Agenda Item Wording:
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Authorization to revise the Axon Fleet 3 Mobile Audio/ Video Contract: Authorize the City Manager to amend the current Fleet 3 Mobile Audio/Video Contract with Axon Enterprise Inc. to advance the purchase of twenty-three (23) in-car camera systems, include 5G network capabilities for thirty-four (34) new in-car camera systems, and purchase ninety-nine (99) Airgain Antennas, to equip existing patrol vehicles with 5G network capabilities.
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Deadline for Action: 10/7/2024
Submitting Department: Police Department
Contact Name and Phone Number:
Chief Jason Salazar, ext. 4215, jason.salazar@visalia.city <mailto:jason.salazar@visalia.city>;
Captain Dan Ford, ext. 4151, daniel.ford@visalia.city <mailto:daniel.ford@visalia.city>;
Financial Analyst Liz Ybarra, ext. 4250, liz.ybarra@visalia.city <mailto:liz.ybarra@visalia.city>
Department Recommendation:
Authorize the City Manager to amend the current Fleet 3 Mobile Audio/Video Contract with Axon Enterprise Inc. to advance the purchase of twenty-three (23) in-car camera systems, include 5G network capabilities for 34 new in-car camera systems, and transfer $77,255 from existing ARPA projects with a surplus. Staff is also recommending to appropriate $101,837 from the General Fund to purchase ninety-nine (99) Airgain Antennas, to equip existing patrol vehicles with 5G network capabilities.
Summary:
The Visalia Police Department has begun taking receipt of 34 patrol vehicles ordered in the fall of 2023. To equip all of these vehicles with Mobile Audio/Video (MAV) in-car camera systems, the current contract with Axon Enterprise needs to be amended to advance the purchase of 23 Axon Fleet in-car camera systems that were originally scheduled to be ordered in years four and five of the contract (11 in FY24/25 and 12 in FY25/26), in addition to the 11 systems that are slated to be installed this year. This advance is due to the Department ordering a larger number of patrol vehicles due to supply and demand concerns with vendors for police fleets.
Additionally, due to improvements in 5G network communications technology and areas of concern related to the current network coverage of our LTE network, Information Services staff are recommending outfitting the MAV systems described above (total of 34), and the existing 99 patrol vehicles with 5G capable hardware. For the 34 new systems, the hardware will be included with new MAV system. Staff are requesting to purchase 99 Airgain 7-in-1 5G capable antennas and associated installation cost for the remaining 99 vehicles.
Background Discussion:
On March 21, 2022, Council approved the acquisition of 133 MAV in-car camera systems for the Police Department's patrol fleet, utilizing ARPA funding. The vendor, Axon Enterprise Inc., was selected through an RFP process. Upon obtaining council approval, the in-car cameras have been acquired and installed in a phased approach, including 88 vehicles in year one and 11 vehicles in year two. We were projected to install an additional 11 systems each in year three (FY24/25) and year four (FY 25/26), and 12 vehicles in year five (FY 26/27). This approach aimed to ensure that systems were not installed in old vehicles that were likely to be replaced within a few years and would have incurred additional installation costs and risk of damage to the hardware. By utilizing this approach, the Department anticipated putting new systems in new vehicles in accordance with our vehicle replacement plan. As of today, the Department has installed the MAV systems in 99 vehicles. We are due to receive 11 additional MAV systems by December 1, of 2024. In addition to these 11, staff are requesting to advance the remaining 23 systems that were projected in years four and five.
This plan was implemented before the vehicle shortages and manufacturing issues that arose due to the COVID pandemic. Because of supply and demand issues, the vehicle replacement plan had to be amended. In the Fall of 2023, the Council approved the purchase of 34 vehicles after an intensive effort by Police Department staff to secure a supply of Dodge Durango Pursuits. Despite the order of these vehicles, staff elected to delay amending the contract until we began to receive these vehicles due to uncertainty in the automotive manufacturing industry and to avoid unnecessary costs or contractual obligations if we received the systems without being able to use them should the vehicles have failed to arrive at the estimated delivery date.
