DATE: May 21, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Edward Hill, Chief Operating Officer/Interim Director of Internal Services/Chief Information Officer
SUBJECT: Agreement with Howell Communications, Inc.
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Make a finding that it is in the best interest of the County to suspend the competitive bidding process consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34 for unusual or extraordinary circumstances with Howell Communications, Inc. for maintenance, repair, parts, and installation services for County radio towers in order to maintain effective and efficient operations; and
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with Howell Communications, Inc. for maintenance, repair, parts, and installation services, effective May 28, 2024, not to exceed three consecutive years, which includes a one-year base contract and two optional one-year extensions, total not to exceed $350,000.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions, which will allow the Internal Services Department - Information Technology Division (ISD-IT) to use Howell Communications, Inc. (Howell) for maintenance, repair, parts, and installation services. These services, which ensure that vital emergency health and safety communications are preserved, are essential to maintaining effective and efficient County operations. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended actions, ISD-IT will be required to put all scheduled maintenance, upgrade services, and any emergency repair services on hold which may negatively impact operations countywide. Your Board may direct staff to solicit for competitive bids for a new maintenance, repair, parts, and installation service vendor, however procuring, awarding, contracting, and training a new vendor would be costly and time consuming.
SUSPENSION OF COMPETITION/SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT:
ISD-IT’s request to suspend the competitive bidding process is consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34 under the “unusual or extraordinary circumstances” exception, as Howell is the only vendor with extensive knowledge and familiarity of County radio towers, their locations, security protocols, County systems and equipment, who can provide reliable maintenance, repair, parts, and installation services, which are integral to maintaining effective and efficient operations countywide. The Internal Services Department, Purchasing Division concurs with the Department’s request to suspend the competitive bidding process.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Costs associated with the recommended agreement will not exceed $350,000 for the total possible three-year term and are covered through charges to user departments. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the ISD-IT Org 8905 FY 2023-24 Adopted Budget. Funding for future years will be included in future recommended budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
ISD-IT coordinates maintenance, repair, parts, and installation services for all County radio towers in Madera County and Fresno County. Functional County radio towers ensure that vital emergency health and safety communication systems, in both Madera and Fresno County, remain in operation.
Howell has provided a variety of services to the County including the provision of equipment, antennas, coax, hangers, grounding, and miscellaneous accompanying parts, as well as the personnel and apparatuses to install, repair, and perform all required maintenance and emergency repairs for existing equipment since 2007. Howell is uniquely familiar with County radio tower sites and the equipment at each site. Howell has played a critical role in maintaining effective and efficient operations countywide and have consistently met the expectations of ISD-IT and have always reliably met the needs of the County.
The recommended agreement will have a one-year base term, with two optional one-year extensions. The maximum compensation for the initial term will be $150,000. Should the two optional one-year extensions be executed, an additional $100,000 will be added to the maximum compensation per each extension.
Approval of the first recommended action will suspend the competitive bidding process to enable Howell to provide maintenance, repair, parts, and installation services to County radio towers.
Approval of the second recommended action will authorize the recommended agreement with Howell.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Suspension of Competition Acquisition Request Form
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Howell Communications, Inc.
CAO ANALYST:
Ahla Yang