HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/3/1999 - STAFF REPORTS (7) DATE: November 3, 1999
TO: City Council
FROM: Chief of Police
AUTHORIZE PURCHASE OF MOBILE DATA COMPUTERS, INCLUDING RF SYSTEM
COMPATIBLES FOR PALM SPRINGS POLICE DEPARTMENT UTILIZING FEDERAL AND
STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS
RECOMMENDATION:
That City Council approve purchase of fifty-four(54)Mobile Data Computers(MDC)at a
unit cost of$5,650.78 ea.,total$305,142; an RF Radio Repeater Station and RF Modems
$113,230;plus provision of all startup costs, including delivery, staging and testing of all
equipment,installation of all equipment including trunk mount drawers,projectmanagement
and system commissioning $95,602;total installed system cost $513,974,plus applicable
sales tax of$33,244; for a grand total of$547,218;all to be purchased through the State of
California Multiple Award Schedule(CMAS)from Fieldworks,Inc.
BACKGROUND:
The Palm Springs Police Department entered a new age in technology with the purchase of
the Tiburon Computer Aided Dispatch System(Minute Order No. 6284, dated 12/16/98).
The recommended purchase of the Mobile Data Computers and RF Radio Repeater Station
will complete the planned implementation of this system by providing on-board interactive
capabilities with the Tiburon System to and from each patrol vehicle. (54 vehicles)
City council held a public hearing on September 15, 1999 to discuss the allocation of
Federal Law Enforcement Block Grant Funds for the purchase of the 54 Mobile Data
Computers. The public hearing satisfied one of the requirements for expenditure of these
grant funds which can only be utilized to purchase law enforcement equipment. The other
requirement is the expenditure of matching funds which will be funded from the Police
Department's Asset Forfeiture Account.
The public hearing included presentation of the following information from the Chief of
Police: "Mobile Data Computers (MDC's)", will improve officers' ability to check for
wanted persons, stolen vehicles and to receive calls for service directly on their in-car
computers. Departments whichhave been using mobile data computers have found as much
as a 50% increase in the recovery of stolen vehicles. There has also been a significant
increase in the apprehension of individuals with outstanding arrest warrants."
One of the biggest challenges in selecting an MDC system has been to find a system which
will operate under extreme temperatures. The recommended system has been utilized in
areas of intense heat(and extreme cold). The temperature tolerance requirements do limit
the unit to a 233 MHz CPU. That speed is sufficient for the necessary functionality and
interface requirements to the Tiburon Computer Aided Dispatch System. Because of the
modular design,the CPU unit can be upgraded in the future without having to replace the
other system components. 3
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PAGE 2 -AUTHORIZE PURCHASE OF 54 MDC's
Another specialized feature of the proposed MDC's is an active matrix color screen to
insure visibility to the officer in daylight and during hours of darkness. The screen unit is
not permanently attached to the CPU. The separate keyboard is sealed and backlit.
The ability to upgrade and add components was one of the evaluation criteria which
differentiated the Fieldworks System from the other units on the market. Future technology
upgrades may include dash mounted cameras that display on the computer screen,fingerprint
scanners,and drivers' license magnetic card readers. The proposed system will be able to
accommodate these features.
Only two other systems, Palamar and Litton, allow for expansion, however, they both
employ a standard cooling fan system to cool the CPU. This kind of system is vulnerable to
several kinds of system failure that could result in the unit crashing or becoming damaged.
The Fieldworks unit features apassive cooling system using cooling"fins". Along with this
cooling system,the Fieldworks unit also has a"smart"sensor that incrementally slows down
the processor if it gets too hot. This way,the unit will continue to operate if overheated,but
it will work at a slower speed. This is important,as it is critical that the MDC's stay on-line
once an officer goes on shift.
Additionally,the Fieldworks computer uses specially manufactured components that were
designed for extreme temperatures. These components are sealed in waterproof
compartments,and are shock resistant. In the event one part of this modular unit fails,the
local service technician can simply unplug the defective part and replace it with a new one.
This will lessen the amount of down-time that the unit will experience as problems occur.
Local service will be provided by Skycomm,Inc. of Thousand Palms.
The Police Department Technology Committee members field-testedthe Fieldworks Mobile
Data Computers,as well as two other systems,Panasonic and Palamar. The Committee also
viewed a demonstration ofthe Litton System which is substantially more expensive than the
other systems, and does not meet the temperature tolerance requirements. Only the
Fieldworks system meets the Committee's requirements for temperature tolerance and
upgradeability.
Purchase of the Fieldworks System is possible without the necessity of the City conducting
its own competitive process through participation in the State of California Multiple Award
Schedule (CMAS). The CMAS Program was established by the State of California to
facilitate timely and value-effective procurement of information technology related products
and services.
The ProcurementManager as requiredby Municipal Code Section 3.12.270.6 has researched
the comparative costs,values and feasibility of using other systems available for purchase.
Procurement Manager finds that sufficient competition has been conducted to protect the
public interest and the total cost ofequipment and service obtained through the State contract
is less than the City would obtain through conducting an independent process. The
Procurement Manager supports the recommendation of the Chief of Police for purchase of
the Fieldworks MDC System.
PAGE 3 -AUTHORIZE PURCHASE OF 54 MDC's
Five hundredthousand dollars ($500,000)is available from the Police Department's Federal
and State Law Enforcement Block Grant Funds,with matching fiords of $47,218 available
from the Police Department's Asset Forfeiture Account.
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C. L E WEIbEL. HAROLD E. GOOD
Astir b Chief of Police Procurement Manager
OVER: APPROVED:
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ATTACHMENT: (1)Minute Order
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MINUTE ORDER NO. lIV
APPROVING PURCHASE OF FIFTY-FOUR(54)MOBILE
DATA COMPUTERS (MDC) AT A UNIT COST OF
$5,650.78 EA., TOTAL $305,142; AN RF RADIO
REPEATER STATION AND RF MODEMS $113,230;
PLUS PROVISION OF ALL STARTUP COSTS,
INCLUDING DELIVERY, STAGING AND TESTING OF
ALL EQUIPMENT, INSTALLATION OF ALL
EQUIPMENTINCLUDING TRUNKMOUNTDRAWERS,
PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND SYSTEM
COMMISSIONING $95,602; TOTAL INSTALLED
SYSTEM COST $513,974, PLUS APPLICABLE SALES
TAX OF$33,244; FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF$547,218;
ALL TO BE PURCHASED THROUGH THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA MULTIPLE AWARD SCHEDULE(CMAS)
FROM FIELDWORKS,INC.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that this Minute Order,approving purchase of fifty-four(54)
Mobile Data Computers(MDC)at a unit cost of$5,650.78 ea.,total$305,142;an RF
Radio Repeater Station and RF Modems$113,230;plus provision ofall startup costs,
including delivery,staging and testing of all equipment,installation of all equipment
including trunk mount drawers, project management and system commissioning
$95,602;total installed system cost$513,974,plus applicable sales tax of$33,244;
for a grand total of$547,218; all to be purchased through the State of California
Multiple Award Schedule(CMAS)from Fieldworks,Inc.,was adopted by the City
Council of the City of Palm Springs,California,in a meeting thereof held on the 3rd
day of November, 1999.
PATRICIA A. SANDERS
City Clerk