Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Information Systems Department

TO:	David Corliss, City Manager Debbie Van Saun, Ass’t City Manager
FROM:	Ron Hall, Information Systems Director
CC:	James Wisdom
Date:	October 19, 2006
RE:	October 24 , 2006 Agenda Item for Fiber Optic cable

Please include the following item on the City Commission consent agenda for consideration at the October 24, 2006 meeting:

Fiber optic cable installation between City Hall and LEC

This is a cooperative project between Douglas County and the City of Lawrence to install 48-strand (24-pair) single mode fiber optic cable between City Hall and the Law Enforcement Center (LEC).

Project History. City and County technology personnel have long discussed establishing a fiber optic communication link between City Hall and the Law Enforcement Center for handling immediate data and voice sharing needs as well as providing for future communication demands between the facilities. A request for proposal (RFP) document was prepared by City and County information technology personnel for installation of 24-pair single mode fiber optic cable between the two facilities. A required pre-proposal conference was held with interested vendors that answered questions about the project and included a walk-thru of the entire path of the proposed cable run.

The City of Lawrence already owns fiber optic cable that connects the Law Enforcement Center to the Municipal Court facility at 1008 New Hampshire and continues across to the City parking garage at 947 New Hampshire. Completion of this project would then link City Hall via fiber with Douglas County, the LEC Police Department, Municipal Court, City parking and Animal Control, the Human Relations/Human Resources Department, and Parks and Recreation administrative offices. The resulting communication pipe would be used for co-location backup data for City and County, GIS data sharing, Municipal Court document imaging, Recreation class enrollment, telecommunication between the above facilities, as well as providing for additional services in the future.

Project Status. A six member review committee from Douglas County Information Technology, City Information Systems, and Douglas County purchasing reviewed proposals from six vendors and selected R & R Communications as the firm to complete the fiber optic project based upon the following criteria: experience and qualifications of the vendor, costs, guarantee, proposed strategy, timetable to install and complete project, and references.

R & R Communications was also the lowest cost proposal meeting specifications at a total project cost of $60,264.57. Although encountering rock along the cable pathway is not anticipated, a rock clause has been included in the R & R proposal for rock boring at $59 per hour should that become necessary.

Sunflower Broadband submitted an alternate proposal for leasing of two fiber strands (one pair) at a cost of $15,000 and an ongoing charge of $500 per month. Using this cost basis for leasing a more realistic 12-fiber (6-pairs) the first year cost would be $51,000 ($15,000 installation plus $3,000 X 12-months) with ongoing leasing costs. While seriously considering leased fiber for other projects the review committee felt for this particular project that owning the fiber would pay for itself in approximately one year in addition to providing for future growth.

R & R Communications	Huxtable & Associates	Alltech Coummunications	K & W Underground	Wachter Network Services
$60,264.57	$76,678.00	$61,250.00	$90,008.73	$62,047.04 w/required 2” conduit

Project Details. The project includes providing materials and installation of a 48-strand single mode OSP fiber optic plant between the LEC and City Hall to also include underground boring, pull boxes, signage, cable termination, testing and restoration of any disturbed surfaces. This pathway begins at the SE corner basement of the LEC and travels northward along the west side of Rhode Island Street in underground 2” conduit. The path exits the ground at the east end of the Riverfront parking facility and continues along the outside of the facility retaining wall and in to City Hall to the 3^rd floor. All cabling will be housed in approved conduit along a pathway approved by City engineering staff. Underground boring will be used along Rhode Island Street to minimize disruption to the area. Pull boxes will be buried and covered and seeded to match the original ground cover. The maximum duration of this project is estimated at eight weeks with a likely duration of 30 days.

Project Funding. Both the City Commission and County Commission gave approval to initiate action on this project contingent upon each body funding half of the project. Therefore the City’s portion of the project would be half of $60,264.57 or $30,132.28. Douglas County would issue a purchase order for the entire amount and invoice the City for the $30,132.28. Funding for the City portion of the project would come from the Information Systems 2006 budget.

Action Request. Information Systems staff requests approval from the City Commission to authorize the city manager to enter a cooperative city/county agreement with R & R Communications, Inc. and authorize expenditure of $30,132.28 and $59/hour rock clause for the cooperative fiber optic project.