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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Mike Kaufman, Assistant Chief of Support Services
Jeff Anderson, Deputy Chief Information Officer
DATE: April 24, 2025
SUBJECT:
A Resolution authorizing the Director of Purchasing to purchase technology services for Fire Station 4 from multiple vendors for a total not to exceed $1,704,049.43.
PURPOSE:
This resolution is requesting that technology equipment from several vendors be purchased installed at the new Fire Station 14.
BACKGROUND:
A new Fire Station 4 is being built that will house the Fire Administration, Emergency Management (EMA) and Fire Station 4 firefighter paramedic teams. Technology purchases are required to ensure the proper functionality and efficiency is achieved for the units in this building.
DISCUSSION:
After the architectural drawings were completed for Fire Station 4, IT staff and APD staff worked with both NTI and Scientel to determine technical requirements for this new building.
NTI, the city’s go-to fiber provider since 2010, won the Kane County fiber contract through a competitive bidding process (Resolution R24-076) and will be utilized for fiber installation for Fire Station 13 at a cost of $93,371.00
After a competitive bidding process, Scientel Solutions, LLC., ("Scientel") was awarded a three-year contract with a three-year option to manage and upgrade all City-owned CCTV cameras via Council resolution R21-135. This has provided Scientel with extensive knowledge of the City’s CCTV network. Pricing this installation is based upon the agreements in R21-135.
After a competitive bidding process, Scientel Solutions, LLC., ("Scientel") was awarded a three-year contract with a two-year option to manage and upgrade all City-owned networking equipment via Council resolution R21-135. This has provided Scientel with extensive knowledge of the City’s computing network. Pricing this installation is based upon the agreements in R21-135.
The combined costs for CCTV and networking equipment are $385,122.00.
To consolidate and improve effectiveness of EMA Radio communications staff has selected L3Harris to build and configure an emergency management radio tower on the FS4 campus. This will establish dependable emergency communication systems fully integrated with the P25 radio network to enhance interoperability, ensure rapid response, and uphold public safety standards.
L3Harris, a trusted partner since 2010, was selected under Resolution R23-384 to upgrade and manage the city’s public safety radio network to the national P25 protocol. This ensures seamless integration of EMA radio equipment with the P25 network, supporting reliable emergency communication and compliance with public safety standards.
Total costs for the installation and configure of this radio tower and equipment is $411,292.58.
Continuing with the need to consolidate emergency radio communications, city staff has selected Information Station Specialists (ISS) to relocate the of AM Radio System tower from a remote location at Solfisburg Park to the FS4 campus.
ISS, a Michigan-based company specializing in emergency AM radio towers and equipment, built the tower at Solfisburg Park. They are certified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to handle and transfer the city’s AM radio license.
Total cost of this relocation is $28,346.20.
To ensure that the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is integrated with the Critical Incident Intelligence Center (CIIC) and the city-wide CCTV network, IT staff will work with Constant Technologies, Inc. (ConstantTech) to video encoders at the EOC.
This will enable seamless integration of real-time video feeds at the CIIC to provide enhanced situational awareness, enable proactive coordination, and empower rapid decision-making for efficient crime prevention and public safety operations.
Resolution R21-039 awarded the Cinemassive video system contract to ConstantTech through a competitive process.
Total cost of these encoders is $10,970.00.
When the EOC is activated and staff from around the city gather with neighboring agencies and volunteers, effective communications capabilities is paramount. City IT staff will work with Burwood Group, Inc., (Burwood) to equip the EOC with advanced Microsoft Teams Rooms integration to streamline collaboration, facilitate efficient decision-making, and enable unified communication for improved emergency response and coordination.
The EOC design allows it to be configured as one large room, or up to three smaller rooms. The design of the video and audio technology installed must support these configurations.
Burwood was awarded contracts for SharePoint and Teams integration after a competitive bidding process (Resolution R23-006).
The total cost of these room enhancements is $774,947.65.
The total cost of these technology components for FS4 is $1,740,049.43.
The City is also currently implementing a new Fire Station Alerting System (FSAS) from Purvis Systems that was approved via Council Resolution R24-025. A change request to the Purvis Systems contract for Fire Station 4 and other Fire Stations will be brought to Council under a separate resolution.
Funds are available in account 356-3033-422.72-35, project code C135 for these purchases.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
These technology purchases will ensure Fire Station 4 operates at a level demanded by the professionals and volunteers working in the building.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Request the proposed resolution be approved.
cc: Finance Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
A Resolution authorizing the Director of Purchasing to purchase technology services for Fire Station 4 from multiple vendors for a total not to exceed $1,704,049.43.
body
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, is being built that will house the Fire Administration, Emergency Management (EMA) and Fire Station 4 firefighter paramedic teams; and
WHEREAS, technology purchases are required to ensure the proper functionality and efficiency is achieved for the units in this building
WHEREAS, installation of fiber optic cable will be completed the contract that was approved by Resolution R214-076; and
WHEREAS, purchase and installation of CCTV equipment will be completed under the City's Preventive Maintenance & Support of City-wide security/CCTV cameras that was approved by Resolution R21-135; and
WHEREAS, purchase of networking equipment will be completed under the City's Network Infrastructure Managed Services contract that was approved by Resolution R21-136; and
WHEREAS, installation and configuration of a new emergency management radio tower will be completed by L3Harris, a trusted partner since 2010, who was selected under Resolution R23-384 to upgrade and manage the city’s public safety radio network to the national P25 protocol; and
WHEREAS, long-term partner lInformation Station Specialists was selected to relocate the AM Radio System tower to the Fire Station 4 campus; and
WHEREAS, purchase of Cinemassive video system encoders will be completed via a contract awarded to ConstantTech via Resolution R21-039 through a competitive process; and
WHEREAS, purchase of Microsoft Teams integration for the Emergency Operation Center will be completed with Burwood who was awarded contracts for SharePoint and Teams integration after a competitive bidding process via Resolution R23-006; and
WHEREAS, funds are available in account 355-3033-422.72-35, project code C135 for these purchases.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: the Director of Purchasing is hereby authorized to issue purchase orders for services described in this resolution and as more fully set forth in the contract attached hereto.