Title
Sheriff's Department requesting authorization to enter into a Service Agreement with Ground Control, of Atascadero, California, for broadband support services.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve.
FUNDING: 2006 Homeland Security Grant funding.
Body
BUDGET SUMMARY: |
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|
Total Estimated Cost |
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$2,148 |
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|
|
Funding |
|
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Budgeted |
$2,148 |
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New Funding |
$ |
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Savings |
$ |
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Other |
$ |
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Total Funding Available |
$2,148 |
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Change To Net County Cost |
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$0 |
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost: None. Funding for this project has been supplied by the State of California's 2006 Homeland Security Grant.
Background: The FY2006 Homeland Security Grant has approved the use of grant funds for the purchase of a broadband radio system to enhance the County's radio interoperability program. These funds have been allocated to the Sheriff's Office for the purchase of the broadband system. Not spending these funds by the end of the grant in March 2008, would mean that the Sheriff's Office would miss the opportunity to enhance its radio interoperability program.
Reason for Recommendation: The radio system has already been purchased. However, in order to operate the system, a broadband connection service is required. The vendor, Skyway Connections, from whom the radio system was purchased, uses Ground Control as its service provider. The service provider operates much like a utility company, similar to Hughes Net and cellular phone providors.
We have been working with the County's Purchasing Department since March 2007 to get a service agreement in place with Ground Control. County Purchasing, County Counsel and Risk Management are not willing to approve this service agreement because Ground Control will not increase their insurance costs to add the County of El Dorado as an additional insured on their current policy.
The basis for having the County named as an additional insured on a vendor's insurance policy is to protect the County if the vendor has to enter County property to repair equipment. This would not be necessary for this agreement since broadband support is a service not equipment. The equipment carries its own warranty, and in case of a malfunction, Skyway Connections, not Ground Control, would be the responder.
Ground Control sees this additional insured designation as an unnecessary expense for them, since their services are similar to other utility companies. The County of El Dorado does not place this requirement on the service providers for cable television, cellular telephones, gas and electric companies and therefore, should not place an undue burden on Ground Control.
The liability to the County is greater with the Sheriff's Office not using Ground Control, since it will lose the allocated Homeland Security Grant funds, as well as the opportunity to enhance interoperability county wide. The Sheriff urges the Board to approve the service agreement with Ground Control despite objections from Purchasing, County Counsel and Risk Management on the rationale that not to do so would be a detriment to public safety.
Action to be taken following Board approval: The Board will allow the Sheriff to enter into a service agreement with Ground Control for broadband support services.
Contact: Mary Pierce X5691