HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2015.07.29 - 21950MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION # 15206 July 29, 2015
BY: Public Services Committee, Bill Dwyer, Chairperson
IN RE: SHERIFF'S OFFICE-REPLACEMENT AND UPGRADE OF SHERIFF AVIATION MICROWAVE
DOWNLINK SYSTEM (DIRECTIONAL GPS)
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS pursuant to Miscellaneous Resolutions #00211 and #01315 the Oakland County Sheriff's
Office acquired two helicopters for the purposes of providing public safety and patrol support services
throughout Oakland County; and
WHEREAS the Microwave Downlink System was damaged due to a lightning strike and insurance
recoveries totaling $403,740 were received in 2014 and 2015; and
WHEREAS through the Department of Management and Budget's Purchasing Division bids were solicited
from vendors for a replacement system; and
WHEREAS only two qualified bids for the Microwave Downlink Directional GPS Transmitters were
received; and
WHEREAS the Sheriff's Office with the assistance of Information and Technology (CLEMIS and Radio
Communications) is requesting approval for the higher qualified bidder who is providing a newer
technology providing improved signal range, thus providing increased interoperability with Federal
partners, Michigan State Police etc.; and
WHEREAS the estimated cost for this replacement system is $749,237; and
WHEREAS there are available funds in the Sheriff Aviation General Fund Assigned Fund Balance (GL#
383488) to cover the additional cost over and above the insurance recoveries received for the upgraded
equipment replacement; and
WHEREAS the Sheriff's Office is requesting to use the $403,740 from the Insurance recoveries for this
replacement and $345,497 to be appropriated from the Sheriff Aviation General Fund Assigned Fund
Balance (GL#383488).
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby
approves the Sheriff's Office request for the replacement and upgrade of the Sheriff Aviation Microwave
Downlink System (Directional GPS) at an estimated cost of $749,237.
Chairperson, on behalf of the Public Services Committee, I move the adoption of the foregoing resolution.
PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE
PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE
Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Spisz absent.
From: Mel Maier, Chief
Dale Cunningham, CFO
OAKLAND COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
COMMUNICATIONS UNIT
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
Date: June 25, 2015 File Name:
Subject: Aviation Downlink RFP Evaluation Matrix and Selection
An RFP was put out for replacement of our microwave downlink system for both Air 1
and Air 2 as well as the ground receiver and recording system.
Only two qualified bids for directional GPS transmitter solutions were received. Only one
of the two bidders provided the secondary requested quote for an omni directional
transmitter solution.
Summary
Directional GPS Transmitter Solution
Name of Bidder Evaluation Points Cost
Helinet Technologies 43 Points - Weighted $749,237.00
BMS 35.8 Points - Weighted $645,458.34
Omni Directional Solution
Name of Bidder Evaluation Points Cost
BMS 35.8 - Weighted $446,684.02
Recommendation
The evaluation team consisted of Mel Maier, Chief Pilot Bill Christensen, and CLEMIS
Specialist George Butler. CLEMIS Radio Supervisor Steve Murphy provided technical
assistance to the team.
The solution chosen is the Helinet Technologies bid for a turnkey solution using
directional GPS Transmitter. The cost for this complete project is $749,237.00.
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Additional Information
The use of directional microwave in this concentrated RF environment will provide the
Oakland County Sheriff's Office with improved signal range, compensate for aircraft
pitch and roll, as well as provide 15dbi at a full 24 degrees for transmission to our fixed
ground site. The omni directional solution only provides 6dbi and creates a single field
radiant for the potential of RF interference and reduced channel availability.
We understood from both vendors that limiting factors for our video downlink solution
would be:
Aircraft Power, Weight, Heat, Radio Interference, Complex Use of Equipment,
FAA/FCC Certifications, and Aircraft Drag.
Using a directional microwave system is an improved solution by increasing the range
using the same powered equipment, minimizes interference issues, increases our
interoperability with federal partners, and provides for an increased data rate.
Steve Murphy has provided guidance in licensing, installation of the tower receiver, and
the use of directional microwave. Steve believes that we will get the best performance
from the directional system and advised that such a turnkey solution would be his
recommendation.
Helinet Technologies also requested a meeting with Oakland County Information
Technology and met with the IT Managers and advised them on how they could integrate
their Video Downlink solution into the County infrastructure. They have proven use of
this type of technology in the State of Texas, Los Angeles County Sheriff, and Los
Angeles Police Department. They also provided a list of clients which included the FBI
HRT Team, NYPD, and the San Bernardino County Sheriff s Office.
Oakland County IT expressed confidence in the Helinet Technologies solution and felt
that use of the Oaknet Fiber Network as well as their server team would be able to host
our video storage and distribution system. They offered alternatives such as web hosting
as well as cloud server storage. They also discussed the ability to offer controls for cyber
security on the Helinet solution.
Helinet Technologies was highly recommended by agencies provided as references. I
also had the opportunity to meet with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Aviation Unit in person to see the downlink equipment in use. They felt that HelMet
managed the project well, assisted in the assignment of frequencies, and had successfully
deployed 23 A-Star helicopters with microwave downlink solutions. They also had their
Mobile Command Unit outfitted, as well as several portable display units for deployment
to field forces. They use this system daily for routine and emergency use.
BMS Downlink had the following Non Compliant Responses for their bid:
• Voltage of aircraft equipment outside of specification - power input requested
over both a higher and lower range than their bid response equipment has
capability for.
• The receiver quoted in the bid cannot re-encrypt signals, they stream only clear
data.
• They could not provide password encryption key management for decryption
units.
• They could not provide for remote monitoring and control of system health of the
downlink arid management control interface via IP streaming.
• They could not utilize Bcrypt-192 encryption standards for interoperability.
• The receiver unit(s) quoted in bid do not have internal resettable fuses at each IF
input.
These factors made the lower bid less compliant to our bid specification than Helinet
Technologies.
Resolution #15206 July 29, 2015
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the Finance Committee. There were no objections.