TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to execute a contract, and any necessary documents including subsequent amendments, with Safeware, Inc., of Lanham, MD; and Mallory Safety and Supply, LLC, of Portland, OR, for furnishing and delivering emergency response and public safety equipment and supplies, on the same terms and conditions afforded to the Port of Portland, OR, through Omnia Partners, in an annual aggregate amount of $3,000,000, with a 20 percent contingency in the amount of $600,000, for a total annual aggregate contract amount not to exceed $3,600,000, until the Omnia Partners contract expires on April 1, 2026, with the option to renew for as long as the Omnia Partners contract is in effect, at the discretion of the City Manager. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into a contract with Safeware, Inc. (Safeware), and Mallory Safety and Supply, LLC. (Mallory) for furnishing and delivering emergency response and public safety equipment and supplies. Such purchases are approved for procurement through federal homeland security grants issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), such as the Urban Area Security Initiative, Port Security Grant, and State Homeland Security grant programs. These grant programs have been awarded annually to the City of Long Beach (City) through the Departments of: Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response; Health and Human Services; Fire; Parks, Recreation and Marine; and Police Department since 2003. These grants are specifically awarded annually to local agencies that are considered at risk of a homeland security threat. Such funds are intended to help equip local agencies, prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies with a nexus to international or domestic terrorism, biological or cyber-attacks, and other catastrophic regional events. Specifically, these grant programs provide: financial funding for advanced threat detection; personal protection equipment; medical response equipment; cyber security enhancement; interoperable communications equipment; technology equipment and resources; and, recovery equipment, to prevent and protect the City and the community from homeland security risks.
The Purchasing Division of the Financial Management Department researched procurement options for public safety preparedness equipment and discovered other agencies had completed an open, fair, transparent, and competitive procurement process. The City reviewed the cooperative agreement options and determined that the contract between the Port of Portland and Safeware/Mallory provided the best value to the City. The City has used both regional and national cooperative purchase agreements to complement its own contracting initiatives. Cooperative purchasing enables City departments to evaluate a broader range of contracting opportunities and to share resources with other jurisdictions. Cooperative purchasing also leverages internal and external resources to maximize cost-saving opportunities for the City.
Mallory and Safeware were selected based on their alignment with the goals of the DHS grant programs. The Mallory contract will supply personal protection equipment to be used by all City employees who are required to respond to catastrophic incidents and risk potential exposure to hazardous chemical or biological materials. Such purchases will provide hand, foot, eye, and respiratory protection to City employees and community-facing tools such as traffic control and spill control equipment to mitigate the damage of hazardous materials. The Safeware product selection also includes access to personal protection equipment and explosive detection and rescue equipment commonly used nationally to keep large community gatherings safe. The Safeware contract also provides access to cyber security equipment, emergency response technology equipment, and interoperable communication equipment for items frequently procured by the City’s public safety and technology departments.
City Charter Section 1802 provides an alternative procurement method by permitting the City to purchase or otherwise obtain services, supplies, materials, equipment, and labor with other governmental agencies. This alternative procurement method can save time and reduce costs through economies of scale by purchasing under existing contracts from other government agencies on a voluntary and selective basis, when authorized by a Resolution adopted by the City Council.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Arturo D. Sanchez on March 13, 2023, Purchasing Agent Michelle Wilson on March 8, 2023, and by Budget Management Officer Nader Kaamoush on March 16, 2023.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action to adopt a Resolution and award a contract concurrently is requested on April 4, 2023, to ensure that the contract is in place expeditiously.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total annual aggregate amount of the contract will not exceed $3,600,000, inclusive of a 20 percent contingency. The cost for this contract is budgeted in the General Grants Fund Group in the Police and Fire Departments and General Services Fund Group in the Technology and Innovation Department. The contract authority is estimated based on current and anticipated purchases within various City departments, primarily in the public safety departments. Any expenditures not currently budgeted will only proceed at such time that appropriations have been approved by the City Council. Each work order will be funded by the requesting department, per project, on an as-needed basis. This recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with City Council priorities. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
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Respectfully Submitted,
WALLY HEBEISH
CHIEF OF POLICE
DENNIS BUCHANAN
CHIEF, FIRE DEPARTMENT
LEA ERIKSEN
DIRECTOR, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER