Agenda Item
iv. Fire Alarm Monitoring Services Contract Approval (Cliff's Fire Extinguisher Co., Inc., for a not-to-exceed amount of $60,565.00)
Summary: Presented by: Mr. Richard H. Boyd, Interim Chief Operations Officer, Division of Operations
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education ratify and approve a contract for Fire Alarm Monitoring Services from August 1, 2022, through July 31, 2023, to Cliff's Fire Extinguisher Co., Inc., on a month-to-month basis for a total not-to-exceed amount of $60,565.00. It is requested that the Board of Education ratify and approve a contract for Fire Alarm Monitoring Services from August 1, 2022, through July 31, 2023, to Cliff's Fire Extinguisher Co., Inc., on a month-to-month basis for a total not-to-exceed amount of $60,565.00. It is requested that the Board of Education ratify and approve a contract for Fire Alarm Monitoring Services from August 1, 2022, through July 31, 2023, to Cliff's Fire Extinguisher Co., Inc., on a month-to-month basis for a total not-to-exceed amount of $60,565.00.
Why: This request is for a contract for Cliff's Fire Extinguisher Co., Inc., to perform fire alarm monitoring services for all DeKalb County School District schools and facilities. This request provides an agreement on a month-to-month basis, retroactive to August 1, 2022, while the district updates its fire monitoring equipment and starts procurement for a vendor to perform monitoring services on an annual basis.
Board Policy DJE requires that "Purchases or contracts with a total estimated cost of $100,000.00 or more shall be awarded through a written competitive sealed bid process to the lowest responsible, responsive bidder, or through a competitive request for proposal process where the offer deemed to be the most advantageous to the district may be selected. The decision whether to use a competitive sealed bid or a competitive request for proposal shall be made by the Superintendent or the Superintendent’s authorized designee, based on sound business judgment and the best interest of the district.
Use of the competitive selection measures not required when the purchase or contract is necessitated by an emergency, defined as any situation that threatens to jeopardize the health, welfare or safety of students, staff, the district or the public or the loss of an essential District service.
Details: In June, ADT informed DCSD that our fire alarm equipment required updating to continue to be monitored by the ADT monitoring system. Without these extensive updates, ADT would no longer be able to monitor our fire alarm system after July 31, 2022. Cliff's Fire Extinguisher Co., Inc. can immediately assume monitoring of the district's fire alarm systems. Cliff's Fire Extinguisher Co., Inc., already provides fire maintenance services for DCSD and can take over fire alarm system monitoring without a major overhaul of our system. This will provide continuity in fire alarm monitoring services to all the district’s schools and facilities and provide the district the time needed to properly evaluate and upgrade our fire alarm system equipment and start procurement for a vendor to perform monitoring services on an annual basis.
The loss of fire alarm monitoring services meets all the requirements to be deemed an emergency. Without the ability to have Cliff's Fire Extinguisher Co., Inc., to start monitoring services on August 1st, the District will need to notify the Dekalb County Fire Department that we do not have fire alarm monitoring coverage and we will need to have a 24-hour fire watch at each facility.
Financial impact: The total budget for these services is allocated from the cost code (100.2600.530012.0011.7520.9990.8013.040.0000) under the Operations’ Division General Fund Budget in the amount not to exceed $60,565.00. This cost includes a one-time set up and license fee of $4,045.00 and a monthly cost of $4,710.00 (@ 12 months = $56,250.00).
Contact: Mr. Richard H. Boyd, Interim Chief Operations Officer, Division of Operations, 678.676.1376
Ms. Monika Davis, Chief Information Officer, Division of Information and Instructional Technology, 678.676.1177
Mr. Bobby Moncrief, Director of Facilities, Division of Operations, 678.676.1478
Effective: Upon board approval.
Status: Approved by General Counsel.