DEPARTMENT: Finance
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Troy Elliott
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Annual Contract for SAPD Concealable Body Armor
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes a contract with Nardis Public Safety to provide the San Antonio Police Department with concealable body armor utilized in day to day operations by authorized personnel. These vests are intended to be issued as standard equipment to officers for daily wear as undergarment protection against ballistic threats. Concealable body armor periodically requires replacement when its integrity has been compromised through normal wear and tear. Funding is available through the San Antonio Police Department's General Fund.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Submitted for City Council consideration and action is the offer submitted by Nardis Public Safety to provide concealable body armor utilized in day to day operations by authorized personnel.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City of San Antonio and the San Antonio Police Officers Association; Article 10, Section 5, requires that all officers be provided with a protective vest.
This solicitation was preceded by discussions between SAPD and the Purchasing Division regarding the process for evaluation and purchase of body armor. As a result, a Request for Offer (RFO) was released on May 30, 2014 to nine vendors and specifically outlined the minimum requirements and the evaluation process which included extensive wear test surveys and shooting tests to be conducted by Labor Relations Committee appointed personnel.
Five offers were received on June 23, 2014 and were evaluated by a committee composed of four uniformed officers from the Labor Relations Committee. The Purchasing Division assisted by ensuring compliance with the City's procurement policies and procedures. The offers were evaluated based upon the firm's qualifications, experience, proposed plan/wear test and price. At the conclusion of the testing phase, the findings were provided to the evaluation committee for their consideration and Nardis Public Safety was recommended for award.
The initial term for this contract is upon award through December 31, 2017. One additional one-year renewal at the City's option shall also be authorized by this ordinance.
ISSUE:
The City issued a Request for Offer (RFO) for "Annual Contract for SAPD Concealable Body Armor" (RFO 6100004600) on May 30, 2014. Nine vendors were notified and responsive offers were received from four respondents on June 23, 2014.
The RFO set forth minimum requirements for the vest inclusive of vest composition, design, trauma reduction, fitting, labeling, warranty, and quality control requirements. Also required was compliance with National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and Military (MIL) standards including: NIJ-STD-0101.06, MIL-C-7219D, MIL-F-21840, MIL-T-43548 and MIL-STD-662F.
Upon receipt of the five offers from four respondents, the evaluation process for this solicitation included the following components:
° Minimum requirements review of compliance with specifications
° Seven (7) Officers were outfitted by respondent's personnel
° Vests were received
° Shooting tests were conducted by SAPD Armorer
° Where shooting tests were successful, vest progressed to wear test
° Wear test surveys collected and tabulated
° Scoring Meeting was conducted
° Decision finalized and provided to Purchasing Division
The procurement is made by means of a Public Health or Safety Exemption to Texas Local Government Code Chapter 252 in order to set forth strict minimum requirements to and allow additional flexibility in an evaluation process to include wear test surveys and a shooting test. State statute indicates that competitive bidding is not required under the Public Health or Safety Exemption which provides for a procurement to protect and preserve the public health or safety of the City's residents.
This contract is within the scope of the SBEDA Program. However, due to lack of available firms and subcontracting opportunities, the Goal Setting Committee was unable to apply a SBEDA tool to this contract
The contract was processed as an exception to Local Preference Program; however, the recommended firm does have a local office.
The Veteran-Owned Small Business Preference Program Ordinance does not apply to goods/supplies contracts, so no preference was applied to this contract.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should this contract not be approved, the Police Department would be required to purchase concealable body armor on as needed basis wherein increased costs due to non-contract buying would be realized.
Lack of contract could also affect delivery times of this equipment required to carry out Police operations which could impact the safety and welfare of the officers and City Residents.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The estimated annual cost for this purchase is $352,000.00. Funding for this ordinance will be provided through the San Antonio Police Department's General Fund.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the approval of the offer submitted by Nardis Public Safety to provide concealable body armor utilized in day to day operations by authorized personnel for an estimated annual cost of $352,000.00
This contract is procured by means of a Public Health or Safety Exemption and a Contracts Disclosure Form is not required.