CITY COUNCIL: Funding to the Monterey County Next Generation Radio Project

Meeting Date: March 4, 2008
Prepared by: George E. Rawson

City Council
Agenda Item Summary

Name: Receive report and provide policy direction regarding funding future costs relating to the Monterey County Next Generation Radio Project (NGEN).

Description: The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea, the County of Monterey, and other local governments in Monterey County, jointly participated in a regional radio interoperability study known as the Next Generation Radio Project (NGEN).

The NGEN project was established in response to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandates that will require changes to public safety radio systems by 2013. Preliminary costs relating to future radio infrastructure upgrades have been calculated and prorated for each participating agency.

Staff is seeking policy direction regarding Carmel’s future commitment.

Overall Cost:
City Funds: $302,550 to $377,559
Grant Funds: None at this time

Staff Recommendation: Staff is seeking City Council support to remain a participant in this important interoperability radio project.

Important Considerations: Preserving future emergency communications interoperability requires that Carmel remain a participant in the NGEN radio project. Doing so ensures the Carmel Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will retain existing radio communication capability with the Monterey County EOC in times of disaster.

Decision Record: Resolution 2006-51 approving Carmel to participate in joint countywide radio system study.

Reviewed by:

_____________ _________________
Rich Guillen, City Administrator Date


Meeting Date: March 4, 2008
Prepared by: George Rawson
TO: MAYOR McCLOUD AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
THROUGH: RICH GUILLEN, CITY ADMINISTRATOR
FROM: GEORGE E. RAWSON, PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR
DATE: FEBRUARY 21, 2008
SUBJECT: RECEIVE REPORT AND PROVIDE POLICY DIRECTION REGARDING FUNDING FUTURE COSTS RELATING TO THE MONTEREY COUNTY NEXT GENERATION RADIO PROJECT

RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Provide policy direction relating to Carmel’s continued participation in the Monterey County Next Generation Radio Project (NGEN).

BACKGROUND:
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has mandated all public safety and local government radio systems be altered to comply with narrow banding requirements by 2013.

The migration to narrowband channels will ensure that agencies take advantage of more efficient technology and reduce radio channel congestion. Agencies that do not meet the deadline face the loss of communication capabilities. Consequently, agencies need to start planning now to migrate to narrowband systems by assessing their current radio equipment and applying for new or modified FCC licenses.

In response to the FCC mandate, local jurisdictions throughout Monterey County (hereafter referred to as “County”), have joined together via the NGEN Task Force to implement a new interoperable public safety and local government voice and data radio system. The NGEN Task Force reports to the County Emergency Communications User Advisory Committee (ECUAC). The ECUAC provides governance for this project. In 2006, the County, all 12 cities in the county (including Carmel), fire districts, and other public safety agencies signed a cost sharing agreement that authorized the County to take the lead in facilitating interjurisdictional collaboration for this project. At that time, the City of Carmel committed $5,678.00 toward this. For other specific details of Carmel’s approval, refer to Resolution 2006-51 attached as Exhibit “A.”

Pursuant to a cost sharing plan, the County selected consultants to study and finalize reports relating to a “Strategic Plan” and a “Functional Design Specification Plan.” Preliminary cost estimates have been calculated but will be subject to updates pending final decisions on cost allocation methods and verification of existing radio agency radio counts. Additional details concerning the NGEN Radio Project Funding update are contained in a memorandum (attached as Exhibit “B”), dated December 20, 2007 from Nick Chiulos, the Monterey County Director of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs and Chair of the NGEN Finance Subcommittee. Also, a spreadsheet detailing each agency’s projected share of the total project cost is attached as Exhibit “C.” The cost for the entire project with all agencies combined is estimated at $7,747,000 to $12,015,000. Carmel’s portion of this cost is defined in Staff Review below.

STAFF REVIEW
Staff believes Carmel’s future participation in the NGEN project is vital to preserving emergency services. Carmel operates its own 911 emergency communications center, typically referred to as a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). Carmel also activates an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during times of emergencies or disasters. In accordance to the Carmel Disaster Plan, the Carmel EOC must have radio contact capability with the County EOC. Also, police dispatching is performed at the Carmel Police Department PSAP, but fire dispatching is not. All reports of fire and medical emergencies are transferred from the Carmel PSAP to the Monterey County Communications Center in Salinas. Consequently, it is essential that Carmel participates in the NGEN project to ensure across the board police, fire and medical communication interoperability with County Communications and allied public safety agencies.

