REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: BRIAN BARR, Assistant Director
Department of Transportation
BY: SANDY CETTI, Capital Development Specialist
Department of Transportation
SUBJECT
Title
Approve the First Amendment to the professional consultant agreement with Intueor Consulting, Inc., to incorporate a radio system assessment into the Computer Aided Dispatch Automatic Vehicle Locator project for the Department of Transportation, Fresno Area Express in the amount of $93,050, for a total contract value of $480,113.68 and authorize the Director of Transportation or designee to execute all related documents. The original contract value approved by Council was $387,063.68
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council approve the First Amendment to the professional consultant agreement with Intueor Consulting, Inc. (Intueor) to incorporate a radio system assessment into the Computer Aided Dispatch Automatic Vehicle Locator (CAD/AVL) project for the Department of Transportation Fresno Area Express (FAX) in the amount of $93,050 and authorize the Director of Transportation or designee to execute all related documents.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Council awarded a contract to Intueor, Inc. on July 13, 2020, to perform a system wide assessment to replace or upgrade the existing radio-based CAD/AVL system to a system that will improve the efficiency transfer rate providing real-time route and vehicle information via an interface to passengers, dispatchers, and supervisory personnel. FAX seeks to expand upon this scope of work and include an assessment of CAD/AVL 800 MHz radio voice and data communication infrastructure. FAX’s CAD/AVL system provides the data communication and tracking ability of our fleet. Essential to the core functionality and configuration of the CAD/AVL system is a reliable communications infrastructure that supports both voice and data communications. Currently, FAX voice and data communications is managed through our 800 MHz land mobile radio (LMR) system. The assessment will address current system’s end-of-life status, recent critical equipment failures, and lack of adequate coverage by identifying modern-day future-proof technology and infrastructure. Furthermore, channeling data communications solely through the LMR system is a dated practice that restricts FAX’s ability to take advantage of modern-day CAD/AVL system functionality and provide more robust real-time information to passengers and manage operational changes more proactively throughout the day. The radio assessment will analyze and make recommendations to either upgrade the existing 800 MHz LMR system, change voice communications to a 700 MHz LMR or Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) system.
BACKGROUND
FAX is currently engaged with Intueor, Inc. for the CAD/AVL upgrade project. Essential to the core functionality and configuration of the CAD/AVL system is the design of a reliable communications infrastructure that supports both voice and data communications. Currently, FAX voice and data communications is managed through our 800 MHz LMR system. This system is currently end of life and has recently experienced critical hardware failure of one of the two radio network controllers. Furthermore, channeling data communications solely through the LMR system is a dated practice that restricts FAX’s ability to take advantage of modern-day CAD/AVL system functionality and provide more robust real-time information to passengers and manage operational changes more proactively throughout the day.
Considering the age, and condition, of the current LMR system, and the expanding capabilities of alternative voice and data communication, this comprehensive radio assessment allows FAX to perform a thorough analysis on the options related to upgrading, maintaining, or replacing, the current system which will provide clear direction on how the upgraded CAD/AVL system will be acquired, designed, and configured. Additionally, this assessment will include evaluating potential dead spots in voice coverage to ensure that the future voice communications system is reliably and redundantly built and provides the most reliable, cost effective, and long-lasting solution possible.
The design of the future CAD/AVL system is centered around the expansion of modern data communications hardware on the vehicle and within dispatch, which allows FAX the flexibility to utilize multiple communications technologies; the design of which will benefit from the knowledge and direction gained from the radio assessment. The CAD/AVL system upgrade design will be informed by the radio assessment which will help protect FAX from several elements of risk, such as the procurement of radio hardware that may become outdated and needed to be replaced when the CAD/AVL system is upgraded, re-work/costs related to the configuration design of the radio system and CAD/AVL system, and the potential of missing the opportunity to leverage modern system functionality. The goal is to combine these efforts to ensure a comprehensive design, maintain reliable and safe operations, and ultimately reduce long-term costs and risks.
The contract to Intueor was awarded July 13, 2020, in the amount $387,063.68. The proposed cost of the Radio Assessment has been deemed fair and reasonable.
The City Attorney has approved the Amendment as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This item is not a project for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA guidelines section 15378.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not considered as this is an Amendment to an existing professional services agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT
This item has no fiscal impact to the General Fund and will be funded by (SB-1) State of Good Repair grant funds awarded to FAX for radio system repairs.
Attachments:
First Amendment
Cost Analysis