R2014-92 RESCINDING RESOLUTION R2014-87

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COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMORANDUM NO. 2014-37 DATE: August 18, 2014 TO: Honorable Mayor McElroy and City Council Members FROM: Ryan P. McCrady, City Manager Richard G. Marley, P.E., Public Works Director SUBJECT: Resolution Rescinding Approval of a Contract with Motorola Solutions, Inc., City Project 2014-03 SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council approve the attached resolution rescinding approval of a contract with Motorola Solutions, Inc., for the Radio System Replacement Project, City Project 2014-03. PRIOR COUNCIL ACTION: May 6, 2013—In study session council heard alternatives to replace the City's Trunked Radio System. Motorola's Starcom2l system was recommended to City Council as the best alternative. August 4, 2014—Council approved a resolution awarding the contract for the Radio System Replacement Project, City Project 2014-03,to Motorola Solutions, Inc. for a cost not to exceed $1,398,388. BACKGROUND: In 2009, the City of Decatur Police Department, Decatur Fire Department and Macon County Sheriff began utilizing the StarCom21 network for their primary communications. StarCom21 is a state-wide radio system originally established by the State of Illinois and it is owned, operated, maintained and managed by Motorola Solutions Inc. under contract with the State. During a thunderstorm at approximately 3:00 am, Tuesday, August 5, 2014, a bolt of lightning struck the StarCom transmission tower in Mt. Zion near the WXFM radio broadcast tower. The StarCom radio communications system went down and stayed down all day until nearly midnight. Emergency responders reverted back to the old 800 MHz system as backup. On Saturday August 9, 2014, the StarCom system again went down about 5:45 pm. The problem was again at the StarCom tower near the WXFM tower. During the second outage, emergency responders again reverted back to the 800 MHz system. StarCom communications returned to service at about 6:20 pm. 1