The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 04/06/2004 - RESOLUTION 2004-048 APPROVING THE PURCHASE OF TWEN ITEM NUMBER: 22 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY DATE: April 6, 2004 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Jim O'Neill SUBJECT Resolution 2004-048 Approving the Purchase of Twenty-Eight ISI Viking ST Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)Units as an Exception to the Competitive Process. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution. FINANCIAL IMPACT This project is supported by grant #2003-MU-T3-0033 2003 State Homeland Security — Part II (Sub-grant Award Number 03-EX-OPS-30). EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Larimer County is the lead agency awarded a federal grant from the Department of Homeland Security for the purpose of supporting emergency preparedness in the event of acts of terrorism or other emergency situations. Fort Collins Police Services (FCPS) is one of the sub-grant agencies which has been awarded $159,514.50 for the procurement of self-contained breathing apparatus equipment that will enable its law enforcement officers to function in the event of chemical or biological emergency. BACKGROUND FCPS has spent over three months in testing and evaluation of SCBA (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus) equipment manufactured by the three leading manufacturers: International Safety Instruments (ISI), Scott Equipment, and MSA-Draeger. Based on this evaluation, the Viking ST model from ISI was determined as the best value for Law Enforcement applications for the following reasons: • Viking was designed for SWAT teams in Arizona in response to deficiencies found in Scott equipment(which is primarily designed for firefighters)when used in armed Law Enforcement scenarios. Viking has a built-in microphone in the face piece,which doubles as a voice amplifier. The voice amplifier speaker is also built into the system at the April 6, 2004 -2- Item No. 22 factory. Scott and MSA-Draeger sell voice amplifiers and radio headsets as add-ons which attach to the facepiece on the outside. The additional bulk makes it impossible to cheek the stock of a shoulder-fired weapon. Furthermore, with the exception of the air-hose feeding the regulator in the face piece, all wires and hoses in the Viking are contained in the shoulder straps. The other units have several wires and hoses dangling from the harness and facepiece, which is a detriment in a combat situation. • The regulator on the Viking is built into the facepiece. This allows the operator to breathe the ambient air supply through the facepiece, and switch to the self-contained air supply at the touch of a button.On the other models, the regulator hangs from the belt and has to be attached to the facepiece when needed; putting the operator at a tactical disadvantage. • Viking air bottles are interchangeable with the Scott air bottles; which is important since Scott is the standard for the Northern Colorado Fire Consortium, which includes Poudre Fire Authority. • Bomb Unit officers cannot use the Scott or MSA-Draeger units; only the Viking unit fits under the bombsuit helmet. • Viking is the only unit with the digital pressure-indicator built into the harness, and a second colored LED light indicator visible inside the facepiece. • The emergency buddy-breathing system on the Viking is much superior and quicker to use than those on the Scott and MSA-Draeger models. The Resolution authorizes the purchase of twenty-eight(28)ISI Viking ST SCBA units with options and training as an exemption to the use of competitive bid or proposal as provided in Section 8-161(d)(1) b. Although there exists more than one (1) responsible source, a competitive process cannot reasonably be used or, if used, will result in a substantially higher cost to the City, will otherwise injure the City's financial interests or will substantially impede the City's administrative functions or the delivery of services to the public. RESOLUTION 2004-048 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROVING THE PURCHASE OF TWENTY-EIGHT ISI VIKING ST SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS (SCBA) UNITS AS AN EXCEPTION TO THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS WHEREAS, Fort Collins Police Services wishes to purchase self-contained breathing equipment that will allow officers to function during a chemical or biological emergency; and WHEREAS, a Federal Homeland Security grant has been received covering the entire cost of the purchase; and WHEREAS,Fort Collins Police Services has conducted an extensive three-month evaluation process testing Law Enforcement-specific models from the top three SCBA manufacturers side-by- side; and WHEREAS,the Purchasing Agent has determined that the purchase of the ISI Viking SCBA units as an exception to competitive processes is in the best interests of the City, due to the results of that three-month evaluation process, which found: • Viking was designed for SWAT teams in Arizona in response to deficiencies found in Scott equipment(which is primarily designed for firefighters)when used in armed Law Enforcement scenarios. • Viking has a built-in microphone in the face piece,which doubles as a voice amplifier. The voice amplifier speaker is also built into the system at the factory. • The regulator on the Viking is built into the facepiece. This allows the operator to breathe the ambient air supply through the facepiece, and switch to the self-contained air supply at the touch of a button. • Viking air bottles are interchangeable with the Scott air bottles; which is important since Scott is the standard for the Northern Colorado Fire Consortium,which includes Poudre Fire Authority.Only the Viking unit fits under bombsuit helmets; • Viking is the only unit with the digital pressure-indicator built into the harness, and a second colored LED light indicator visible inside the facepiece; and WHEREAS, funds have been budgeted and approved in the Patrol budget for 2004; and WHEREAS, Section 8-161(d)(1)(b) of the Code of the City of Fort Collins authorizes the Purchasing Agent to negotiate the purchase of supplies and services without utilizing a competitive bidding process where the Purchasing Agent determines that although there exists more than one(1) responsible source, a competitive process cannot reasonably be used or, if used, will result in a substantially higher cost to the city, will otherwise injure the city's financial interests or will substantially impede the city's administrative functions or the delivery of services to the public;and WHEREAS, the Purchasing Agent has determined that in this case utilizing a competitive process would impede the delivery of services to the public; and WHEREAS, the Purchasing Agent has submitted the requisite justification to the City Manager for approval; and WHEREAS, the City Manager has reviewed and concurred in that determination for this acquisition; and WHEREAS, Section 8-161(d)(3) of the City Code requires approval of this purchasing method by the City Council for items costing more than One Hundred Thousand Dollars($100,000) prior to acquisition. NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that the purchase of twenty-eight(28)ISI Viking ST Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) units and optional accessories in the amount of ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-NINE THOUSAND,FIVE HUNDRED FOURTEEN DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS ($159,514.50),as an exception to the City's competitive Purchasing requirements, is hereby approved. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held this 6th day of April,A.D. 2004. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk