DATE: September 21, 2021
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Margaret Mims, Sheriff-Coroner, Public Administrator
Robert W. Bash, Director of Internal Services-Chief Information Officer
SUBJECT: Agreement with Cook’s Communications Corp. for Vehicle Upfitting
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Make a finding that it is in the best interest of the County to suspend the competitive bid process consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34 for unusual or extraordinary circumstances, as Cook’s Communications Corp. is the only local authorized parts and service provider meeting specified requirements; and
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive Agreement with Cook’s Communications Corp. to provide vehicle upfitting parts and services for the Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator’s Office and Internal Services Department, effective August 1, 2021 through July 31, 2026, not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base contract and two optional one-year extensions, total not to exceed $6,000,000.
REPORT
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator’s Office (Sheriff’s Office) and Internal Services Department (ISD) are in need of vehicle upfitting parts and services used primarily for law enforcement vehicles. The recommended agreement provides for a continuation of these services with the current vendor, Cook’s Communications Corp. (Cook’s). This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There are no viable alternative actions. If the recommended actions are not approved, the user departments will not be able to obtain specified parts and service in the most timely, efficient, and cost-effective manner for the necessary upfitting of law enforcement vehicles.
SUSPENSION OF COMPETITION/SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT:
Sheriff’s Office and ISD request the Board to waive the competitive bidding process consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34. Cook’s is a qualified installer and servicer of equipment specific to emergency services vehicles, and is the only vendor within the immediate area that is an authorized service and repair facility for Federal Lighting and Kenwood Electronics products. This saves the user departments time and money by not having to send the products out for repair, thus greatly reducing vehicle down-time and added repair costs. Specialized sales and installation of such products is only done by three vendors in the State of California. Cook’s is the only local vendor of the three, and this affords the County greater control over the workflow and quality control. Cook’s also offers the most practical package for cost savings to the County.
For these reasons, it is recommended the Board waive the competitive bid process to ensure the critical vehicle upfitting installation and service continues for the Sheriff’s Office and ISD-Fleet Division. The ISD-Purchasing Division concurs with this recommended process.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended Agreement is retroactive to August 1, 2021 due to departmental evaluation of the most recent utilization rates ended July 31, 2021.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The recommended agreement is in the amount of $1,200,000 maximum per year, to be utilized by both the Sheriff’s Office and ISD-Fleet Division. Over the total potential five-year term, ISD-Fleet will be allocated $1,000,000 and Sheriff’s Office will be allocated $5,000,000. The term is for a three-year base period beginning August 1, 2021, and two optional one-year extensions. The total agreement value, including the two potential one-year term extensions, is $6,000,000. Work in progress at Cook’s for ISD-Fleet currently total an estimated $30,000 of work yet to be billed. Sheriff’s Office currently does not have pending invoices. Funding for the recommended agreement is included in the Sheriff’s Office, and ISD-Fleet FY 2021-22 Adopted and future requested budgets.
DISCUSSION:
The Sheriff’s Office and ISD-Fleet Division have contracted with Cook’s for the upfitting of emergency services vehicles since 2008. The prior agreement with Cook’s expired July 31, 2021.
The Sheriff’s Office is the primary user of these services; it maintains a fleet of patrol vehicles to provide a law enforcement presence for the unincorporated areas of the County’s 6,000 square miles. On March 24, 2015, the Board approved a Sheriff-Coroner Vehicle Replacement Plan to allow for the timely, systematic replacement of patrol vehicles. The vehicle upfitting process is a critical component of this Vehicle Replacement Plan. The synchronization of vehicle ordering, along with a timely upfitting process, will enable the Sheriff’s Office to place new vehicles into service most efficiently.
REFERENCE MATERIAL
BAI # 29, July 12, 2016
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Suspension of Competition Acquisition Request form
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Cook’s Communications Corp.
CAO ANALYST:
Yussel Zalapa