During this period, MIS staff and the Police Department also conducted testing of the LTE communications network to assess its reliability. When we purchased our Axon MAV in-car system, 5G was still evolving in our area, did not have reliable coverage, and was untested with the technology used in the MAV systems, leading to our recommendation to remain with LTE. Recent testing indicates LTE is now experiencing coverage gaps, impacting the effective communication of department mobile data computers, which is expected to worsen with time due to telecommunication providers indicating that all future communications towers will be 5G exclusive. Additionally, the 5G hardware used in the MAV system has been tested thoroughly, and staff are confident in its reliability. Based on the research conducted by City staff, we have determined that all 34 new MAV systems should be capable of 5G network communications.
Additionally, staff must replace the current fleet's antenna and cradle points. The recommended antenna is the Airgain 7-in-1, and staff are requesting to use this model to replace 99 antennas for vehicles currently using the Axon MAV system. Additionally, MIS has located the required cradle points at a discounted rate, which will be presented to the Council in a separate staff report. In addition to the antenna purchase, staff have negotiated with Axon to install all new antennas for existing systems at a discounted rate.
Fiscal Impact:
At the March 21, 2022, meeting, the Council approved $900,000 for this project. The amended contract cost to advance the equipment and licensing for 23 vehicles and upgrade all 34 vehicles to 5G is $84,335. These changes result in a project shortfall of $77,255. Staff recommends transfering$77,255 from existing ARPA projects that have a surplus.
Staff is also recommending an additional appropriation from the General Fund in the amount of $101,837 to purchase and install 99 antennas for the current MAV systems installed in our police fleet. As mentioned above, a separate contract to fund and purchase the cradle points will be brought back to Council in the near future. This change is recommended to be funded from a different fund due to ARPA funds installing the original LTE system. Below is a table that summarizes the changes recommended:
|
Audio/Video System Implementation in Patrol Cars |
|
# of Cars |
Year 1 FY 22/23 |
Year 2 FY 23/24 |
Year 3 FY 24/25 |
Year 4 FY 25/26 |
Year 5 FY 26/27 |
Total |
|
Original Cars |
88 |
11 |
11 |
11 |
12 |
133 |
|
Proposed Cars |
88 |
11 |
34 |
0 |
0 |
133 |
|
Increase (Decrease) |
0 |
0 |
23 |
-11 |
-12 |
0 |
|
# of Cars |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
Year 4 |
Year 5 |
Total |
|
Original Cars |
$319,637 |
$89,222 |
$115,207 |
$149,910 |
$218,944 |
$892,920 |
|
Proposed Cars |
$319,637 |
$89,222 |
$377,636 |
$95,380 |
$95,380 |
$977,255 |
|
Increase (Decrease) |
$- |
$- |
$262,429 |
$(54,530) |
$(123,564) |
$84,335 |
*Note: The $84,334 increase is due to upgrading to 5G and advancing license earlier.
|
ARPA Project |
|
ARPA CIP Budget |
$900,000 |
|
Original Contract |
$(892,920) |
|
Proposed Changes #1 |
$(84,335( |
|
ARPA PA Shortfall |
$(77,255) |
|
|
|
99 Antennas Upgrade for 5G |
$(101,838) |
|
|
|
Total Funding Requests |
$(179,093) |
|
Total Contract Increase |
$186,173 |
Prior Council Action: N/A
Other: N/A
Alternatives: N/A
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
Authorize the City Manager to amend the current Fleet 3 Mobile Audio/Video Contract with Axon Enterprise Inc. to advance the purchase of twenty-three (23) in-car camera systems, include 5G network capabilities for 34 new in-car camera systems and transfer $77,255 from remaining ARPA projects; and appropriate $101,837 from the General Fund to purchase ninety-nine (99) Airgain Antennas, to equip existing patrol vehicles with 5G network capabilities.
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Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Attachments: N/A