The East Bay Regional Communication System (EBRCS) is a public safety radio communication project being developed through a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) established by the Contra Costa and Alameda county boards of supervisors in 2007. Over the last several years, the EBRCS JPA has worked hard to develop plans for a state-of-the-art project and the project plan has evolved over time. At one point, it was estimated that the project would require over $80 million of external funding—such as bond financing—to be paid back by the users of the project. Both Alameda and Contra Costa County have been successful in acquiring grants to offset system and project costs. Representatives from both Alameda and Contra Costa Counties have been working together using Homeland Security grant funds from the Bay Area Super Urban Area Security Initiative (SUASI), Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), State Homeland Security (SHSGP) programs, and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) funds to fund the infrastructure build-out while the JPA formation process moved forward. To date, approximately $39 million of grant funds have been received.   
  
The most recent action taken by the Board of Supervisors on the EBRCS project was last month, when the Board decided to prepay the County’s pro-rata portion of the project rather than finance it over time. The most recent estimate from the EBRCS JPA is that the net portion of project costs to be funded by Contra Costa County would be only $4.9 million versus an estimated $10 million about a year ago. With the funding need having declined to $4.9 million, the Board found that it would be more cost effective to pay the cost up front rather than finance the cost through the issuance of bonds.   
  
The total radio requirement for Contra Costa County departments is currently estimated at 1,253 radios. In addition, the Contra Costa and East Contra Costa Fire Protection Districts are estimated to require 500 radios together. Another 3,800 radios are estimated to be required by cities and other agencies in Contra Costa County.   
  
Today’s request is for authorization to purchase radios and related accessories to actuate the West County Cell of the EBRCS, which is now operational and being tested. The Office of the Sheriff selected the Motorola APX model radios following a competitive process initiated in November 2009 by the Department of Information Technology. The Office of the Sheriff has negotiated, on behalf of the County, with Motorola executives to obtain a substantial volume discount on the APX model radios. The equipment to be purchased (radios, batteries, mountings, and other accessories) is compatible and may be used with the County’s current VHF radio system, will permit a seamless migration to the new digital 700/800 MHz P25 trunked system, and will meet future narrow banding requirements. Sheriff staff has coordinated with the District Attorney’s Office, Sheriff contract police agencies (Lafayette, Orinda, AC Transit, and Danville), the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, and the City of Concord to achieve the volume of radios needed to secure the discounted price from Motorola. We are not proposing to purchase radios for the Animal Services and other County departments until the Central and East Contra Costa County cells are operable.  
  
As the attached letter indicates, the APX series of radios preferred by the agencies purchasing in this phase of the project are currently only distributed through Motorola directly and are not yet available through other distributors. For this reason, the County Administrator has waived any additional requirements under the County’s Outreach and Small Business Enterprise Programs.  

If authorization is not granted, the County will be unable to utilize the special public safety communications banding provided by the EBRCS and partnering agencies will be unable to obtain the discounted pricing made possible through the proposed volume purchase.