TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Rachel Johnson, Chief of Police
Christian Eichenlaub, Police Captain
Kelly Benjamin, Traffic Lieutenant
Steve Kitsios, Police Lieutenant
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of a Resolution Waiving Formal Bidding and Authorizing the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute a Purchase Order to Meridian Rapid Defense Group, Inc. for Public Safety Barriers Rentals for the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup 2026 in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $200,000 (Not Budgeted) (Police Chief Johnson).
A) ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 26-0044
B) WAIVE FORMAL BIDDING
C) APPROPRIATE FUNDS
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
a) Adopt Resolution No. 26-0044 waiving formal bidding and authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a sole-source purchase order to Meridian Barriers, Inc. for public safety barrier rentals for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in an amount not-to-exceed $200,000; and
b) Waive formal bidding per Municipal Code Section 2.36.140 (waivers); and
c) Authorize an appropriation of $200,000 from the unreserved General Fund balance, which will subsequently be reimbursed by FIFA World Cup Grant Program funds.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The cost of barrier rentals for the upcoming World Cup (including an approximately 10% contingency for unanticipated barrier needs) is $200,000. If the barrier rentals are approved, an appropriation of $200,000 from the unreserved General Fund balance is needed for the expenditure, along with a matching adjustment to revenues to accept the reimbursement FIFA World Cup Grant Program funds. Formal acceptance of the grant award is included in a separate staff report on the June 2, 2026, City Council agenda. The cost to rent the equipment will be submitted for full grant reimbursement.
BACKGROUND:
The Manhattan Beach Police Department (MBPD) currently uses marked police vehicles, cones, signs, and temporary traffic-control devices to manage routine road closures, special events, and public-safety incidents. While these tools are useful for directing traffic and creating a visible perimeter, they are not designed to stop or slow a vehicle that intentionally or unintentionally enters a protected area. The FIFA World Cup 2026 requires a different level of planning due to international attention, team movement, media interest, and potential fan activity associated with the event.
DISCUSSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a purchase order to Meridian Rapid Defense, Inc. to rent anti-vehicle barriers to safeguard the area around the host hotel for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be one of the largest international sporting events hosted in North America, with matches scheduled in the Los Angeles region. Although the matches will not be played in Manhattan Beach, the Westdrift Hotel is expected to serve as a host hotel for World Cup team operations, bringing a World Cup public safety footprint to the City. This may include team buses, team staff, international visitors, media, fans, traffic congestion, pedestrian activity, demonstrations, and spontaneous gatherings near the hotel. The City has a responsibility to plan for these impacts before they occur, not after a problem develops.
Meridian Rapid Defense Group provides modular, mobile anti-vehicle barriers for hostile-vehicle mitigation and temporary perimeter security. These barriers can be rapidly deployed, adjusted as conditions change, and removed after the event without permanent construction or major roadway modification. The barriers would allow MBPD to strengthen the security footprint around the Westdrift Hotel, protect pedestrian areas, control vehicle access, and preserve access for emergency responders, hotel operations, and authorized vehicles.
Using Meridian barriers at and around the Westdrift Hotel would provide a professional and controlled security perimeter that reduces the risk of vehicle intrusion while still allowing lawful access for hotel guests, employees, emergency responders, authorized vehicles, and pedestrians. The barriers would support traffic control, crowd protection, emergency access, and orderly team movement during the tournament. They also reduce the need to rely solely on police staffing, cones, or vehicles to protect sensitive areas. This is a practical and responsible public safety measure for an event that will bring international attention to the Los Angeles region and operational impacts to Manhattan Beach.
Under Municipal Code Section 2.36.140, the City Council can waive purchasing procedures to fit a specific purpose when such waiver is not in violation of State law. The recommended rental is not open to competitive bidding because of the unique nature of the barriers provided by Meridian Rapid Defense Group, Inc., including the Archer 1200 anti-vehicle barrier system, rapid deployment capability, modular design, temporary installation without anchors or permanent construction, controlled access options, training and deployment support, and proven use for public safety perimeter protection. These barriers are not ordinary traffic control devices and are not interchangeable with cones, signs, water barricades, or police vehicles. The World Cup deployment requires a temporary hostile vehicle mitigation system that can be rented, installed quickly, adjusted as operational needs change, and removed after the event. Because of the specialized equipment, time-sensitive deployment, and need for vendor support related to planning, installation, and removal, Meridian Rapid Defense Group, Inc. is the appropriate sole-source provider for this public safety need.
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 26-0044 waiving formal bidding and authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a purchase order with Meridian Rapid Defense, Inc. for rental of anti-vehicle public safety barriers for the FIFA World Cup 2026; and authorize an appropriation and revenue adjustment of $200,000 to reflect the cost and corresponding grant reimbursement.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No 26-0044
2. Sole Source Justification Letter