Based on the county’s information provided to date, Carmel’s preliminary share of the cost is estimated at $136,151 to $211,160 to be paid over a three year fiscal period starting in FY 08-09 through FY 09-10. It is important to note this cost is only for upgrading the countywide radio infrastructure system. Additional costs relating to replacing mobile and portable radios, and other miscellaneous field equipment specific to Carmel, will also need to be funded over the course of the next three fiscal years.

The County is exploring grant opportunities to support funding of this project. The fire departments in the county have already been successful in obtaining grant funds via a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Fire Administration Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. Pursuant to Carmel Resolution 2006-75, which authorized Carmel to participate in a joint fire agency radio grant application, grant funds were approved to buy the Carmel fire department new radios that comply with FCC requirements.

The costs for replacing the remaining existing City of Carmel radios and related systems are described below. These costs include replacing the field radios for the police and public works departments, and a new antenna/mast for the police station.

RADIO EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT COSTS:
27 Mobile Radios………. …………… $ 79,839
25 Portable Radios…………………… $ 65,775
Tax, Delivery, & Labor………………. $ 14,785
Police Department radio antenna………$ 6,000
Total………………………………….. $ 166,399*
* This is a preliminary estimate and actual costs may be lower due to vendor rebate incentives.

FISCAL IMPACT:
NGEN cost estimate………………….. $ 136,151 to $211,160
City radios and antenna………………. $ 166,399
Total estimated cost…………………. $ 302,550 to $377,559

SUMMARY:
The County will seek a letter of intent from each agency that participated in the functional design phase, to recommit participation in the design build phase. These commitments are essential in order to preserve preliminary cost estimates. Agencies electing not to participate will cause an increase of costs to remaining participating agencies.

ATTACHMENT “A”
CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
RESOLUTION NO. 2006 - 51
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA APPROVING AN AGREEMENT FOR THE CARMEL PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT TO JOINTLY PARTICIPATE IN A COUNTYWIDE RADIO SYSTEM

WHEREAS, the Federal Communications Commission has mandated the alteration of public safety and local government radio systems to comply with narrow banding requirements by January 2013; and

WHEREAS, it is in the best interests that all Agencies continue to work together to provide inter-operable and emergency dispatch radio communications in the county, cities and districts, and persons served; and

WHEREAS, the County and Agencies recognize that such services are best managed as a consolidated consortium via the Emergency Communications Users Advisory Council; and

WHEREAS, the County and the agencies desire to contract in a cost sharing plan to engineer the necessary communications infrastructure for an inter-operable and emergency dispatch radio voice communication system.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA DOES:

1. Approve the Carmel Public Safety Department’s participation in a countywide radio engineering study to be performed by the County of Monterey.

2. Approve Proposition 172 Public Safety Augmentation funds in the amount of $5,678 to be transferred from account #21-24021-0476 to the fire department budget for payment of expenses relating to this project.

PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY- THE-SEA on this 12th day of September 2006 by the following roll-call vote:

AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: BETHEL, CUNNINGHAM, HAZDOVAC
ROSE & McCLOUD
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: NONE
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: NONE

SIGNED:

_________________________
SUE McCLOUD, MAYOR

ATTEST:

____________________________
Heidi Burch, City Clerk


EXHIBIT “B”
December 20, 2007
To: City of Salinas
City of Monterey
City of Pacific Grove
City of Seaside
City of Bothell Marina
Carmel Valley Fire Protection District
North County Fire Protection District
City of Gonzales
Salinas Rural Fire Protection District
City of King
City of Carmel-By-The-Sea
Big Sur Volunteer Fire District
Monterey Peninsula Airport District
City of Greenfield
City of Del Rey Oaks
City of Soledad
California State University, Monterey Bay
City of Sand
Greenfield Fire Protection District
Spreckels Volunteer Fire Company
From: Nick Chiulos
Monterey County Director Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs
Chair NGEN Finance Subcommittee

