Title
Sheriff's Office recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to:
1) Exempt the purchase of 70 In-Car Video Systems for marked patrol units within the Sheriff's Office from competitive bidding pursuant to County Purchasing Ordinance 3.12.160 (C), competitive bidding would produce no economic benefit to the county; and
2) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to issue a purchase order or engage in a contract for the not to exceed estimated amount of $448,000, plus applicable taxes and fees to Watch Guard Digital In-Car Video for the purchase of seventy (70) systems. (Cont. 4/28/15, Item 43)
3) Authorize the Chair to sign a budget transfer in the amount of $82,000 from the Asset Seizure Justice Special Revenue Fund increasing revenues and appropriations in the Sheriff's Office Fiscal Year 2014/15 Budget.
FUNDING: General Fund, Federal Asset Forfeiture, Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Account/Citizens Option for Public Safety - Front Line Law Enforcement (SLESA/COPS Front Line)
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Sheriff Office recommends this purchase for the protection of law enforcement personnel and avoidance of legal liability when enforcing the law.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The Sheriff's Office conducted an extensive analysis of available units. A total of five vendors were invited to demonstrate their systems in live field tests within EDSO patrol units. Of the five vendors one withdrew because they could not meet the minimum requirements. Two vendors were eliminated for poor features and functions and one was eliminated for poor picture quality and weak evidentiary integrity. After extensive testing and review only one system met all functional requirements. The selected vendor provided references from nearby allied agencies. The Sheriff's Office confirmed that pricing offered was equal to or better than pricing offered to other agencies running the selected equipment.
The Sheriff's Office has budgeted $218K in the Fiscal Year 2014/15 Budget for (35) units. The Sheriff's Office will alse apply $118,000 of SLESA/COPS Front Line State of California supplemental law enforcement funding and $82,000 Federal Asset Forfeiture funding to supplement the project to increase the amount of systems planning to be ordered in Fiscal Year 2014/15 to (70) units. The Sheriff's Office
ALTERNATIVES
Conducting a competitive bid would not result in other viable vendors since Watch Guard was chosen by a public agency similar to the County, and is the sole manufacturer and distributor of this product.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Procurement and Contracts will develop the Purchase Order needed.
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Funding of $218,050 for 35 units was included in the FY2014-15 budget as noted on the fixed asset list included in the budget.
Additional justification for this purchase was provided as follows:
The existing system is approximately 7 years old and 2 years beyond warranty and normal field service time of 5 years.
One of the major expenses in these systems is the maintenance of the video storage environment. Litigation costs will be more expensive as video for a single incident will be in multiple systems. The old storage system must be maintained for 2 years beyond the last saved video. The longer the existing system is in place the greater the risk to the required retention period. Units are failing at a regular rate. Waiting until complete failure will increase vehicle down time, installation costs and maintenance. Running both systems for any extended period of time will also create training issues. Liability increases as the legal system expectations are increasing for video evidence. Malfunctioning units are not favorably accommodated in court.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Cost associated with this agenda item. Sufficient appropriations are included in the Fiscal Year 2014-15 budget for the purchase or the initial 35 units requested. The additional 35 units, and the applicable sales tax and feeds will be supplemented using SLESA/COPS Front Line and Federal Asset Seizure Special Revenue Funds.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Public Safety
CONTACT
Undersheriff Randy Peshon