DATE: February 5, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Development Services Department
TITLE: PURCHASE ORDER TO MERIDIAN RAPID DEFENSE GROUP FOR EVENT PROTECTION BARRIERS AND APPROVAL OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH MERIDIAN RAPID DEFENSE GROUP FOR WEEKLY DEPLOYMENT SERVICES
RECOMMENDATION
title
Staff recommends that the City Council approve a purchase order, in an amount not to exceed $237,031, for event protection barriers to be used for various City events and approve a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with Meridian Rapid Defense Group LLC (“Meridian”) to deploy the event protection barriers in the amount of $117,000; authorize the Financial Services Director, or designee, to execute the purchase order; authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement upon receipt of all final documents; authorize the City Manager to purchase additional protection barriers and amend the PSA as needed by an additional $708,062 within six months of initial City Council approval, for a total amount not to exceed $1,062,093; and appropriate $575,709 from General Fund Assigned Infrastructure Reserves as needed for the additional purchase.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
In recent years, the need to ensure the safety of visitors to large-scale outdoor events has become increasingly important. Main Street Oceanside, Inc. (“MSO”) hosts both the Morning Farmer’s Market and Sunset Market which attract numerous year-round visitors to the downtown area. To enhance visitor safety during these events, vehicles are often parked at major intersections as a means to restrict access; however, new technologies and equipment have come online such as removable barriers and bollards which offer enhanced levels of protection to the community.
During FY 2019-20, the City Council approved a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) project, entitled the Street Market Bollards project; it was subsequently funded with the approval of the FY 2020-21 CIP Budget. The goal of this CIP project is to provide an enhanced physical barrier system to protect Farmers Market and Sunset Market attendees and vendors. Staff researched a series of potential alternatives for the proposed project, including the use of K-Rails, installation of permanent bollards, and the use of movable barriers. Due to the feasibility of installation and costs, staff has determined that the purchase and use of movable barriers is the most favorable option available.
Supplied by Meridian, the Archer 1200 Mobile Barrier is the preferred equipment recommended for purchase. The Archer 1200 Mobile Barrier is made of high strength, ballistic-rated steel, and can be moved and easily installed as necessary. The equipment is also 100 percent (100%) reusable after impact and has a lifetime warranty. Multiple municipalities in California also employ Meridian mobile barriers including the Cities of Carlsbad, San Diego, Pasadena, Ventura, Beverly Hills, San Luis Obispo, and others.
The recommended purchase of the Meridian barriers would include all supporting accessory items (e.g., transport trailers, cables, lift, etc.) required for deployment of the barriers. The PSA scope of work with Meridian includes providing deployment training to City staff so the barriers may be used for other events or emergencies in the City, aside from the Farmer’s or Sunset Markets. Due to the size of the equipment and storage limitations in the downtown area, the barriers, trailers, and all supporting accessories would be stored at the City Operations Center. Upon the City Council’s approval to proceed with the proposed project, the City will purchase two trailers to store the equipment; each trailer has the capacity to store and transport nine (9) barricades.
The proposed PSA would authorize Meridian to deploy the barriers each week for Farmer’s Market events. Deployment costs are anticipated to be shared with Main Street Oceanside and it’s anticipated that a cost share agreement will be presented for City Council consideration at a future date. Meridian’s PSA scope of work includes pick-up, delivery, and set-up of the barriers for both market events each week. This PSA is for a one-year term.
The purchase order would be facilitated under a GSA Contract Cooperative Purchasing Agreement with Meridian as referenced in Attachment 3, which includes Oceanside as an eligible member agency. Therefore, the proposed purchase would comply with Municipal Code Section 28A.24(b), which allows for execution of a cooperative purchasing utilizing agreement maintained by other public agencies.
FISCAL IMPACT
The purchase order for Meridian is in the amount of $237,031 and included in Attachment 2. The PSA with Meridian for weekly deployment services is in the amount of $117,000 and included in Attachments 4 and 5. The purchase order and PSA will be charged to the accounts in the table below.
|
Description |
Amount |
Account |
Available balance |
|
Purchase Order to Meridian |
$237,031 |
Street Market Bollards 912157919501.5704.10730 |
$258,046 |
|
Professional Services Agreement to Meridian |
$117,000 |
Street Market Bollards 912157919501.5355.10730 |
$228,338 |
|
TOTAL |
$354,031 |
|
$486,384 |
It is likely that the purchase of additional barriers may be needed to support other City needs and events in the foreseeable future. As a result, staff is also seeking City Council authorization for the City Manager to purchase additional barriers and increase deployment services with Meridian within six months of this current action. Staff is seeking additional purchase order authorization up to $474,062 and an increase to the PSA for deployment services up to $234,000. This additional allocation would allow the purchase of up to four additional trailers and 36 barriers which could be used to support many of the City’s existing large-scale outdoor sporting and cultural events. This would require allocation of additional funds from General Fund reserves as delineated in the table below.
|
Description |
Amount |
Account |
Available balance (after initial purchase) |
Appropriations Needed |
|
Additional Purchase Order to Meridian at CMO discretion |
$474,062 |
Street Market Bollards 912157919501.5330.10730 |
$21,015 |
$453,047 |
|
Amendment to Professional Services Agreement to Meridian |
$234,000 |
Street Market Bollards 912157919501.5355.10730 |
$111,338 |
$122,662 |
|
TOTAL |
$708,062 |
|
$132,353 |
$575,709 |
|
If additional appropriations up to $575,709 are needed, the funding source would be General Fund Assigned Infrastructure account 101.3020.0054, which has a current available balance of $20.97 million; therefore, sufficient funds would be available. This appropriation would need a transfer of $575,709 from 101.6900.0501 to 912157919501.6800.0101. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL (ALL PURCHASES) |
$1,062,093 |
|
|
|
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
Does not apply.
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
The referenced documents have been reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form.
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Prepared by: AJ Bartleet, Associate Engineer
Reviewed by: Darlene Nicandro, Development Services Director
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Staff Report
2. Meridian Barriers Purchase Quote
3. GSA Contract with Meridian Rapid Defense Group LLC
4. PSA with Meridian Rapid Defense Group LLC
5. Meridian Deployment Services 12 Month Quote