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CC - CONSENT ITEM: (1) Approval of an Agreement with Reliable Monitoring Services, Inc. in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $227,751 to Replace the Police Station Fire Alarm System and to Maintain the New System for Five Years; and (2) Approval of an Amendment to the Existing Professional Services Agreement with Coffman Engineers Inc., Increasing the Amount from $37,500 to $62,500 to Oversee Installation of the New Fire Alarm System.
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Meeting Date: May 8, 2023
Contact Person/Dept.: Joe Susca, Public Works-Administration
Phone Number: 310-253-5636
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Attachments: Yes [] No [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (05/03/2023); Reliable Monitoring Systems (04/17/2023); JAM Fire Master (04/17/2023); Diligent Group (04/17/2023)
Department Approval: Yanni Demitri, Public Works Director/City Engineer (04/19/2023)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) approve an agreement with Reliable Monitoring Services, Inc. (RMS) to replace the Police Station Fire Alarm System and to maintain it for five years upon expiration of the new system’s one-year parts and labor warranty in an amount not-to-exceed $227,751; and 2) approve an amendment to the existing professional services agreement with Coffman Engineers Inc., increasing it from $37,500 to $62,500 to oversee installation of the new fire alarm system; PZ132 Building Repairs.
BACKGROUND
The Police Station’s existing fire alarm system is approximately two decades old, proprietary in nature, and comprised of a combination of Siemens and Simplex brand components including smoke detectors, audible alarms, visual strobes, pull stations, magnetic door closers, control panels, and ceiling sprinklers (the “System”).
Recently, the System has become compromised, has suffered several failures, and has become unstable, causing frequent false alarms. Due to the existing System’s unreliability, staff requested Coffman Engineers, Inc. (Coffman) submit a proposal to create designs and technical specifications to replace the System to insert into a Request for Proposals (RFP) for release to competing fire alarm firms.
Staff has a very favorable history of hiring Coffman to provide similar services for other City-owned facilities, and their $62,500 proposal includes design, preparation of plans and specifications, conducting job walks attended by competing firms, answering technical questions, evaluating the proposals received, forming a recommendation on which firm to hire, and overseeing the installation of the new system. Due to the life safety urgency of the matter, staff entered into a $37,500 contract with Coffman administratively to complete the scope of work, excluding a $25,000 line-item fee to oversee installation of the new system.
Due to the unreliability of the existing proprietary system, the technical specifications Coffman prepared require that any proposed new system be non-proprietary in nature, ensuring that all future maintenance agreements and equipment replacements will be competitively priced.
DISCUSSION
Staff inserted the plans and specifications Coffman prepared into an RFP, posted it onto PlanetBids, and received the following three responses:
The RMS proposal includes removal of the old System and its replacement, and it comes with a one-year parts and labor warranty.
Coffman reviewed the RMS proposal for completeness, prepared questions about its content, reviewed their answers, and then contacted their references, which were found to be very favorable.
Staff recommends that RMS be selected to install and maintain the new fire alarm system and that the Coffman agreement be amended to include oversight of the new system’s installation.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The Revised Budget for Fiscal Year 2022/2023 includes CIP No. PZ132 Building Repairs, which contains sufficient remaining funds to cover the $227,751 contract with RMS and the $25,000 amendment to the existing professional services agreement with Coffman.
MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Approve an agreement with Reliable Monitoring Services, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $227,751 to replace the fire alarm system at the Police Station and to maintain the new system for five years; and
2. Approve a $25,000 amendment to the existing agreement with Coffman Engineers Inc. increasing it from $37,500 to $62,500 to oversee installation of the new fire alarm system; and
3. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
4. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.