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TO: Mayor Thomas J. Weisner
FROM: Jim Birchall, Superintendent of Central Services, and Mike Abbs, Administrative Services lieutenant
DATE: June 16, 2015
SUBJECT:
Resolution authorizing the purchase of 160 uninterrupted power supply ("UPS") batteries for the Aurora Police Department headquarters and the purchase of two annual preventive maintenance contracts from Critical Uptime Services for a total of $77,641.38.
PURPOSE:
To obtain the Finance Committee's, Committee of the Whole's, and City Council's approval of a proposed resolution authorizing the purchase of the 160 UPS batteries and two preventive maintenance contracts from Critical Uptime Services for a total of $77,641.38.
BACKGROUND:
The 160 batteries that service the 911 Center have a life expectancy of five years. They are over five years old now and need to be replaced. There are an additional 80 batteries that service the rest of the police headquarters that will need to be replaced next year, as they are also overdue for replacement. When both sets of batteries were originally purchased, a five year service contract was also purchased for each set. Both of these contracts have expired.
DISCUSSION:
The service contracts cover preventive maintenance of the UPS systems themselves. Without contracts in place, the City and Police Department are extremely vulnerable to UPS failure. Were the systems to fail, critical systems, including dispatching and other 911 center services would be inoperable. Both of the contracts are classified and titled as "essential", which covers all parts and labor 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Both of these contracts will be renewed annually.
Critical Uptime Services was the original installer, and they have proprietary software which necessitates that they are the only contractor that can work on the system. Even if another contractor had been selected, Critical Uptime Services would still have to perform any tasks or service concerning software issues. Critical Uptime Services is local, based in Chicago. This has allowed fast service in the past. Critical Uptime Services has been approved as a sole source provider for the purchase of the batteries and service contracts. (See attached affidavit.)
The cost of the batteries themselves from Critical Uptime Services is $55,951.38. A budget transfer to the "wireless" fund, account 211-3537-421.61.40, for $56,000 has been initiated. The service contract for the 911 center system has a cost of $10,080 for the first year. A budget transfer to the "wireless" fund, account 211-3537-421.38-99, for $10,100 has been initiated. The service contract for the rest of the police headquarters has a cost of $11,610 for the first year. These funds are in account 101-1716-417.38-05.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The recommendation is that the Finance Committee, Committee of the Whole, and City Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the purchase of 160 UPS batteries and two annual service contracts for a total of $77,641.38 from Critical Uptime Services.
cc: Alderman O’Connor, Chairman
Alderman Mervine
Alderman Bohman
Alderman Mesiacos, Alternate
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
A Resolution authorizing the purchase of 160 uninterrupted power supply ("UPS") batteries for the Aurora Police Department headquarters and the purchase of two annual preventive maintenance contracts from Critical Uptime Services for a total of $77,641.38.
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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, there are 160 batteries that service the 911 Center, and they have a life expectancy of five years. They are over five years old now and need to be replaced. (There are an additional 80 batteries that service the rest of the police headquarters that will need to be replaced next year, as they are also overdue for replacement.) When the batteries were originally purchased, a five year service contract was also purchased for each set. Both of these contracts have expired; and
WHEREAS, the service contracts cover preventive maintenance of the UPS systems themselves. Without contracts in place, the City and Police Department are extremely vulnerable to UPS failure. Were the systems to fail, critical systems, including dispatching and other 911 center services would be inoperable. Both of the contracts are classified and titled as "essential", which covers all parts and labor 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Both of these contracts will be renewed annually; and
WHEREAS, the cost of the batteries themselves from Critical Uptime Services is $55,951.38 and will be funded from "wireless" account 211-3537-421.61-40; the cost of the service contract for the 911 center system has a cost of $10,080 for the first year and will be funded from "wireless" account 211-3537-421.38-99; and the cost of the service contract for the rest of the police headquarters has a cost of $11,610 for the first year and will be funded from account 101-1716-417.38-05; and
WHEREAS, Critical Uptime Services was the original installer, and they have proprietary software which necessitates that they are the only contractor that can work on the system pursuant to Aurora Code Section 2-335(a)(3).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: the purchase of 160 UPS batteries and two service contracts for a total of $77,641.38 from Critical Uptime Services and does hereby authorize the Director of Purchasing to execute all purchase orders and required documents for this project.