resolution will authorize the City Manager to sign an agreement between the City of League City and Motorola Solutions for the purchase of 200 APX Next N70 radios in the amount of $1,599,114.11. League City’s pricing is $360,479 below the Texas Department of Information Resources procurement contract and includes the “Fire Fighter Personnel Accountability” service at no cost, valued at $294,071.
This price breakdown includes $1,599,114.11 in upfront costs for hardware, implementation, and year-1 subscription fees. If the City chooses to opt in to an additional two years of service. the subscription cost would be no greater than $75 per radio per year depending on what services the City chooses to renew.
New radios will offer the following benefits to Public Safety Personnel:
• Cellular Backup: SmartConnect technology keeps radios connected to the P25 radio system even outside P25 coverage. Both voice and data are maintained by automatically switching between P25 and broadband. If at any point there was a P25 coverage outage, radios would automatically transfer over to broadband coverage.
• Radio GPS Tracking: Smart Mapping for in-field situational awareness including the ability to find officers using GPS location. This feature expands location coordination, enhancing tracking and monitoring of personnel and their interaction with others within the field. All of which are beneficial during emergency related incidents including suspect pursuits, EMS responses, and structure fire related calls.
User location information is shared every few seconds, allowing dispatch and supervisors the ability to immediately track personnel in real time. GPS is available for use on portable devices to ensure these features are available anywhere out in the field, expanding emergency services ability to manage department staff and resources beyond an emergency vehicle unit or dispatch center.
• Smart Programming: Touch Free Over the Air Programming anywhere and anytime with extended LTE network. The radio uses only LTE/Wi-Fi connectivity for programming. Officers no longer will have to do face-to-face meetings to bring in their radios for encryption and programming changes, creating a zero-touch update environment, and reducing staff time needed to update radio equipment.
• Voice Activated information Searches: (Ex: driver license & license plate) with one touch prompt including 14 different voice commands without touching the radio (including change the channel, check the battery status, volume up/down and driver license lookup). The eyes-up awareness feature allows routine database queries that minimize keyboard activity and device touching, minimizing risk during the use of a vehicle while in response to a call ((Ex: driver license & license plate).
• Increased Battery Life: An increase in battery life of the APX NEXT is 14 to 18 hours, an increase from the current 10-hour battery range.
• Weatherized Technology: The advanced rugged unit includes touchscreen glass that works in the rain, with gloves, and in other extreme environments. The advanced audio using digital mics and high-powered speakers delivers best in class audio.
The expected lifetimes of the APX Next N70 radios are anywhere between 10 and 15 years. The existing Motorola APX model 6000 radios will be transferred to Public Works, Parks, Streets, Traffic, Line Repair, Water Production, Wastewater, Vehicle Maintenance & other non-Public Safety users to upgrade analog radio equipment no longer supported by Motorola.
A total of $57,600 ($14,400 per department for each Water, Wastewater, Line Repair & Streets) is included in the FY2024 Adopted Budget to purchase public works radios which will be satisfied with this item. If this agenda item is approved, the savings by fund is $43,200 for Utility Fund and $14,400 for General Fund.
FUNDING
On October 10, 2023, City Council approved budget amendment Ordinance 2023-33 which allocated remaining COVID ARPA and TIRZ 2 funds into a new CIP fund for Fire Station 7. Part of the agenda item included the following:
“After funding Fire Station 7 expenses, remaining funds from TIRZ 2 or COVID ARPA, will be spent on the following based on priority as directed by City Council by separate action,
a. Up to $3M of the TIRZ 2 uncommitted balance to be allocated to completing underfunded road projects in the Capital Improvement Plan,
b. Grant program of $200K to fund installation of flock license plate reader cameras in neighborhoods as requested by HOA’s,
c. Replacement of approximately 200 public safety radios with any remaining TIRZ 2 uncommitted funds.”
On tonight’s agenda, a budget amendment is included for City Council’s consideration to establish $1,599,115 funding for the purchase of the public safety radios. Funds will be transferred from the Fire Station 7 CIP fund to the General Fund - IT department in the amount of $1,599,115 for grant eligible expenses.
Attachments:
1. Data Sheet
2. Proposed Resolution
3. Motorola Quote
4. Vendor Report Card
STRATEGIC PLANNING
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