TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Rachel Johnson, Chief of Police
Christian Eichenlaub, Police Captain
Justin Hidalgo, Police Lieutenant
Joe Udeoji, Police Sergeant
Arai White, Police Officer
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of a Resolution Waiving Formal Bidding and Authorizing the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute a Sole-Source Two-Year Agreement with Flock Group, Inc. for Drone as First Responder Program (DFR) in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $300,000 (Budgeted) (Police Chief Johnson).
(Estimated Time: 30 Mins.)
A) ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 26-0007
B) WAIVE FORMAL BIDDING
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
a) Adopt Resolution No. 26-0007 waiving formal bidding and authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a sole-source two-year agreement with Flock Group, Inc. for DFR Program in an amount not-to-exceed $300,000; and
b) Waive formal bidding per Municipal Code Section 2.36.140 (waivers).
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The cost of services in FY 2025-2026 is $150,000. Sufficient funds are included in the Police Department's FY 2025-2026 State Law Enforcement Services (SLES) Fund budget. There are unreserved SLES funds available to cover the $150,000 cost of Year 2, and these funds will be budgeted accordingly for FY 2026-2027.
BACKGROUND:
The deployment of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or drones, by public safety organizations across the country has proven invaluable in mitigating risk, improving efficiency, and preventing injury for both the public and first responders. The Police Department is proposing to implement a DFR program, a versatile tool that will assist in officer response to calls, search and rescue efforts, and promote event security.
In response to community concerns with quality of life issues - especially at the beach, downtown, and commercial areas - the Police Department has research...
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