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Approve the first amendment to the contract with Pacific Network Group, LLC dba Banyan Networks increasing the contract amount by $551,400, for a total contract amount of $625,900, for engineering and planning services to support Phase 2 of Solano County’s P25 Public Safety Radio System Expansion; and Authorize the County Administrator, with County Counsel concurrence, to execute the amendment and subsequent amendments up to an aggregate amount of $74,999
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Information Technology (DoIT) recommends that the Board of Supervisors to:
1. Approve the first amendment to the contract with Pacific Network Group, LLC dba Banyan Networks increasing the contract amount by $551,400, for a total contract amount of $625,900, for engineering and planning services to support Phase 2 of Solano County’s P25 Public Safety Radio System Expansion; and
2. Authorize the County Administrator, with County Counsel concurrence, to execute the amendment and subsequent amendments up to an aggregate amount of $74,999.
SUMMARY:
DoIT is seeking Board approval to amend the existing Banyan Networks consulting contract to add critical engineering and planning tasks related to Phase 2 of Solano County’s ASTRO 25 (P25) public safety radio system expansion. The amendment will fund a comprehensive set of Phase 2 preparation tasks, including development of a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis through 2031, creation of a radio shop training plan for County technical staff, a review of the microwave and Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network implementation and associated maintenance contracts, and an expert analysis of the simulcast radio system coverage with a plan to decommission the legacy VHF radio system. In addition, the amendment covers civil engineering and site design support for new radio tower sites in Dixon, Rio Vista, and Red Top, which are planned to enhance coverage as part of Phase 2. These site engineering services include tasks such as site surveys, tower and equipment shelter design, power and backhaul planning, and related engineering work for the new locations.
Approval of this contract amendment will allow Banyan Networks to proceed with Phase 2 planning in advance of implementation. This contract is limited to engineering consulting and design and does not include Phase 2 construction or Motorola radio equipment purchases. Banyan Networks is currently providing public safety communications engineering support to the County under the NASPO ValuePoint cooperative purchasing contract (#00318). This amendment (the first change order to the contract) expands Banyan’s scope under that agreement to encompass the additional Phase 2 preparatory work. All work under the amendment is expected to be completed during calendar year 2026 in anticipation of a future Phase 2 build-out.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The proposed amendment will increase the Banyan Networks contract by $551,400, bringing the total not-to-exceed contract amount from $74,500 to $625,900. Funding in the amount of $7,814,894 has been received for the P25 project through a State Earmark, previously allocated General Fund, and American Rescue Plan Act funding. Current obligations for Phase 1 total approximately $7.1 million providing sufficient funding to begin planning for Phase 2 through this contract. Funding for this contract amendment is available in DoIT’s FY2025/26 Working Budget and will be requested for FY2026/27 for the Public Safety Radio System Expansion project. No additional General Fund is required.
DISCUSSION:
Solano County is in the process of completing Phase 1 of its P25 public safety radio system upgrade for Vallejo and Benicia by May 2026, which will replace and modernize the County’s primary radio network in these two cities. Phase 2 of this project is now being planned to further improve radio coverage and capacity, particularly by adding new transmission sites in the Dixon, Rio Vista, and Red Top areas. These new sites are intended to fill coverage gaps and enhance communications for law enforcement, fire, and other public safety users countywide. In September 2025, the County entered into a contract with Banyan Networks (Pacific Network Group, LLC) for public safety communications engineering support services in the amount of $74,500. Under that initial contract, Banyan has been assisting the County with technical expertise on the P25 radio system, including network configuration, coverage analysis, and planning for next steps.
As the County prepares for Phase 2, additional specialized engineering work is required beyond the original contract scope. The proposed First Amendment will allow Banyan Networks to undertake several key tasks that are necessary before Phase 2 implementation can proceed:
• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Analysis (through 2031): Banyan will develop a comprehensive financial and operational model projecting the lifecycle costs of the expanded P25 radio system through the year 2031. This analysis will consider all relevant cost factors - such as tower and shelter maintenance, HVAC, microwave backhaul, network equipment (e.g. routers), Motorola service agreements (SUA), leased circuit fees, utilities, and other ongoing operations and maintenance expenses - to give the County a full picture of long-term costs for the Phase 2 expansion. The TCO study will inform budgeting and ensure the Board understands future financial commitments before authorizing Phase 2 construction.
