REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL November 19, 2020 FROM: GREGORY A. BARFIELD, Director Department of Transportation BY: BRIAN BARR, Assistant Director Department of Transportation SUSAN ROGERS, IS Supervisor Department of Transportation SUBJECT ..Title Approve the award of a cooperative purchase agreement to AMS.NET of Livermore, California, in the amount of $338,136, for networking equipment and associated wireless equipment to be installed at the Department of Transportation FAX Division bus yard and authorize the Director of Transportation to execute the documents ..Body RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends Council award a cooperative purchase agreement to AMS.NET of Livermore, California, in the amount of $338,136, for networking equipment and associated wireless equipment to be installed at the Department of Transportation FAX Division bus yard and authorize the Director of Transportation or his designee to execute the documents. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FAX seeks to improve Wi-Fi communications between the fixed-route buses and traffic signal priority (TSP) systems located in the FAX bus yard in order to reduce the equipment's reliance on cellular data. The Wi-Fi equipment is 20 years old, end of life, and poses a security risk. Improving the Wi-Fi equipment and supporting infrastructure are estimated to yield savings in operation costs of $8,400 per year from reduced data plans. FAX will be utilizing a competitively solicited cooperative procurement process administered by Merced County Fast Open Contracts Utilization Services (FOCUS) Program. BACKGROUND In 2018 and 2020, FAX implemented a TSP solution to improve bus schedule adherence and transit operational efficiency. The TSP equipment gives preferential treatment to a bus that is running behind schedule by requesting an early or extended green light at the intersection, improving the buses ability to maintain and/or achieve schedule adherence. The on-board vehicle TSP equipment includes a cellular modem used to capture, maintain, and manage operational data, such as schedule and route information. This and other data are required to be uploaded to and from the buses each day. To complete this task a secure connection needs to be created between the bus and application server. This information is transferred to traffic intersection equipment, which gives signal priority to the buses if it is running behind schedule. Due to the volume of cellular data being consumed through this process, FAX pays for an unlimited data plan at $45 per month, per vehicle. By replacing the yard Wi-Fi equipment and associated network infrastructure, this process will leverage the Wi-Fi system in lieu of the cellular data plan, allowing FAX to decrease its cellular data plan to $10 per month, per vehicle. This creates a savings of $8,400 per year. The new equipment will eliminate the network security risks from end of life equipment and increase its network and wireless stability. FAX is utilizing a competitively solicited cooperative procurement process administered by Merced County Fast Open Contracts Utilization Services (FOCUS) Program. This price includes the FOCUS Program discount applied to city purchases. The Purchasing Division has approved this contract and recommends Council to approve. ENVIRONMENTAL FINDING By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378, the award of this contract is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act requirements. LOCAL PREFERENCE Local preference is not applicable because the City is using a cooperative purchase contract. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund from this request. This purchase is funded by FTA Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality improvement funds. Attachment: Cooperative Purchase Agreement