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AUTHORIZATION FOR THE PURCHASE OF HARDWARE UPGRADES FOR THE ONBOARD INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM (ITS) FROM GMV SYNCROMATICS IN THE AMOUNT OF $145,372 FOR THE CITY’S FIXED-ROUTE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FLEET.
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BACKGROUND: In 2011, the University of Oklahoma Cleveland Area Rapid Transit (OU/CART) entered into an agreement with GMV Syncromatics to provide an onboard intelligent transportation system (ITS) for its fleet of fixed-route public transportation vehicles. As part of the initial transition of the public transportation service in the summer of 2019, the City of Norman continued the service agreement with GMV Syncromatics for the ITS.
The GMV Syncromatics ITS includes hardware that assists the City in reporting required data to local, state, and federal entities. This includes ridership, vehicle miles, and vehicle hours. In addition, the system creates operational efficiencies with dispatching and on-time performance. The ITS also includes Geographic Positioning System (GPS) tracking which not only helps operations but assists the City in providing web-based real time bus arrival and departure data to passengers. Finally, the system helps the City meet its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for exterior and interior bus stop announcements both verbally and visually.
DISCUSSION: The current GMV Syncromatics ITS hardware is at its end of life and soon maintenance of it will become impossible. Significant upgrades need to be made to ensure data collection is continued at a high level. Since the initial product was installed in 2011, improvements have been made to the system which will be included in the upgrade. This will ensure the City is using the ITS to its fullest capabilities.
An upgrade proposal to the ITS has been submitted to the City by GMV Syncromatics. This proposal includes project management from GMV Syncromatics to ensure the installation proceeds smoothly and all systems work as intended by the end of installation and testing. The proposal includes the complete overhaul of the system by purchasing and installing new mobile data terminals (MDTs), automated voice annunciator system (AVAS), and interior LED signage. “Bus in a Box” training aids are also included so that we can train new employees before going in the field and diagnose issues in an office setting. Finally, the proposal includes the buyback of the current, outdated system to defer costs.
The City planned for “One-time Start-Up Costs” in the fiscal year 2019-2020 (FYE 2020) budget for foreseeable costs associated with getting the City’s newly acquired public transportation system up and running properly. Included in the overall proposal was $253,110 for “AVL” or equipment, hardware, and/or software licenses associated with the fleet’s onboard technology. So far, approximately $77,653 has been spent for on-board paratransit fleet hardware and annual fees for both paratransit and fixed-route fleets. Thus, there are $175,457 remaining funds for this purpose. No other technology purchases are anticipated in FYE 2020. Therefore, if Council approves this ITS update, the City’s FYE 2020 budget will realize a savings of $30,085 in technology costs.
Due to the GMV Syncromatics ITS being installed on the majority of the City’s public transportation fleet, the City would like to move forward with software specific upgrades that can only be provided by GMV Syncromatics ITS. Attached to this memo is a letter documenting that GMV Syncromatics ITS is a sole source provider of this software.
RECOMMENDATION: Section 8-204(b)(2) of the Code of the City of Norman authorizes the City Council to waive competitive bidding for the purchase of supplies, materials, equipment, or contractual services which can be furnished only by a single dealer or which have a uniform price wherever bought. In accordance therewith, Staff recommends the purchase of hardware upgrades for the onboard intelligent transportation system (ITS) in the amount of $145,372 from GMV Syncromatics for the fixed-route public transportation fleet. Funds for this purchase are available in the Public Transportation Fund, Computer Hardware (account 27550276- 45301).