Explanation
BACKGROUND: The legislation authorizes the Finance and Management Director to issue a purchase order to Doron Precision Systems, Inc. for the purchase of a mobile driving simulator lab for permanent use within the Division of Fire (CFD), Training Department.
The City of Columbus was awarded Federal Fiscal Year 2016 Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant from the Assistance to Fire Fighters (AFG) Grant program, via the Department of Homeland Security / Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which will provide financial assistance for the purchase of the mobile driving simulator lab. The mobile driving simulator lab will be used for initial CFD recruit driver training, annual continuing education (CE), and vehicle incident remedial training for all CFD personnel. Expenditures for the project will cover the purchase cost of the trailer, the mobile interactive driver training simulators, and related equipment, as well as the delivery, installation, and the full testing of the complete system as a "turnkey package" with all integrated associated components, and training on this equipment. The City will act as Grantee to the Department of Homeland Security / Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and approved the acceptance of this Grant via Ordinance #0182-2018. The grant award is for a maximum of $743,000.00, which is comprised of $675,455.00 from the AFG award, with a 10% cost match of the final purchase amount to be made by the City, not to exceed $67,545.00, of non-Federal funds. The successful bidder's total bid amount was $555,943.00, and the City's actual 10% match of the final purchase amount would be $55,594.30.
Bid Information: The Purchasing Office advertised and solicited competitive bids in accordance with the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 relating to competitive bidding (Request for Quotation No. RFQ008460). Two (2) bids were received. One bid was for the specified product (Doron Precision Systems / Model #550 & #660 Fireplus Driving Simulators). The second bid was for an alternate product (Mfg.: Sim-Tech / Model: Genesis Series - Fire Apparatus and EMS Apparatus Driver Stations).
After a review of the alternate driving simulator’s product specifications, the CFD's Training Bureau, along with Research and Innovation (R&I), determined that Doron’s driving simulator system more adequately met their training needs for recruit training, CE and remedial training as the Doron system offered the "Crew Resource Management" (CRM) capability in that the Doron Model #660 driving simulator has the officer's seat installed beside the driver's seat. CRM is part of CFD's Driver Training Program of continuing education and remediation as it is designed to optimize interpersonal interaction between the officer and recruit trainee, or firefighter, to facilitate problem solving, decision making, and situational awareness via communications and situational analysis. Sim-Tech’s system has the capability of building/adding to their Genesis model simulator a 2nd seat for the officer, however, the 2nd seat would be added directly behind the driver's seat, not immediately next to it, and the vendor does not recommend doing this due to the size of the cabin design. Sim-Tech did technically meet specifications in that a remote 2nd seat package was included in their bid proposal, but all things being considered CFD has determined that adding a 2nd seat behind the driver’s seat does not lend itself to CFD's CRM training methods where the officer’s seat is immediately beside the recruit driver’s seat to optimize interpersonal interactions.
Additionally, CFD's Training Bureau and R&I also determined that the Doron Model #660 driving simulator offered the most realistic fire truck experience in regards to the "look and feel" of CFD's fire vehicles when it came to the graphics, and the steering and driving experience. Moreover, Doron's equipment offered the "Tiller software" which has the ability to allow both simulators to virtually interact together - as the front and rear of an aerial ladder - which replicates a true driving experience on CFD's vehicles, along with the ability to have both simulators operate simultaneously in the same scenario responding on the same emergency. For these reasons, CFD's Training Bureau recommends an award of the mobile driving simulator lab to Doron Precision Systems in the amount of $555,943.00, requiring a 10% cost match by the City in the amount of $55,594.30 as the overall responsive, responsible and best bidder. The Public Safety Department is requesting competitive bidding be waived on the purchase of the mobile driving simulator lab as the bid amount offered by Sim-Tech ($449,500.00) was lower than the bid amount offered by Doron Precision Systems ($555,943.00).
Contract Compliance: Doron Precision Systems (Vendor #025170/ Active C.C.)
Emergency Designation: The Division of Fire requests emergency legislation so that the purchase of the mobile driving simulator lab may conclude prior to the expiration of the grant period.
FISCAL IMPACT: All expended funds will be reimbursed to the City of Columbus by the AFG award upon the final delivery, inspection, training, and invoicing by the successful bidder. The Genral Government Grant Fund will cover $500,348.70 of the purchase; the 10% City cost match of $55,594.30 was established on an Auditor's Certificate ACPR001147 via Ordinance 0182-2018. The City received AFG Grant Awards of $812,639.00 in 2009, $1,135,370.00 in 2005, $750,000.00 in 2003, and $43,292.00 in 2002.
Title
To authorize and direct the Finance and Management Director to issue a purchase order to Doron Precision Systems, Inc. for the purchase of a mobile driving simulator lab trailer for permanent use within the Division of Fire (CFD), Training Department; to waive the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Code, Chapter 329, on the purchase of the Doron Precision Systems mobile driving simulator lab; to authorize the expenditure of $55,594.30 from the Safety Voted Bond Fund via ACPR001147 as authorized by Ordinance 0182-2018; to authorize the expenditure of $500,348.70 from the General Government Grant Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($555,943.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Columbus Division of Fire seeks to enhance the protective health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel against fire-related hazards in the City of Columbus with the purchase of a mobile driving simulator lab; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, Division of Fire, was awarded Federal Fiscal Year 2016 funding from the FY16 Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant (AFG), via the Department of Homeland Security / Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), where upon receipt of all products, the City shall pay the vendor invoice and will then be reimbursed by said grant, which was approved and accepted by the City of Columbus via Ordinance #0182-2018 ~ a 10% grant cost match from the Safety Voted Bond Fund for this purchase has been established on Auditor's Certificate ACPR001147 authorized within the same ordinance; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Division of Fire, Department of Public Safety, in that it is immediately necessary to purchase the aforementioned mobile driving simulator lab, thereby preserving the public peace, health, property, safety, and welfare; now, therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Finance and Management be and is hereby authorized and directed to issue a purchase order to Doron Precision Systems for said mobile driving simulator lab for use by the Division of Fire, Training Bureau, in accordance with the stipulations of the FY16 Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant (AFG) program, via the Department of Homeland Security / Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the purchase of which was authorized by Ordinance #0182-2018.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $55,594.30 from the Safety Voted Bond Fund via ACPR001147, and the expenditure of $500,348.70 from the appropriated monies in Fund 2220 General Government Grants as per Ordinance 0182-2018, is hereby authorized per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance. This appropriation is effective upon receipt of the fully executed agreement.
SECTION 3. That the monies in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon the order of the Director of Public Safety, and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 4. That, at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 5. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated.
SECTION 6. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.