TO: Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Cale Curtis, City Manager
DATE: January 18, 2023
Title
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF MARGATE, FLORIDA, APPROVING WAIVING OF BIDDING FOR PURCHASE AND INSTALL OF AN 800MHZ REPEATER AND ANTENNA SYSTEM FROM SIGNAL COMMUNICATIONS, L.L.C. FOR THE CITY OF MARGATE AT 5785 PARK DRIVE, MARGATE, FL; PROVIDING FOR PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT, SERVICES AND MOTOROLA PARTS NOT TO EXCEED $285,000.
BACKGROUND: Prior to 2013, the City of Margate maintained an 800MHZ repeater and antenna system at the tower shelter located at 5400 NW 15 Street. Local government for day-to-day operations utilized the tower for portable radio usage. These departments included Public Works, Parks & Recreation and Police Department. Margate PD Communications monitored the transmissions for emergency occurrences. After 2013, Communications services was transferred to BSO and the use of local government radios ended. Local government had to switch to a cell phone PTT (push to talk) group talking system as an alternative to the portable radios.
Requesting waiving of bidding due to the highly customized system design and engineering requirements of this project, along with highly unusual third-party coordination requirements between multiple entities, those being:
• City of Margate FD
• City of Margate
• City of Margate and Building Department
• Crown Castle Tower Management
• Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Signal Communications, LLC
• Motorola Solutions Authorized Installation Contractor
• Licensed Electrical Contractor
• Tower Installation Contractor
• R56 Audit Contractor
• And other third parties
This install of equipment (repeater and antenna system) will allow local government to use the portable radio system and eliminate the PTTs. The new antenna system will provide radio channels to be used independently for all City special events. In addition, three departments (Parks & Recreation, DEES and Public Works will have their own local government communication system for day to day usage. The Police and Fire Departments will have access to tactical channel(s) for line of sight training and operations. The fire department purchased new portable radios that were required for P25 radio updates. The previously used portable radios can be moved for local government use, which will eliminate the cost for new radios to other departments. The City retained the FCC radio licenses allowing this project to reside on an 800MHZ tower site. Additional accessories will need to be purchased, such as batteries, chargers and antennas. Each department using the local government radios will save on their cell phone bills yearly. This project brings back a City of Margate Radio System to non-emergency personnel that can be relied upon during day-to-day operations and emergency events. The city was able to purchase additional FCC licenses expanding the project to seven 800 MHz radio channels. Installing an 800 MHz radio and antenna system within the city boundaries, which is owned and operated by the city, will be effective in long-term communication needs for the city for daily and emergency occurrences, such as hurricane damages causing outages to cellular connectivity.
RECOMMENDATION: Approval to install an 800MHZ repeater and antenna system at the tower and shelter located at 5785 Park Drive.
FISCAL IMPACT: Non-Departmental Communication Networking -001-0710-519.63-65 has been allocated to this project previously under resolution 21-045. Funding for the project is not to exceed $285,000.00 as an allowance for unforeseen costs and to be addressed in a future budget amendment.
CONTACT PERSON: Public Safety Communications Manager Gia Shaw, 954-935-5427