Title
a. Approve and authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer to sign Amendment #3 in the amount of $1,492,437 to the Radio System Purchase Agreement between the County of Monterey and Harris Corporation; and
b. Approve and authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer to sign contract amendments and change orders that do not exceed 10% of the project cost upon approval of the MCECC Executive Board, on behalf the Emergency Communications Users Advisory Council, the Director of Emergency Communications, and County Counsel.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve and authorize the Contracts / Purchasing Officer to sign Amendment #3 in the amount of $1,492,437 to the Radio System Purchase Agreement between the County of Monterey and Harris Corporation; and
b. Approve and authorize the Contracts /Purchasing Officer to sign contract amendments and change orders that do not exceed 10% of the project cost upon approval of the MCECC Executive Board, on behalf the Emergency Communications Users Advisory Council (ECUAC), the Director of Emergency Communications, and County Counsel.
SUMMARY / DISCUSSION:
Since 2005, the County has been working with public safety and other affected agencies in the County to design and build the NGEN Radio System (NGEN). Attachment 1 includes a timeline of activities that have taken place in the project to date. While the project team has been working diligently to keep the project on budget and schedule, circumstances beyond the control of the County of Monterey or Harris Corporation have incurred a number of challenges resulting in a need to amend the project scope and extend the project timeline. On May 6, 2015, the Emergency Communications Users Advisory Council (ECUAC) approved an action to address changes to the project scope that have occurred since the execution of Amendment #2 (Attachment 2) and address system and component technology upgrades that will provide certain operational efficiencies and cost savings going forward.
Approval of the attached Amendment #3 recognizes changes in radio site and frequency acquisition and eliminates project phases identified during the implementation of Amendment #2. Amendment #3 also recognizes changes in the project radio frequency plan and addresses several system design issues. Approval of Amendment 3 provides an upgrade to system infrastructure to current technology that provides enhanced maintenance support, increases system reliability, and extends NGEN capabilities to a wider user base through smartphone technology. Amendment #3 also upgrades dispatch console hardware and software offering the latest in IP technology, upgraded operating system, and improved integration and interface features.
The Emergency Communications Department requests authorization from the Board of Supervisors for the Contracts / Purchasing Officer to sign contract amendments and change orders up to $500,000 of the available project balance on direction of the Director of Emergency Communications who will receive guidance from the Executive Board, in lieu of the ECUAC, and the NGEN Project Team.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Emergency Communications Department serves as the project administrator for the project and the MCECC Executive Board, in lieu of ECUAC, provides oversight as specified in the NGEN Financing Agreement. The Information Technology Department (ITD) is an active partner in the project and has been involved in all of the technical discussions leading to the changes in program scope that have resulted in this amendment. Attachment 1 outlines other agencies participating in this project. Amendment #3 has been approved by County Counsel as to form.
FINANCING:
This amendment provides for the completion of the system infrastructure funded within the project cap and, additionally, provides system and component upgrades that are desirable as the result of changing technology. Financing for this amendment will not increase costs to any member agency. Funding for this amendment comes from existing project contingency funds and surpluses in existing NGEN Project Operations and Maintenance funds as approved by the Emergency Communications Users Advisory Committee. The NGEN Project Fund will provide $497,419 dollars. The NGEN Operations and Maintenance Surplus Funds from FY 2014 will provide $864,618 dollars. The remaining $130,400 will be provided through Surplus Operations & Maintenance Funds collected in FY 2015.
Approved by: William Harry, Director of Emergency Communications, (831)769-8880