October 19, 2004
SUBJECT: Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Project – Joint Funding Agreement Amendment Number Two
REPORT IN BRIEF
Consistent with the City of Sunnyvale’s designation as a Network Participant in the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Project (SVRIP), staff recommends that Council authorize the City Manager to execute Amendment Number Two to the Joint Funding Agreement (Attachment A) with other Santa Clara County cities to update the current scope and authority of the Project. A major focus of the Project is related to the ability of public safety agencies to communicate across disciplines and jurisdictions via radio communications systems, exchanging voice and/or data with one another on demand, in real time, when needed.
BACKGROUND
Public safety agencies in Santa Clara County have been confronted with a number of performance issues associated with the inefficient and untimely exchange of information, a lack of inter-agency field communication, and unnecessarily long call processing times. These limitations severely impact the delivery of timely and quality law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services in Sunnyvale and throughout the County/Region.
Public safety operations require effective command, control, coordination, communication, and sharing of information from criminal justice and public safety agencies, as well as public utilities, transportation companies and even private industry. High-profile incidents such as homeland security threats, plane crashes, earthquakes, large-scale structure fires and vehicle pursuits test the ability of public safety organizations to mount well-coordinated responses. Despite advances in technology, many first responders cannot communicate with each other during routine operations and/or emergencies.
In 1998, at the direction of the Santa Clara County/Cities Managers’ Association, the Santa Clara County Police and Fire Chiefs established two working groups to study interoperability issues. Unlike other first responder agencies tackling the problem, there was a strong desire among the participating agencies to integrate these solutions on an ongoing basis, so they are a part of public safety everyday activities rather than a resource that is only utilized for exercises and/or disasters.
In 2001, this collaboration solidified under a formal governance structure that executed a Joint Funding Agreement and established the SVRIP. The governing bodies involved included: the Cities of Palo Alto, Cupertino, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Campbell, Morgan Hill, Milpitas, Gilroy, Monte Sereno, Los Altos, San Jose, and Saratoga; Towns of Los Altos Hills and Los Gatos; San Jose State University; California Department of Forestry (South County Fire District) and the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
A Steering Committee was established to serve as an oversight committee for the project. Each participating jurisdiction (Network Participant) made an equal contribution of approximately $19,500 as “seed” funding to hire a consultant that would be tasked with determining the interoperability needs of the agencies and to make recommendations to achieve seamless interoperability.
In 2002, the Steering Committee terminated the consultant agreement for failure to achieve identified deliverables. As a result, a substantial portion of the original project funds was retained and a decision was made to rely upon in-house technical and operational expertise to move the initiative forward. With no change in funding amount and/or scope of authority for the Steering Committee, governing bodies from the Network Participants executed Amendment Number One to the Joint Funding Agreement in May 2002 to reflect the change from outside consultant to in-house assistance.
Subsequently, the Steering Committee determined that from a workload perspective, it became virtually impossible to manage the project as a collateral assignment. Although the Network Participants made significant progress in identifying the needs requirements to achieve interoperability, they lacked the expertise to bring these solutions together. Retaining the authority to execute agreements on behalf of the SVRIP, the Steering Committee conducted an extensive search for professional services to assist with the Project. Northrop Grumman was selected in November 2003 to serve as Project Manager and Systems Integrator on the SVRIP.
In addition, the Committee established a partnership with Northrop Grumman to identify and secure funding that would be needed to implement the various strategies and new technologies. As a long-standing government contractor, Northrop Grumman possessed the political influence to assist Project staff in navigating the complexities of the newly formed Department of Homeland Security. The services provided under this portion of the Agreement, although defined within the Scope of Services for the Agreement, are provided at no cost and Project staff are guided at all times by the Project’s attorney in this process.
EXISTING POLICY
Law Enforcement Sub-Element
Goal 4.1D: Conduct planning and administration that incorporates interaction with other city departments as well as other agencies, both public and private, where mutual concerns exist which could have impact on the delivery of law enforcement services.
Goal 4.2D: Provide planning and administration while maintaining liaison with other agencies and organizations to provide a quality level of fire service to the community.
