AGENDA MEMORANDUM

Meeting Date:           December 17, 2007

From: Mike Thornton, Purchasing Manager

Subject:                      Purchase Requisition #39107 for the purchase of digital in-car video systems for the Police Department

Staff Recommendation:

Staff recommends approval of purchase requisition #39107 to Digital-Ally for the purchase of 17  digital in-car video systems for $70,980.00.

Analysis:

This purchase of 17 digital in-car video systems is the first in a multi-year plan to replace existing analog (tape) video recorders with new digital units.  There are currently eight  patrol vehicles without any type of video recording system that will be outfitted with this purchase.  The other nine systems will replace aging analog units that fail regularly and are not performing as needed.

The Leesburg Police Department reviewed several manufacturers of digital in-car video systems.  They identified the features of the Digital-Ally rearview unit to be the best of breed system.  The unit consists of a module that replaces the vehicles rear view mirror.  Inside the module are all the digital components for the system and a small TFT color monitor that allows them to watch video playback.  The digital camera is external to the module and mounts on the vehicles windshield.

Some of the unique features for this system are:

• A one piece in-car digital video system with all digital video and audio recording electronics integrated in a replacement rear-view mirror module
• No wires or cabling to run
• This unit does not use valuable truck space
• This unit does not take up center console space for components
• This unit is airbag safe meaning it does not interfere with airbag deployment
• The unit is not vehicle specific.  The same module can mount in any model vehicle

Of the video systems evaluated by the Police Department, no other system was a ‘one size’ fits all system.  Some systems had vehicle specific mounting kits while others required vehicle modifications for installation.  The Digital-Ally system was the only system found that was not vehicle manufacturer specific and required no alterations to the vehicle for installation.  During the evaluation process other vendors were not responsive to requests for information or did not provide information promised to our evaluators.  Digital-Ally met with the department’s evaluation team and provided a system for a 30 day field evaluation by City of Leesburg officers.  The department contacted three other agencies that currently use the Digital-Ally system.  All three had only favorable remarks and highly recommend the system.

The final recommendation by the evaluation committee after demonstrations of several products and the field test is to purchase the Digital-Ally system.  This recommendation is based on lower cost compared to other systems, existing customer satisfaction, compact installation, and ease of use.

If approved, the City will be purchasing these systems using an existing State of West Virginia price agreement with Digital-Ally.  The Purchasing Division has evaluated the pricing agreement and has found the agreement to be valid, competitively bid, and appropriately awarded to Digital-Ally.  A copy of the agreement is attached for your review.  The State of West Virginia agreement is available for use by other agencies and municipalities.  The vendor has extended this pricing to the City of Leesburg as detailed on the attached price quotation.

Vendor Bids from West Virginia Bid

Vendor Name	Price Quote	Detracting Features
Digital-Ally Leawood, KS	$      3,895.00	Smaller video screen.
Safety Vision LP Houston, TX	$      3,700.00	Multi module system: recorder, monitor, camera, extensive wiring, console mount.
Integrian Morrisville, NC	$      5,295.00	Price.  Installation method.

Options:

1.  Approve purchase requisition 39107 to Digital-Ally, Inc.; or

2.  Such alternative action as the Commission may deem appropriate

Fiscal Impact: 

This is a budgeted purchase in the 2008 fiscal year.  The purchase is being funded from grant, forfeiture, and capital project accounts as listed.  There is a project deficit of $10,854 from the capital project account.  This deficit will be made up by using money from budgeted digital radios.  The digital radios will no longer be needed due to the Lake County radio tower project.

Submission Date and Time:    12/13/2007 9:25 AM____

Department: __Police Department_____ Prepared by:  __Mike Thornton________                      Attachments:         Yes__X_   No ______ Advertised:   ____Not Required __X___ Dates:   __________________________                      Attorney Review :       Yes___  No ____ _________________________________             Revised 6/10/04

Reviewed by: Dept. Head ________ Finance  Dept. __________________                                    Deputy C.M. ___________________                                          Submitted by: City Manager ___________________

Account No. _001-2111-521.64-10_ _121-2111-521.51-84_ Project No. __JA0003___________ WF No. _____NA______________ Budget  _____$125,095.00________                _____$ 48,390.00________ Available ____$ 58,711.59________                _____$ 26,393.31________