Waive competitive bidding procedures, find that this waiver is desirable and in conformance with state law and authorize the execution of a five-year agreement with Vigilant Solutions in an amount not-to-exceed $1,041,107.87 to purchase 81 Automated License Plate Recognition cameras and the associated hardware, warranty and the hosted software service.
Approve Bear Electrical Solutions as a sole source provider and authorize the execution of a one-year agreement with two one-year renewal options in the amount of $104,737.50 to install Vigilant supplied cameras and all associated hardware, and authorize the City Manager, at his discretion, to approve cumulative change orders up to 10% ($10,473.75) of the awarded installation contract amount.
Approve an appropriation amendment in the amount of $75,319.12 from the General Fund unreserved fund balance to the Automatic License Plate Readers project.
Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an Automated License Plate Recognition data sharing agreement with the Cities of Chino, Diamond Bar, and Pomona.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS:
The City of Chino Hills Police Department is committed to prevent crime from impacting the City. To accomplish this objective, the Police Department has deployed several strategies in partnership with the community. These strategies include focusing on serious and habitual offenders, increased two-way communication with the community and encouraging the use of home and commercial video surveillance technology.
Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology was authorized for use by state and local law enforcement agencies by the passage of California Senate Bill 1330 on May 29, 2012. ALPR systems utilize special cameras to capture a color image, as well as an infrared image, of a license plate from a passing vehicle. The images are converted to a text file utilizing Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. The text file is automatically compared against law enforcement databases for review against stolen vehicles, stolen license plates, wanted persons, missing persons, and public safety related files. ALPRs may also be used to gather information related to active warrants, homeland security, electronic surveillance, suspect interdiction and stolen property recovery. In addition, ALPR data can be an extremely valuable tool for criminal investigations.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBCSD) conducted extensive research on ALPR technology and selected Vigilant Solutions after evaluating proposals from three leading vendors. (Attached as Memorandum from SBCSD.) Vigilant's ability to share data with neighboring cities is one of the most significant and beneficial elements of this project. This would enable the City of Chino Hills to expand its searching capabilities into other jurisdictions.
Vigilant Solutions provides an ALPR data and cloud hosting application called the Law Enforcement Archival and Reporting Network (LEARN). The ALPR cameras will upload directly to the LEARN system and the data would be owned by the City. Vigilant also provides a commercial data network that offers over five billion nationwide detections and over 150 million more added every month.
The ALPR system specifies one camera for each lane of traffic and one communication box for each signal pole. The City’s original $1,000,000 budget proposal in Fiscal Year 2017-18 consisted of 64 cameras and 26 communication boxes for 11 sites. After conducting additional site surveys, the City is recommending a modified proposal of 81 cameras and 36 communication boxes for 12 sites. The City is requesting an appropriation amendment in the amount of $75,319.12 from the General Fund unreserved balance to adequately fund the project with these modifications.
The City will be required to obtain encroachment permits, approved plan specifications and a data sharing agreement with the Cities of Chino, Diamond Bar, and Pomona due to placement of cameras in their jurisdictions.
Chino Hills Municipal Code Section 3.18.050.I permits the City Council to waive competitive procedures when it finds that such waiver is required or desirable and in conformance with state law. City staff requests that the City Council waive competitive procedures and make this finding because the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, which provides the City's law enforcement services, relies on the Vigilant system and thus is familiar with it, chose it after undergoing a competitive bid process and the Vigilant system will allow the City to share data with neighboring jurisdictions of Chino, Diamond Bar, and Pomona which use the same system.
Bear Electrical Solutions (BES) is a certified installer of fixed ALPR cameras and equipment for Vigilant Solutions and currently the exclusive installer in Southern California. (See attached letter from Vigilant.) BES has installed Vigilant fixed ALPR cameras for law enforcement agencies such as: Los Angeles County, Carlsbad, Rancho Palos Verdes, and San Bernardino County. The costs associated with installation will be $104,737.50. The City is requesting a 10% contingency to accommodate any changes in scope. Chino Hills Municipal Code Section 3.18.050.B provides an exception when a service can be obtained from only one provider, also known as sole source. City staff recommends the City approve BES as a sole source because it is the exclusive provider for the Vigilant system.
In order to satisfy the data requirements of this project, each communication box will require a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card with the accompanying Verizon unlimited data cellular plan. There are a total of 36 communication boxes for this project, requiring 36 SIM cards at an estimated $40 each per month or $17,280 annually. This annual ongoing maintenance cost will be included in Fiscal Year 2018-19 and any subsequent years.
ENVIRONMENTAL (CEQA) REVIEW:
This action of approving this contract is not a project within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (California Public Resources Code §§21000, et seq., "CEQA") and CEQA Guidelines (Title 14 California Code of Regulations §§15000, et seq.) Section 15378 and is therefore exempt from CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost for this project is as follows:
Item Description
Amount
Contract for ALPR Cameras, Associated Hardware, Warranty and Year 1 of Vigilant Hosted Software Service
$960,107.87
Contract for Installation of ALPR Cameras and Associated Hardware
104,737.50
Contingencies (10%)
10,473.75
Grand Total Project Cost
$1,075,319.12
Funding for this project will come from the following sources:
Project No.
Funding Source
Amount
F18005
General Fund
$1,000,000.00
Total Approved Funding
$1,000,000.00
Additional Appropriation Requested
$75,319.12
Grand Total Project Funding
$1,075,319.12
There is sufficient funding in the Information Technology operating budget to cover the Fiscal Year 2018-19 ongoing maintenance costs. Future ongoing maintenance costs will be budgeted for in the appropriate fiscal year. Annual ongoing maintenance costs consist of the following:
Item Description
Amount
Vigilant Hosted Software Service
$20,250.00
Verizon Cellular Data Charges
$17,280.00
Grand Total Annual Ongoing Maintenance Costs
$37,530.00
REVIEWED BY OTHERS:
This agenda item has been reviewed by the Assistant City Manager, City Attorney, Finance Director and Information Technology Manager.