Goal 4.3C: Enhance and facilitate department operations by providing document management, data processing and all other information management functions.
Legislative Action Policies 4. Public Safety
4.1 Law Enforcement (37) Support resolving interoperability problems that affect emergency communications systems, remedying the current shortage of broadcast spectrum availability for public safety needs, and providing funding for interoperable equipment. (2004 NLC Resolution)
4.3 Support Services ((16) Support remedying the current shortage of broadcast spectrum availability. Support adequate funding for interoperable equipment to better coordinate emergency response. (2004 NLC Resolution)
DISCUSSION
Continued participation in the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Project serves a very positive benefit to the City of Sunnyvale. By partnering with other local municipalities, the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety will reap the benefit of information gained through this project and minimize the financial impact on the City budget. Ensuring that first responders can seamlessly share information in real-time and communicate in the field during an emergency, without interruption and regardless of jurisdiction, has a profound public safety benefit for the City, County and Region.
Since its inception, the SVRIP has sought to address both voice communication interoperability and the need for real-time, on-demand, exchange of information. It has understood that along with the technological changes needed to support true interoperability, business processes and operational changes would also be needed.
The expanded scope of Amendment Number Two to the Joint Funding Agreement provides the structure necessary to keep the SVRIP efforts moving forward, continues outreach to other local, state and federal agencies, establishes partnerships with other private and governmental entities and takes full advantage of funding opportunities as they become available. Such outreach and regional approaches to solving interoperability issues are now a requirement to gain access to federal funding.
Amendment Number Two:
· Provides an update of the project status, documenting the funding received to date;
· Redefines and updates purpose of the project;
· Allows for partnerships with other government agencies and private enterprise;
· Establishes a website;
· Allows for demonstration “pilot” projects;
· Expands the composition of the Steering Committee to reflect a need to include a County Executive and a representative from the San Jose Urban Area Security Initiative;
· Provides for the addition of new adhoc members;
· Defines fiscal agent responsibility (along with legal services) provided by the City of Mountain View.
The Amendment contemplates the future of interoperability and provides enough scope and authority to ensure the project will continue moving forward.
FISCAL IMPACT
As a designated Network Participant, the City of Sunnyvale invested $19,500 in the project. To date the project has secured an additional ten million dollars in federal grant funding. No additional appropriation of funds by the City Council is required. Continued participation in the SVRIP will not require modification to existing equipment, and the purchase of project-related hardware and software will be funded by the project.
Conclusion
Given the success of the Joint Funding Agreement for the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Project, it is noted that the City’s original “seed money” contribution of $19,500 is experiencing a high return on the investment.
Under this amended agreement, the SVRIP can continue its efforts to achieve interoperability and build on the successes to date. Although other localities face similar problems in establishing interoperable communications systems, SVRIP has surpassed the level of other projects by mustering a cooperative coalition of over 30 public and private entities.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of the Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, posting of the agenda and report on the City’s web page, and the availability of the report in the Library and Office of the City Clerk.
ALTERNATIVES
#1 – Council authorizes the City Manager to execute Amendment Number Two to the Joint Funding Agreement for the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Project to update the current scope and authority of the Project.
#2 – Council directs the City Manager to “opt out” of the SVRIP and does not authorize the City Manager to execute Amendment Number Two to the Joint Funding Agreement for the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Project to update the current scope and authority of the Project.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Alternative #1 – Council authorizes the City Manager to execute Amendment Number Two to the Joint Funding Agreement for the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Project to update the current scope and authority of the Project.
This course of action continues to identify the City of Sunnyvale as a Network Participant and supports the county/regional partnership in exercising its joint purchasing and contracting power to achieve public safety agency communications interoperability. The project leverages the financial contributions made by the Network Participants, addresses critical public safety communications issues and establishes a national model.
Reviewed by:
Patrick Dwyer, Interim Director of Public Safety
Prepared by: Katherine Chappelear, Senior Management Analyst
Approved by:
Amy Chan
City Manager
Attachment
A. Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Project – Joint Funding Agreement Amendment Number Two