Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Legal Services Department

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Toni Wheeler, Director of Legal Services Vicki Stanwix, Municipal Court Administrator
C:	Cpt. Tarik Khatib and Teri Pierce, Lawrence Police Department
Date:	May 25, 2010
RE:	Purchase of Handheld Mobile Computers and Related Equipment and Maintenance for Parking Control Officers

Please place the following item on the City Commission agenda.

Background

In 2005, the City purchased seven mobile computers from Advanced Public Safety (APS) for the Lawrence Police Department parking control officers.  The parking control officers use the mobile computers and related equipment to write overtime parking citations.  The equipment has served the City well, but is aged and in need of replacement.    

Replacement of the handheld computers will facilitate enforcement of the habitual parking violator law.  At the time of the initial purchase of the handheld computers, APS had the ability to produce an application to assist the parking control officers with enforcement of habitual parking violations.  However, at the time, the City was not writing habitual parking violator tickets and did not acquire the application.  In August 2009, the City Commission amended the habitual parking violation law.  Enforcement of the amended law began earlier this spring.  The APS habitual parking violation application is no longer available for the existing mobile computers.    An application is available for the new models referred to in the attached proposal. 

Replacement of the handheld computers will also reduce maintenance costs.  The mobile computers, having sustained heavy use and exposure to the elements over the years, are requiring frequent and costly repairs.  Information Systems staff reports that the units have been in for a number of repairs in recent months with three of the seven units currently in need of repair related to the units’ internal batteries.  Without the repairs to the internal battery systems, the computer program has to be reloaded to make the units operational.  The necessary repair work cannot be done in-house.  The units are shipped to Illinois for repair, taking the units out of service for 2-4 weeks.  The units’ hardware is also showing signs of age. 

APS has offered to replace the units at a significantly reduced price.  Staff recommends sole source acquisition of this equipment from the current provider in order to maintain compatibility with Municipal Court software systems. 

Funding and Cost

The seven handheld computers with Bluetooth, extended batteries, mobile printers, and related equipment and annual maintenance can be acquired for a total of $19,175.30.  Staff recommends using funds from the equipment reserve fund to acquire the equipment.

Requested Action

Authorize staff to acquire seven (7) mobile computers and related equipment and maintenance services from APS for use by the City’s parking control officers for the sum of $19,175.30.