RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE PURCHASE OF DICTAPHONE

NETWORK GUARDIAN DIGITAL RECORDING SYSTEM FOR

THE POLICE AND FIRE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

Recommended Action:

1. Approve the purchase of a new digital recording system for the police and fire communications center from the Dictaphone Corporation.
2. Approve contract purchase based upon the State of California Multiple Award Schedule with the Dictaphone Corporation. Contract number: 3-96-58-0020B.

At the February 25, 1997 regular council meeting, council members requested that this item be brought back for further clarification of the California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS) State purchasing contract process.

Staff contacted Hiroko Kurosawa, Program Analyst at the California Multiple Award Schedule Unit regarding the CMAS contract with the Dictaphone Corporation. It was learned that the Dictaphone Corporation established a General Services Administration contract with the Federal Government in 1994. Dictaphone then applied for a contract with the State of California. Dictaphone has to maintain the same rates as provided in the GSA contract or they can offer a more favorable price arrangement. When Dictaphone applied for the California contract they did not have to compete with other vendors for the contract. If they met the standards as set forth by the Federal and State governments, they were awarded the contract. While Dictaphone did not have to compete with other vendors, other vendors were and are allowed to have the same contract as long as they meet the established standards. Ms. Kurosawa pointed out that this is a "Multiple Award Schedule" meaning that there are other vendors that are a part of the contract schedule. Dictaphone is not the only provider. Ms. Kurosawa sent a statement regarding the requirements for a contractor to provide "fair and reasonable pricing" under the GSA standard. (See attached)

The Dictaphone contract with GSA as well as California was established in 1994 and expires in 1998. Both contracts run for the same period. The length of the contract insures equipment availability at government prices. In 1996, Dictaphone reduced its prices for both contracts. The first quote our department received in March of 1996 was for $35,682. The current price under the CMAS contract is for $26,015. State purchasing essentially provides equipment availability at government agency price reductions. The purchasing process is less cumbersome and restrictive as compared with local open bid processes. Some of the past purchases made with State and County contracts were police vehicles, furniture, safety flares, and ammunition.

Staff recommends this purchase for the police and fire dispatch center. Dictaphone not only has an outstanding reputation in this field but our own experience with their products and service are first rate.

Background:

The police and fire communications center currently uses a reel to reel recording system for all police and fire radio communications traffic. These transmissions along with the phone transmissions that come into the center on the 911 system are recorded on a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week basis. These taped transmissions are kept for 100 days and are routinely subpoenaed for court.

The current recording system (made by the Dictaphone Corporation) is approximately 10 years old and uses reel to reel tapes. These tapes are very bulky to store and expensive to replace. The tapes last approximately 18 to 24 months before they are replaced. The recording system is based upon analog technology and the 3M Corporation which produces these reel to reel tapes will stop production in approximately one more year since the technology is moving to a digital format. The current recording machine is old and the quality of the recordings is deteriorating.

Analysis:

Staff has considered different types of recording machines. Staff felt that the purchase of a new digital recording machine from the Dictaphone Corporation would provide us with a state of the art recording device. The new machine is not much larger than a VCR (the current machine stands 6 feet tall) and uses digital tapes (about the size of a regular cassette tape) which can record approximately 10 days of transmissions. The capability of this new recording machine will be much greater than the current Dictaphone machine.

The Dictaphone Corporation is a world leader in this technology and the City has enjoyed an outstanding relationship with Dictaphone which has maintained our current recording machine for the past 10 years. The Dictaphone Corporation has an established contract with the State of California and offers a significant discount on the purchase of a recording machine through this contract. Staff not only has confidence in the quality of the equipment produced by Dictaphone but their maintenance service and support is excellent.

Fiscal Impact:

An additional amount of $30,767 has been approved by Council at the mid-year budget review to purchase this recording system. This money comes from the Asset Forfeiture Fund and does not impact the General Fund. This amount includes tax and a 10% contingency fund.