Title
Resolution to Approve Purchase of Fire Prevention Bureau Vehicle Computer Mounting Equipment ($17,207.80), Upgrade Eight (8) Existing Computers to Tablets ($5200.00) and Appropriate Needed Funds ($22,407.80) (Mobile Tablet Equipment) (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
The attached resolution seeks approval to purchase universal vehicle computing equipment with mobile technology and to upgrade the Ann Arbor Fire Department (AAFD) Fire Prevention Bureau’s (FPB) current City assigned computers to mobile tablets through the City’s IT Department.
Budget/Fiscal Impact:
First Year Cost: The first year implementation cost of ($22,407.80) would need to be appropriated from General Fund Balance to the FY2018 Fire Unit budget to cover IT computer upgrade costs ($5200.00), vehicle equipment purchased ($13,217.80), and installation costs ($3,990.00). The vehicle equipment cost of $17,207.80 will cover necessary vehicle mounts, keyboards, printers, and wireless equipment ($13,217.80) along with the City’s Fleet Service installation costs ($3,990.00).
Subsequent Annual Cost: A reoccurring annual cost of ($4,430.00) would need to be appropriated from General Fund Balance to the Fire Unit budget to cover the costs of equipment maintenance, IT support, and wireless connectivity services in reoccurring fiscal periods starting in FY2019.
The purchased mobile tablets will be utilized in the field with wireless connectivity to the City’s server and within each inspector’s office-working area using a tablet docking station. This upgraded computer technology equipment will allow the FPB inspection program to implement and provide complete on-site customer service along with eliminating time-consuming duplicative paperwork and reporting tasks.
This purchased equipment will allow AAFD to enhance fire inspector-working environments to improve its Fire Prevention Bureau’s (FPB) Fire Safety Inspection Program. The FPB currently completes fire safety inspections annually within business occupancies to ensure safe environments and to assure that the City stays in compliance with adopted fire code and ordinances.
The ability to automatically document inspection results within the Fire Department’s reporting software and print inspection reports for the customer onsite will allow fire inspectors to go through, explain inspection results with pictures, and fire code language to the customers immediately after the inspection. This modern technology will eliminate manually writing inspection information and violations with pen on paper and then having to (re)enter the same information into the Fire Department’s reporting software system back in the office. The on-site printing ability will also limit US postal service costs of sending printed reports from the office.
This mobile equipment will also allow the fire inspectors to better document inspection issues with photography functionality to store pictures. This will also eliminate having to take photos with a camera, an additional piece of equipment carried, and having to download and upload pictures from the camera to the Fire Department’s reporting software back in the office-working environment.
The Fire Department has tried numerous times to acquire funding through grants and City Budget Impact processes to upgrade FPB computer technology with no success.
Tablets are available from IT through an existing approved IT contract with SEHI Computer Products. A one-time cost increase ($22,407.80) to the FY18 Fire Unit IT Replacement budget, which will allow fire inspectors upgrade their laptops and desktops to become more efficient, effective and customer friendly when completing fire safety inspections throughout the City.
Three bids were solicited for the required vehicle mounting equipment. RAS Engineering, LLC was selected as the lowest responsible bidder ($13,217.80). City Fleet Services will complete installation ($3,990.00) for a total combined parts and labor cost of $17,207.80.
In summary, this investment in fire inspector mobile technology equipment will allow the Fire Safety Inspection Program to become much more efficient and effective in performing fire safety occupancy inspections and to communicate results more effectively with business owners, management firms, and tenants.
Staff
Prepared by: Ellen S. Taylor, Assistant Fire Chief
Reviewed by: Larry E. Collins, Fire Chief
Approved by: Howard S. Lazarus, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The Ann Arbor Fire Department (AAFD) seeks approval to purchase universal vehicle equipment with mobile technology ($13,217.80), to have Fleet Services install this equipment ($3,990.00), and to upgrade the Fire Prevention Bureau’s (FPB) current City assigned computers to mobile tablets through the City’s IT Department ($5,200.00);
Whereas, AAFD desires to enhance fire inspector-working environments to improve its Fire Prevention Bureau’s Fire Safety Inspection Program to assure fire safe environments within the City’s business occupancies;
Whereas, The AAFD’s Fire Safety Program completes fire safety inspections and ensures that the City stays in compliance with the adopted Fire Code and Ordinances;
Whereas, The AAFD has tried numerous times to acquire funding through grants and City Budget Impact processes to allow the FPB to upgrade to today’s inspector computer technology;
Whereas, This upgraded computer technology equipment will allow the FPB inspection program to implement and provide complete on-site customer service. The purchased mobile tablets will be utilized in the field with wireless connectivity to the City’s server and within each inspector’s office working area with a docking station. This computer technology will allow fire inspectors to become more versatile and efficient in completing fire safety inspections throughout the City;
Whereas, This mobile equipment will allow fire inspectors to print inspection reports enabling them to go through and explain the inspection results with the customers on-site with visible fire code language, which will enhance customer understanding and reduce US postal service costs of sending printed reports to the customers from the office;
Whereas, This mobile equipment will help improve the Fire Safety Inspection Program’s efficiency and effectiveness. Cumbersome and time consuming duplicative tasks will be eliminated such as on-site the manual writing of inspection notes and violations which require (re)entering the same information into the Fire Department’s reporting software system back in the office;
Whereas, This mobile equipment will also allow the fire inspectors to better document inspection issues with photographic functionality and capability to store pictures within the Fire Department’s reporting system on-site, eliminating the need to carry extra equipment and completing extra tasks to upload inspection photos back in the office;
Whereas, The vehicle equipment will cover necessary vehicle mounts, keyboards, printers, and wireless equipment; and
Whereas, Appropriation to the Fire Unit FY 18 budget of $22,407.80 will cover first year implementation cost of ($22,407.80), IT computer upgrade costs ($5200.00); universal vehicle equipment costs ($13,217.80), and Fleet Services installation cost ($3,990.00);
RESOLVED, That City Council approve AAFD to purchase mobile vehicle equipment, upgrade fire inspector computers to tables through the City’s IT department;
RESOLVED, That City Council appropriate the necessary one-time cost of $22,407.80 from General Fund Balance to the FY18 Fire Unit budget to be available for expenditure by AAFD; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take all necessary administrative actions to implement this Resolution.