TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Anthony Conrad, Police Chief
PREPARED BY: Jeremy Durrant, Lieutenant - Police
SUBJECT: Purchase of Equipment Truck for Murrieta Police Department SWAT
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RECOMMENDATION
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Approve the purchase of a 2023 Chevrolet Truck Express 3500 utility vehicle from Paradise Chevrolet Cadillac Temecula; and
Authorize an exception to the procurement policy; and
Appropriate $123,980 in the Operating Budget to 4040030-71060 for the purchase of the utility vehicle.
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PRIOR ACTION/VOTE
On January 17, 2023, the City Council approved the purchase of a 2022 Chevrolet Truck Express 3500 utility vehicle from Paradise Chevrolet Cadillac Temecula and approved an exception to the purchasing policy (Vote: 5-0).
CITY COUNCIL GOAL
Provide a high level of innovative public safety.
BACKGROUND
On January 17, 2023, the City Council approved the Murrieta Police Department's budget request for $90,000 in account 4020030-71060 to purchase a new Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) equipment truck. The Police Department’s SWAT team utilizes a large equipment truck to store and transport the team’s specialty gear during critical incidents and training. Although this request was approved by the City Council, the truck order was canceled due to the lack of inventory. In August 2023, the Police Department was notified by Paradise Chevrolet Cadillac Temecula that a 2023 Chevrolet Truck Express 3500 utility vehicle was available for $124,980. The dealership applied the previous deposit of $1,000, which reduced the balance to $123,980. This price includes $27,590 worth of aftermarket upfitting that wasn’t included in the original proposal to make the vehicle compatible with public safety needs.
The Murrieta Police Department’s SWAT team requires a particular type of equipment truck that is currently in very high demand. Paradise Chevrolet Cadillac Temecula is the only local vendor with this type of vehicle available (Attachment 1). Other vendors acknowledge that they are several years away from having these vehicles in stock. Similar vehicles are available in other parts of the country, but the cost to get them to Murrieta would be substantial.
If the Police Department is not approved to purchase this vehicle, they will not have a reliable equipment truck which could cause delays in delivering essential, life-saving equipment to the SWAT team during critical incidents. This would, in turn, decrease the level of service provided to the residents of Murrieta in the event of a SWAT incident. Additionally, the Murrieta SWAT team works in partnership with the cities of Hemet and Menifee, and an unreliable equipment truck could also cause unnecessary delays to SWAT emergencies in those cities.
Section C.5. of the City’s Procurement Policy, dated November 18, 2021, identifies that for commodity purchases over $75,000, formal competitive bidding should be used. In this circumstance, given the limited availability of the necessary type of vehicle and the other conditions described above, competitive bidding is not deemed feasible. Section L of the Procurement Policy identifies provisions for the potential discretion of the City Council or City Manager to waive the competitive process. Specifically, the Policy states, “The City Council or the City Manager, in the case of procurements within the City Manager’s procurement authority, may waive the requirements for formal competitive bidding of other procedures set forth in this Policy when (1) permissible under applicable law; (2) a determination is made that the best interests of the City are served thereby, and provided there is adequate documentation of the need for such services; and (3) a determination is made that following competitive procedures would be unavailing and not in furtherance of the purposes of the competitive bidding statutes and the City’s procurement policy.”
FISCAL IMPACT
Due to the increased cost for the 2023 Chevrolet Truck Express 3500 utility vehicle, there is not enough in Unassigned Fund Balance to cover the difference in Fund 402. The remaining funding of $89,000 in the Fiscal Year 2022/23 Operating Budget for the original equipment truck will revert back to fund balance. Staff is requesting a new appropriation of $123,980 in the Fiscal Year 2023/24 Operating Budget in account 4040030-71060.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Paradise Chevrolet Cadillac Temecula Vehicle Purchase Quote