Subject: NGEN Radio Project Funding Update

Issue: The NGEN Funding Subcommittee wishes to update City Managers, Special District Officials and other affected agencies about the expected project timeline and funding milestones for the Next Generation Radio Project. As a group, the agencies collectively require over $20 Million for subscriber radios and infrastructure over 36 months, beginning as early as Fiscal Year 2008, for the Operational Area Emergency Communication System Interoperable Radio Project. A series of verbal briefings (discussing project scope, costs, proposed cost allocation, schedule, and proposed system governance) are scheduled to take place beginning in January 2008. Ultimately, an agreement will be required between the County and the agencies that wish to participate in the combined radio system. In the meantime, a letter of intent may be requested in order to move forward with this project.

Background: In order to replace the aging and disparate radio systems that have evolved over the past 25 years and to meet FCC Narrowbanding Requirements, local jurisdictions throughout Monterey County have joined together under the NGEN Task Force to implement an interoperable public safety and local government voice and data radio system. The NGEN Task Force reports to the Emergency Communications User Advisory Committee (ECUAC). The ECUAC is currently providing governance for this project. Multi-Agency Cooperation: Each of the 12 cities in the County along with fire and other special districts located throughout the County has signed a cost sharing agreement to develop a functional design specification. Agencies represented include: city and county law enforcement, fire, public works, probation, district attorney, waste management, emergency medical services, and three hospitals located throughout the County. Monterey County has taken the lead and is facilitating the interjurisdictional collaboration for this project. Monterey County Operational Area Emergency Communication System Work done to Date:

1. The Monterey County Emergency Communications User Advisory Group created the NGEN Radio Task Force in December 2004 to advise and assist in the review and technical development of the proposed radio network. The group is accountable to the region’s elected officials through the Monterey County Public Safety Users Group.

2. In January 2006, a consulting effort with 911 Insight assessed technical options and produced a Strategic Plan. This plan includes an inventory and basic "needs assessment" design document for the new system.

3. In June 2007, after a Request for Proposal (RFP), an Agreement was awarded to DELTAWRX to provide engineering consulting services to develop a functional design specification for the new system. DELTAWRX’s initial assessment has been completed and they are now completing a formal requirements definition, sample system designs, and updated cost estimates.

Estimated Infrastructure Costs:
• DELTAWRX estimates the cost of the infrastructure to be between $7.7 and $12.0 million. This amount will be reduced by the contribution from the COPS grant awarded to the City of Salinas. This amount includes only the infrastructure costs and does not include the costs for replacement of subscriber radios. Earlier in the project, ECUAC gave guidance that the infrastructure costs would be shared amongst the participating agencies based on a formula to be determined. The costs of the subscribers’ radios and other field equipment would be borne by the respective agencies fielding that equipment.

• The costs for infrastructure will likely be spread over three years. Based on the projected timeline below and estimated payment milestones.
o Project Timeline:
􀂃 March 2008: Update and distribute estimated budget and cost information based on selected cost allocation method
􀂃 June 2008 Release RFP to prospective suppliers
􀂃 August 2008: Receive Proposals
􀂃 November 2008: Award Contract
o Payment Timelines:
􀂃 FY 2008 / 09: $1.9 Million – $3.0 Million
􀂃 FY 2009 / 10: $4.3 Million - $6.6 Million
􀂃 FY 2010 / 11: $1.5 Million – $2. 4 Million

• Several cost allocation methods will be considered in the near future. In the interim, the attached document provides budgetary costs for infrastructure, which are apportioned on current estimates for agency radio counts. DELTAWRX has recommended this method based on their past experience with other jurisdictions. This cost allocation method was also used to apportion the costs for development of the functional design specification. The attached is based on the radio inventory counts used for the cost sharing agreement for the functional design specification. The resulting figures assume that all of the agencies that participated in the functional design specification will participate in the design build portion of this project. In addition, the inventories are subject to change in particular as DELTAWRX works with agencies to verify their numbers. While these inventory numbers may change, the attached information will be helpful as you prepare your agency’s budget and forecasts for these years.

• In addition to the costs noted on the attached, most agencies should plan to ensure that all field equipment is compatible with the new system by fiscal year 2010 / 2011.