01-18-2005 - Purchase Authorization for Grant-Funded Robotic Search & Surveillance System & Wireless CamerasCity of West Covina
Memorandum
fro
FROM:
Andrew G. Pasmant, City Manager
and City Council
Frank J. Wills, Chief of Police
AGENDA
ITEM NO. C-5c
DATE January 18, 2005
SUBJECT: PURCHASE AUTHORIZATION FOR GRANT -FUNDED ROBOTIC
SEARCH AND SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM AND WIRELESS CAMERAS
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council authorize the purchase of
miscellaneous electronic search and surveillance components for $57,193.89 from the. Machine
Lab of Monrovia using currently appropriated homeland security grant funds.
DISCUSSION:
Recently accepted and appropriated by the City Council on December 7`h (Item C-6b), the
Combined 2004 State Homeland Security grant collects funding from the State Homeland
Security Program and the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program., These funds are
federal in origin, but pass through the State and County operational area in the award process.
This process includes specific approval of every single item awarded. The City of West Covina
can only purchase those items on the federal pre -approved equipment list.
One of the approved items is a mobile robotic audio and video search and surveillance system,
which consists of several components. Specifically, a mobile platform on tread -tracks, a tiny
snake -head camera for searching around corners and through walls and doors, a pole -mounted
camera to search under vehicles or reach high attics, and a wirelessly controlled round mobile
robot. The Machine Lab of Monrovia is the sole -source manufacturer of the Launchbot Mobile
Robot. These items total $35,652.14 and work together to form the system approved in the
award process of the Combined 2004 State Homeland Security grant, under the Law
Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program portion. Because of the sole -source component, and
because this system will be, deployed by public safety personnel at critical incidents (when issues
of immediate compatibility and function are of special importance), the Police Department
requests that the City Council directly authorize this purchase.
Two other items approved under the State Homeland Security Program portion of this grant —
two wireless surveillance cameras —are of concern, since the lowest quotation for them came
from the same vendor as above, the Machine Lab. The quotes received for these two cameras
(one with infrared, audio capability, and pan -and -tilt camera control, and one that is more
simple), were as follows, including tax and freight:
Machine Lab of Monrovia
$17,861.25
$3,680.50
Crime Point of Camarillo
$22,276.25
$20,111
Horizon Computer Resources
$19,530
No quote
Pro -Tech of Berea, OH .
No quote
$17,925
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no cost to the General Fund. Funding for this purchase will come from previously
appropriated Combined 2004 State Homeland Security Grant, some from the Law Enforcement
Terrorism Prevention Program portion (206.31.3112.7160) and some from the State Homeland
Security Program portion (206.31.3110.7160).