REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approve Budget Modification No. 26 to Appropriate $895,409 of Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters Grant Funding for Silicon Valley Regional Communication System (SVRCS) and Amendment to an Existing Agreement with the County of Santa Clara
Report
GRANT SUMMARY
On October 25, 2013, the City Manager accepted Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) grant funds (including regional matching funds) in the amount of $895,409 to the Department of Public Safety (DPS). The total amount of $895,409 is comprised of 80% in federal funds ($716,927) and requires a 20% local match ($178,482) by the participating agencies. All federal funding and local match will be shared according to need. This funding will allow Santa Clara County stakeholders to continue the build-out of the Stage 1 Silicon Valley Regional Communication System (SVRCS) begun in 2012 (RTC No. 12-232). DPS and all public safety agencies in Santa Clara County have been working with the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority (SVRIA) and Santa Clara County Communications Department (County COMM) to continue deploying interoperable radio infrastructure. County COMM serves as SVRIA's authorized fiscal agent and project manager for the Stage 1 build-out. Sunnyvale DPS serves as the partnering agency administrator for the AFG grant portion of the Stage 1 implementation agreement.
The City of Sunnyvale applied for a 2012 AFG grant on behalf of the SVRIA member agencies of Santa Clara County Fire Department, South Santa Clara County Fire District, Gilroy, Milpitas, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara City, and Sunnyvale in 2013. The 2012 award will supplement the 2011 AFG grant that was appropriated as part of the funding for the initial Stage 1 contract approved by Council in 2012. These additional AFG funds also will help facilitate SVRCS build-out into the next phase.
The initial Stage 1 contract, effected through a service agreement with the County of Santa Clara and the City of Santa Clara, must be amended by all parties so that the 2012 AFG funding can be incorporated into the total overall funding shared amongst multiple agencies. The County of Santa Clara has signed the attached amendment, which now must be executed by the Cities of Sunnyvale and Santa Clara. Once the amendment is fully executed, a total of 160 mobile radios will be purchased, to be shared among the partnering fire agencies according to the number of radios needed.
The Bureau of Fire Services, Division of Fire Services will be responsible for the operational component, including cooperation with the Department of Information Technology. The Bureau of Special Operations, Division of Strategic Services will be responsible for managing the grant.
Granting Agency
U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.1.5 Donations, Contributions and Sponsorships:
The City Manager may apply for grants of any dollar amount, but shall notify the Council when grants are being pursued. Council approval of a budget modification to appropriate grant monies is required before funds can be expended by staff. Such a budget modification shall include the use to which the grant would be placed; the objectives or goals of the City which will be achieved through use of the grant; the local match required, if any, plus the source of the local match; any increased cost to be locally funded upon termination of the grant; and the ability of the City to administer the grant. For grants under the amount of $5,000 that do not have any external reporting requirements or any local match requirement, Council approval of a budget modification is not required. The City Manager is authorized to accept and administratively appropriate the grant funds.
This grant does not meet all of the criteria to be administratively appropriated by the City Manager; therefore a budget modification is required. Grant funds from DHS/FEMA have external reporting requirements and fall under the federal single audit guidelines.
Sunnyvale Municipal Code ยง2.08.220(b), Intergovernmental Relations, Use of Another Entity's Contract:
The purchasing officer may authorize the procurement of goods and/or services through the use of a contract initiated by another governmental, public or quasi-public entity, provided that the original parties to the contract agree, the contract was awarded within twelve months of the date of authorization, the contract is for identical or nearly identical goods and/or services, and the contract resulted from a competitive bid using methods similar to those required by this chapter.
Sunnyvale General Plan
Goal SN-2: Effective Disaster Preparedness
Ensure that the City, its community members, business, faith-based organizations, community organizations and special needs populations are prepared to effectively respond and recover from major disasters and emergencies.
Policy SN-2.5: Provide emergency radio or other communication devices for coordination of emergency response and the capability to communicate with outside agencies and community members.
Goal SN-3: Safe and Secure City
Ensure a safe and secure environment for people and property in the community by providing effective public safety response and prevention and education services.
Goal SN-7: Effective Emergency Communication Services
Provide emergency communications services.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for this project will be provided from three sources: 2012 AFG revenues, the required local match for the AFG award from the seven other participating agencies, and the City's local match from budgeted equipment replacement funds currently assigned to Project 829880 - Silicon Valley Regional Communication System (Stage 1).
Required Local Match
YES
A total local match of $178,482 is required for this grant. Of that total, Sunnyvale's share is $2,217. The amount required from each participating agency is shown in the Budget Modification table. Each participating agency has an agreement with Sunnyvale that ensures receipt of the matching funds and compliance with the grant guidelines prior to expenditure of any grant funding.
Increased Cost To City Upon Grant Termination
The City's local match is being covered by the equipment replacement funds previously set aside for this project. There is no net fiscal impact to the City for accepting and appropriating these grant funds and moving forward with this project.
Budget Modification No.26 has been prepared to appropriate Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters Grant and matching funds in the amount of $895,409 for equipment to a new project, Silicon Valley Regional Communication System, 2012 AFG.
Budget Modification No. 26
FY 2013/2014
Current Increase/ Revised
(Decrease)
General Fund
Revenues
Homeland Security Grants $0 $716,927 $716,927
Local Match:
Santa Clara City $0 $2,217 $2,217
San Jose $0 $21,063 $21,063
Gilroy $0 $22,172 $22,172
Milpitas $0 $24,389 $24,389
Palo Alto $0 $27,714 $27,714
South Santa Clara Co. Fire District $0 $27,715 $27,715
Santa Clara County Fire Dept. $0 $50,995 $50,995
Expenditures
829880 - Silicon Valley Regional $297,843 ($2,217) $295,626
Communication System
Stage 1 (2011 AFG)
New Project - Silicon Valley $0 $895,409 $895,409
Regional Communication System
2012 AFG
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve Budget Modification No. 26 to appropriate Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters Grant fund in the amount of $895,409 to a new project, Silicon Valley Regional Communication System, 2012 AFG, and approve the First Amendment to the Agreement for Silicon Valley Regional Communications System Stage 1 between the County of Santa Clara and the Cities of Santa Clara and Sunnyvale.
Staff
Prepared by: Jeff Hunter, Captain
Reviewed by: Frank J. Grgurina, Chief of Public Safety
Reviewed by: David Jensen, Director of Information Technology Department
Reviewed by: Grace Leung, Director of Finance
Approved by: Robert A. Walker, Interim City Manager
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
1. SVRIA Amendment for Stage 1 - 2012 AFG