• Radio Shop Training Plan: Banyan will review the County’s current training roadmap for radio technicians and develop a structured Radio Shop Training Plan. The goal is to identify any skill or knowledge gaps and create a curriculum to ensure County technical staff can effectively operate and maintain the enhanced radio system. This will involve coordination with key vendors (Motorola Solutions, Aviat, Nokia) to incorporate vendor-specific training. By investing in staff development, the County aims to be more self-sufficient in supporting the P25 system after Phase 2, reducing dependence on external contractors for routine maintenance.
• MPLS/Microwave Network Implementation Review: Phase 1 of the P25 project included a modern microwave backhaul network (using MPLS routing technology) to connect radio sites. Under this amendment, Banyan will perform an in-depth review of the MPLS and microwave network implementation and related contracts. This includes auditing current maintenance agreements, examining network topology and configurations, and verifying that work delivered by vendors (Motorola, Aviat, Nokia) meets specifications. The review will help ensure the existing network backbone is optimized and reliable before new sites are added in Phase 2. Any findings or recommended network adjustments can be addressed in advance, improving Phase 2’s deployment success.
• Simulcast System Coverage Review and VHF Decommissioning Plan: Banyan will conduct a thorough analysis of the County’s simulcast radio system coverage and develop a plan for phasing out the old VHF conventional radio system. This task involves updating coverage maps for the current P25 simulcast cell (using tools such as EDX propagation software) and working with Motorola to understand baseline coverage data. Banyan will identify if any simulcast power level or configuration adjustments are needed for optimal performance. In parallel, they will create a VHF Decommissioning Plan that inventories the legacy VHF equipment, proposes a schedule for retiring or repurposing it, and provides cost justifications. This ensures that once Phase 2 is live, the County can smoothly transition off the outdated VHF system, avoid unnecessary maintenance costs and reduce radio interference.
• Site Engineering and Design for New Radio Sites: A significant portion of the amendment is dedicated to civil engineering and site design support for the planned new Phase 2 radio tower locations at Dixon, Rio Vista, and Red Top. Banyan’s team (including RF engineers and licensed civil/structural engineers) will carry out or coordinate necessary work such as land surveys, geotechnical investigations (soil borings), and detailed site layouts and construction drawings for each new site. This includes determining optimal tower heights and configurations, designing foundations for towers and equipment shelters, planning site access roads and security fencing, specifying backup power systems (generators and battery banks), and planning for network backhaul connectivity (microwave links, fiber, or leased circuits). Each site’s unique factors will be addressed (for example, evaluating potential wind turbine interference in the Rio Vista area) to ensure the designs are sound. In addition to the three new sites, the scope covers engineering for improvements at two existing sites (Kregor Peak and Winters) related to Phase 2, though the primary focus is on the new Dixon, Rio Vista, and Red Top locations. By completing these engineering designs now, the County will be “shovel-ready” for Phase 2 construction.
Overall, the amendment’s scope equips the County with detailed plans, cost projections, and technical readiness for Phase 2 of the radio project. Banyan Networks, having been involved in Phase 1 and current system support, is uniquely positioned to perform this work efficiently. The use of the NASPO ValuePoint cooperative contract has allowed the County to engage Banyan under pre-negotiated terms and pricing, and the same cooperative agreement pricing is being applied to this expanded scope. This amendment does not obligate the County to proceed with Phase 2 construction, but provides a comprehensive evaluation the Phase 2 total cost and benefits before the project moves forward.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could choose not to approve this contract amendment. This is not recommended because it would significantly delay critical planning work for the P25 Phase 2 radio system expansion. Without expert engineering analysis and design, the County would be ill-prepared to move forward with Phase 2, potentially leading to higher costs, design errors, or coverage shortfalls if the project were executed without this preparation.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION