09-26-2016 BPU RPT 13 - Laserfiche WebLink

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W A T E R E N E R C Y I WI& P U B L I C U T I L I T I E S BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES Board Memorandum DATE: SEPTEMBER 26, 2016 ITEM NO: 13 SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM AGREEMENT FROM THE DESIGN BUILD PROPOSAL NO. 1558, WITH MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC., OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, FOR THE LAND MOBILE RADIO PROJECT FOR $2,479,852, AND APPROVAL OF WORK ODER NO. 1524282 FOR $3,000,000 ISSUES: Approve a Communications System Agreement from the Design Build Proposal No. 1558 to Motorola Solutions, Inc., of San Diego, California, for $2,479,852; and 2) Work Order No. 1524282 for $3,000,000. RECOMMENDATIONS: That the Board of Public Utilities: Approve Communications System Agreement to Motorola Solutions, Inc., of San Diego, California, for the Land Mobile Radio Project for $2,479,852; and 2. Approve Work Order No. 1524282 for $3,000,000. BACKGROUND: Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) operates a Land Mobile Radio (LMR) system to facilitate voice communications between field crews and Utilities Dispatch, which handles all field communications for the electric and water divisions. The existing LMR system consists of five (5) low band VHF channels in the frequency range of 40 megahertz (MHz) to 50 MHz. There are approximately 250 radio units currently operating on the LMR system. The existing LMR system was commissioned in 2002 and has reached the end of its useful life. Several of the components required to operate the system are obsolete and are no longer supported by manufacturers. In addition, the current system does not provide adequate coverage throughout the service territory. Staff frequently cannot use the system and have to rely on cell phone communications, which is significantly less effective. The existing LMR system can no longer provide the quality of service necessary for RPU field forces to complete their work safely and effectively. The 2015 Strategic Technology Plan recommended the implementation of a new LMR system as one of the high priority projects. RPU intends to replace its existing LMR infrastructure with a new state- of -the- art system following the Project 25 (P25) public safety standard. Under the proposed agreement with Motorola Solutions, Inc. (Motorola), RPU would acquire 170 portable radio units and 100 mobile radio units, which include highly desirable features, such as encryption, GPS location, Over- the -Air- Programming, and enhanced safety features.