ITEM 6-Y

Council Meeting:  November 14, 1989

TO:       Mayor and City Council

FROM:     City Staff

SUBJECT:  Award of Contract for Installation of a Fire Alarm and
          Detection System in the City Hall/Police Facilities

INTRODUCTION

This report requests the City Council award a contract for the
installation of a fire alarm and detection system in the City
Hall/Police facilities to Security Specialists in the amount of
$63,323.

BACKGROUND

As a part of the Capital Improvements Program for FY1989-90, the
City Council approved a City Hall fire alarm project which included
installation of a combination manual/automatic fire alarm system
for City Hall, including the Police Building.  The fire alarm
system would enhance the safety of both City employees and members
of the public through early detection and warning of any fires.

As part of the bid, the contractor was required to submit a
detailed plan with documentation to fully describe all materials
proposed for installation, as well as locations of fire alarm
boxes, smoke detectors, audio devices, and pull stations.  The
plans were to be reviewed by staff and those plans which most
closely met the City's requirements would be selected for award. 
The City retained the right to award the contract on the basis of
the most responsive bid and not on the basis of cost.

A Notice Inviting Bids was published on August 1 and 2, 1989, in
the Evening Outlook and in four construction journals.  Bidding
packages were requested by ten contractors and were also forwarded
to ten minority/women contracting associations.  Two bids were
received, opened and publicly read by the Deputy City Clerk on
October 2, 1989.  The bids were as follows:

          Security Specialists           $ 44,308
          Electrical Contractors  CA     $106,790

          City Engineer's Estimate       $ 50,000

A committee consisting of the City Engineer, the Fire Protection
Engineer of the City's Fire Department and the Electrical
Facilities Superintendent of the General Services Department then
evaluated the bids and determined that the proposal submitted by
Security Specialists most closely satisfied the City's
requirements.

Further, the plans were sent to the City's insurance underwriter
for review.  The underwriter recommended that the scope of work be
expanded to include a halon monitoring system, a monitoring system
for the Police Department basement fire sprinklers as well as
installation of smoke and heat detectors in all attic and crawl
spaces.  Staff submitted these changes to the original plans to
Security Specialists and a cost of $19,015.00 was negotiated for
this additional work.  The revised contract amount is $63,323.00.

Staff contacted Southern California Edison for whom Security
Specialists has performed work for over four years.  Edison is
extremely satisfied with the work performed by Security
Specialists.

BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT

Funds required for this project are as follows:

			Contract                  $63,323
			Contingencies               6,000
			Total Funds Required      $69,323

Appropriation authority in the amount of $69,792 is available in
CIP Account Number 01-710-453-20590-8911-99164.

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the City Council:

1.   Award the contract for installation of a fire alarm and
     detection system in the City Hall/Police facilities to
     Security Specialists in the amount of $63,323; and

2.   Authorize the City Engineer to issue any change orders
     necessary to complete additional work to the extent of funds
     available in accordance with the Administrative Instruction
     on Change Orders.

Prepared by:   Stanley E. Scholl, Director of General Services
               Desi Alvarez, City Engineer