Agenda Item Wording:
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Award the Purchase and Installation of Cellular Radios - Authorize the City Manager to award the sole source purchase and installation of 13 cellular radios at the City's sanitary sewer lift stations in the amount of $112,278 to Telstar Instruments and the transfer of funds within the Wastewater Fund.
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Prepared by:
Ben Litwack, Public Works Manager, 559-713-4671, ben.litwack@visalia.gov
Nick Bartsch, Public Works Director, 559-713-4052, nick.bartsch@visalia.gov
Department Recommendation: Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to award a sole source purchase order in the amount of $112,278 to Telstar Instruments for the installation of 13 cellular radios at the City's sanitary sewer lift stations and the transfer of funds within the Wastewater Fund (431).
Summary:
The City's sanitary sewer lift stations currently utilize traditional radio communications to relay operational data to the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. These radios have become increasingly unreliable, resulting in frequent communication failures and unnecessary alarm callouts to staff. Telstar Instruments has proposed the installation of cellular radios at all 13 lift stations for a total cost of $112,278. This upgrade will replace the existing radio system with a modern, more reliable cellular communication network and represents significant cost savings compared to the previously planned fiber optic installation project.
Background Discussion:
The City's sanitary sewer lift stations play a critical role in conveying wastewater to the Water Reclamation Facility. Reliable communication between these lift stations and the SCADA system is essential for continuous monitoring, control, and regulatory compliance. The existing radio-based communication network has become increasingly prone to interference, signal loss, and environmental degradation, leading to frequent communication failures, false alarms, and unn...
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