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BACKGROUND <br /> The City Council's Annual Work Plan includes a priority to provide a safe environment <br /> for people and property in Pleasanton. In recognition of this priority, the City Council <br /> recently approved membership in the East Bay Regional Communication System <br /> Authority (EBRCSA) comprised of ten East Bay counties that have agreed to share in <br /> the cost of acquiring and installing a new interoperable communications system in the <br /> East Bay. The goal of the new interoperable radio system is to allow seamless mobile <br /> radio communications throughout the region. Currently, public agency communication <br /> is limited due to the use of a variety of radio equipment technologies that do not <br /> facilitate communication from one to another. To take advantage of the new radio <br /> system, EBRCS agencies have made a commitment to move toward acquiring Project <br /> 25 (P25) compliant radios that are necessary to facilitate interoperability. <br /> The LPFD and its Regional Partners are members of the EBRCSA and provide fire and <br /> life- safety services throughout Alameda County (County). While every effort is made to <br /> coordinate services, the Regional Partners currently operate on different radio systems, <br /> which weaken the region's ability to communicate effectively across jurisdictional <br /> boundaries. To address this issue, and in recognition of the agreements related to the <br /> EBRCS, the LPFD and the Regional Partners co- developed an AFG grant proposal to <br /> offset the cost of new P25 compliant mobile radios. The AFG is a federal grant that <br /> provides supplemental funding for projects demonstrating the ability to meet various <br /> national homeland security priorities, including improved radio communications. <br /> The City has been informed that it has been awarded an AFG in the amount of <br /> $464,346 that will be used to meet 80% of the cost of new P25 compliant radios for the <br /> LPFD and the Regional Partners. Staff estimates that a total of 78- radios will be <br /> purchased with the grant and match funding. Of these, 11- radios will be allocated to the <br /> LPFD. The total 20% match share for these radios is $13,097 of which Pleasanton and <br /> Livermore will split the cost of $6,548 each. Attachment -2 outlines the cost to the <br /> Regional Partners, and the cities of Pleasanton and Livermore. <br /> As a condition of the AFG, the LPFD is required to develop a cooperative agreement <br /> indicating cooperation and detailing the responsibilities of the Regional Partners. In <br /> response, staff and the Regional Partners are recommending approval of the attached <br /> MOU. <br /> As indicated in Section IV of the MOU, Pleasanton will oversee the grant <br /> implementation and act as the fiscal agent for grant finances. Overseeing of the grant, <br /> which will be handled by LPFD staff, includes procurement of radios, providing a <br /> training curriculum, verifying standard frequencies and administering grant processing. <br /> The responsibilities of the Regional Partners, as outlined in Section V, includes <br /> providing a 20% match, providing inventory tracking, installing equipment, providing <br /> assumption of liability for lost or damaged equipment, and developing documentation <br /> related to radio inventories and operations. <br /> Page 2 of 3 <br />