Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District Board of Trustees Meeting April 8, 2008

---

Agenda Item: New Business

Discussion and approval to go out to bid and to purchase from the lowest responsible bidder a Nextel telephone communications system of 48 telephones for the District in an amount not to exceed $10,000.00 from Fund # 8415.01.210. The monthly service charge for use of the system is not to exceed $3,000.00. – Jim Saulnier

Background:

The radio communication system currently used by the District is based on the use of Motorola, truck-mounted radios. The majority of these units are obsolete and repair parts are not available. The replacement rate is currently estimated at 8 to 10 units per year at a cost of $600/unit. The current system has inherent “dead zones,” which make communication impossible. In addition, the truck-mounted units are often not immediately accessible to field technicians who frequently work considerable distances from their vehicles. The radio systems also cannot connect to the phone system, so we are using a mismatched system of cell phones and walkie-talkies. This requires field technicians to use secretarial staff to relay information and to communicate with service request customers, Code Enforcement, Public Works, etc.

Nextel cellular phones with Direct Connect “walkie-talkie” capability would provide an ideal upgrade to deal with the communication problems currently experienced at the District. These systems are currently used by the County of Riverside and businesses in the Coachella Valley for staff communication and phone capability. These users have reported no dead zones in their experience with the proposed system. They can be carried by the field personnel at all times which will provide for greater safety when they are away from their trucks, they can also be enabled with e-mail for prompt distribution of service request information, and GPS capability for breeding site field mapping. They also contain a 1.3 megapixel camera for field documentation. A system coverage map is included in the support materials for this agenda item.

In addition to the approximate $6,000 annual replacement cost of the current radio system and the expected efficiency and time savings by District personnel, the $2,800 annual cost for the radio repeater tower will also be recaptured.

Staff Recommendation:

Approve the purchase of a Nextel telephone communication system of 48 telephones plus accessories, (holsters, chargers, headsets, etc.), from the lowest responsible bidder in an amount not to exceed $10,000 from Fund #8415.01.210 – IT Capital Outlay.

Fiscal Impact:

Current funds available from Fund #8415.01.210 – IT Capital Outlay are $86,229, which is 96% of the budgeted amount for this line item. This expenditure is approximately 12% of the available balance.

Current funds available from Fund #7150.01.210 – Communications and Site Rental are $17,569. Two months service, the last two months of this budget year, is approximately 17% of the available balance.