Item 6-E
City Council Meeting: 03-23-99 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Recommendation to Approve a Resolution Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 2.24.080 to Authorize the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute the Purchase and Installation of Opticom Traffic Signal Pre-emption Equipment with John C. Henberger Co., Inc., without Competitive Bidding.
Introduction
This report recommends the City Council approve a resolution pursuant to Municipal Code Section 2.24.080 to authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute within available budget authority for the purchase and installation of Opticom traffic signal pre-emption equipment with John C. Henberger Co.,Inc., without competitive bidding.
Discussion
The City's Transportation Management Division regularly purchases traffic signal pre-emption equipment for new installations, and repair and maintenance of existing equipment. This is the second year of a phased implementation of the system on priority routes identified by the Fire Department. Traffic signal pre-emption is a system that changes traffic signals to "green" or holds a traffic signal "green" for the direction of travel of a Fire Department emergency vehicles, providing them with reduced respose times. This system provides for safer travel for emergency vehicles as well as the general public.
Currently, all of the signal pre-emption equipment throughout the City, including equipment used by the Division and the Fire Department, is 3-M Opticom equipment. Henberger is the local distributor for 3-M Opticom signal pre-emption systems and equipment. In a joint project between Transportation Management and the Fire Department, Transportation Management regularly modifies the traffic signals and the Fire Department equips their vehicles with the pre-emption equipment. John C. Henberger is the only company in this region that can supply Opticom equipment for both divisions. Although one other provider claims to have pre-emption equipment, the Santa Monica Fire Department has tested their equipment and is not satisfied with their performance or reliability. It is important that this safety system be a reliable uniform system to ensure the safety of both the Fire Department personnel and the general public.
The 3-M Company has a long history of providing pre-emption equipment to public agencies. Their product is reliable and well developed and they provide good service to their clients. This system is used by numerous agencies in this area. A similar resolution was approved by the City Council and executed by the City Manager during the last fiscal year.
Budget/Fiscal Impact
Funds for the purchase and installation of the equipment are included in existing CIP accounts or existing division budget line item accounts. For FY 98/99, $120,000 has been budgeted in CIP account #01-770-415-20099-8900-99720 for the purchase and installation of Opticom equipment.
Recommendation
It is respectfully recommended the City Council approve the attached resolution pursuant to Municipal Code Section 2.24.080 to authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute within available budget authority for the purchase and installation of Opticom traffic signal pre-emption equipment with John C. Henberger Co., Inc., without competitive bidding.
Prepared by: Suzanne Frick, Director of Planning and Community Development
Lucy Dyke, Transportation Planning Manager
Jamal Rahimi, Senior Transportation Engineer
RESOLUTION NO. __________________
City Council Series
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE FOR THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF OPTICOM TRAFFIC SIGNAL PRE-EMPTION EQUIPMENT WITH JOHN C. HENBERGER CO., INC., WITHOUT COMPETITIVE BIDDING.
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica Transportation Management Division has a requirement for purchase and installation of traffic signal pre-emption equipment; and
WHEREAS, the traffic signal pre-emption equipment must be compatible with Opticom traffic signal pre-emption equipment; and
WHEREAS, to the staff's best knowledge only one company can supply this equipment; and
WHEREAS, the products and services rendered in the past by this company have provided high quality, durable equipment at a fair price; and
WHEREAS, to seek competitive bids for purchase and installation of said equipment would be futile as there exists no competitive market, would only cause unnecessary expense and delay and would not be in the public interest.
NOW, THEREFORE THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council finds that no competitive market exists to purchase and install traffic signal pre-emption equipment and that such equipment can be purchased more economically on the open market.
SECTION 2. The City Council also finds that to seek competitive bids for said equipment would cause unnecessary expense and delay.
SECTION 3. The City Manager, or his designee, is hereby authorized to purchase Opticom traffic signal pre-emption equipment from John C. Henberger Co., Inc., the only distributor in the southwest region for Opticom equipment and have them install the equipment without competitive bids.
SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________
City Attorney
ADOPTED AND APPROVED THIS ___________ DAY OF _________________ 1999.
__________________________________
MAYOR