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Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request in the amount of $100,000 from the Capital Renewal Reserve to the Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Project (BU1707) to upgrade from an analog to a digital voice logger as a part of the dispatch expansion project (4/5 vote required); and Authorize the County Administrator to sign the necessary agreements
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of General Services recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request in the amount of $100,000 from the Capital Renewal Reserve to the Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Project (BU1707) to upgrade from an analog to a digital voice logger as a part of the dispatch expansion project (4/5 vote required); and
2. Authorize the County Administrator to sign the necessary agreements, subject to approval as to form by County Counsel, and any other related agreements or contract modifications to perform the necessary upgrades within the approved appropriation.
SUMMARY:
On August 25, 2015 the Board of Supervisors authorized the Sheriff’s Office to create excess capacity to facilitate the consolidation of fire and emergency medical services (EMS) dispatch in Solano County. The new center will be all digital while the existing center is a combination of analog and digital solutions. The new audio capture equipment will complete the upgrade to a modern, all digital communications center in the new and existing facilities with identical capabilities.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
In order for the Sheriff’s Office Dispatch to increase its capability and provide consolidated fire dispatch services, an investment of $2 million was approved by the Board of Supervisors on August 25, 2015. The investment was intended to purchase upgrades to hardware and software in dispatch for Fire and EMS. $50,000 was initially budgeted for the expansion of the analogue voice logger. After further analysis the expansion of the analogue system is not prudent in the long term. A new digital voice logger would serve the current 6 consoles and the expansion of 6 consoles for a total of 12 consoles at a cost of $163,000. The project budget requires an additional $100,000 in order to upgrade to a new digital voice logger.
A transfer of $100,000 from the Capital Renewal Reserve is requested to finance the new digital voice logger that would serve all the consoles in the expanded dispatch center. There is no additional impact to the County General Fund.
DISCUSSION:
The current voice logger in the Dispatch Center is an analog device that will no longer be serviced by the manufacturer after 2017. It can be upgraded to handle the new dispatch center expansion at the cost of $38,000 for a one-year period. At the end of the contract, the system will no longer be supported and a new digital system will have to be purchased and installed.
During the planning phase of the Fire Dispatch Project, the current voice logger vendor Capture/Verint confirmed that our system was compatible with the new Motorola equipment being installed. Once the Purchase Order was ready a year later, the Sheriff’s Office was informed that the existing equipment would only be serviceable for another year. Two options were offered. Buy a one-year fix for the additional six consoles at $38,000 or purchase a new, $163,350 digital voice logger that will serve all twelve consoles.
The voice logger is a critical piece of equipment required by law in all Public Safety Access Points. The current system is obsolete and at times, difficult to work with and produce the audio recordings for investigations and the courts. Technology available today will speed up the capture of audio files and reduce the hours spent completing discovery tasks in the center.
Purchasing the new system now will allow the vendor to install equipment alongside Motorola, reducing costs and eliminating disruptions in a functioning dispatch center. Delaying will increase costs and the complexity if the installation occurs in a fully operational center.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could elect not to approve the Appropriation Transfer Request or the County could defer purchasing the digital voice logger and use the existing analog system for a year at a cost of $38,000. This is not recommended because in a year’s time, the analog logger will be obsolete and no longer serviceable. Solano County will then be required to purchase a new digital system compatible with the new dispatch center equipment. Installation costs would increase since it will not occur simultaneously with the current upgrade to the dispatch center.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Department of General Services and the Sheriff’s Office have been working together on the upgrade of the Dispatch Center. County Counsel has been reviewing the contracts or agreements as to form.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION