Title
Sheriff’s Office recommending the Board:
1) Find that, in accordance with Section 3.4.2 of the El Dorado County Procurement Policy, due to the unique nature of the property or services required competitive bidding is precluded;
2) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute a purchase agreement in the amount of $1,000,000 with Odin Systems Inc. for purchase, maintenance, and services for Motorola Solutions’ Vigilant Solutions License Plate Recognition contingent upon County Counsel and Risk approval; and
3) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to increase the purchase agreement on an "as-needed" basis during the awarded period as long as funding is available within the requesting department's budget.
FUNDING: Special Revenue Funds.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On December 2, 2020, the Sheriff’s Office requested and received approval for the purchase of LPR units in the FY 2020-21 budget and had conducted extensive research for the purchase; however the purchase was not completed in FY 2021-22. As a result, approval of the purchase in the current fiscal year is required. The purchase of the license plate reader system put the Sheriff's Office in a better position to track crime suspects' entry points, respond to kidnappings, and to solve crimes in general throughout the County as a manner of ensuring public safety, preventing crime, and utilizing public information as a means of justice. Nearly seventy percent (70%) of crimes committed involve a vehicle, and license plates are public information since they are provided by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Utilizing a license plate reader system allows for the identification of vehicles, tracks leads and helps law enforcement capture the evidence needed to solve crimes. Additionally, license plate readers have proven to be an effective method to solve methamphetamine trafficking cases when illegal substances are transported throughout an area. This License Plate Reader System is not being utilized to monitor citizens, but rather a means to protect them from those seeking to do harm in our community.
Vigilant Solutions is the sole manufacturer and provider of the hardware and software system, support, and maintenance. The Sheriff’s Office considered feedback from 150 California agencies deploying systems, and using this system provided interoperability among neighboring agencies such as Sacramento and Placer County Sheriff Departments and Sacramento, Folsom, Placerville, Rocklin and Roseville City Police Departments.
Other companies offer license plate reader systems and cameras, however Vigilant is being used by a majority of the Law Enforcement Agencies in the surrounding areas, this interoperability will allow for more efficient and effective investigations for EDSO. We often find perpetrators committing unlawful activities in El Dorado County also are committing crimes in surrounding areas. "Our criminals are their criminals; their criminal are ours.." Having the ability to share data is a significant advantage to solving crimes. Vigilant has the largest pool of license plate data in the surrounding areas where a high percentage of individuals committing crimes move around in vehicles often crossing County lines. Utilizing a different license plate reader company would pose challenges to interoperability.
Odin has sub-contracted through Vigilant to install License Plate Readers. Vigilant (Motorola) is the distributor of the equipment but has requested we contract through Odin for an end-to-end agreement so that equipment, installation, and maintenance can all be provided through Odin. Vigilant has requested we contract directly with Odin for ease of communication for both the purchase of equipment and installation/maintenance.
Board of Supervisors Policy C-17-Procurement, provides for an exemption from competitive bidding in the case of a sole source purchase, “where there is only one vendor capable of providing an item or services, and therefore, it is not possible to obtain competitive bids.” These purchases are needed for continued operation of existing equipment, and is only available from this one source, as documented in the attached sole source letter (Attachment A).
ALTERNATIVES
N/A
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
7/27/21, Legistar # 21-0442, and 6/21/22, Legistar # 22-0879 for purchase of Vigilant Solutions License Plate Readers and a budget transfer to increase revenue and appropriations for purchase from Special Revenue Funds.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel and Procurement and Contracts.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
These costs are accounted for in the Sheriff’s Office FY 2022/23 budget with California Multi-Jurisdictional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team (CalMMET) Special Revenue Funds; therefore, there is no increase to net county cost.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Providing enhanced services to the community increases public safety.
CONTACT
Undersheriff Bryan Golmitz