Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: George Tablack
Department: Finance and Administrative Services Division: Purchasing
Information
Requested Action
title
A. MOTION TO APPROVE sole source designation to EPR Systems USA Inc. to provide ESO Fire Records Management Software for the Broward County Office of Regional Communications and Technology.
ACTION: (T-11:38 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
B. MOTION TO AUTHORIZE Director of Purchasing to negotiate and execute resultant open-end contract to sole source vendor, EPR Systems USA Inc., for ESO Fire Records Management Software, for the Broward County Office of Regional Communications and Technology, in the estimated amount of $504,000 for a term of up to five years, and authorize the Director of Purchasing exercise any renewal options provided, subject to review and approval of the resultant open-end contract for legal sufficiency by the Office of the County Attorney.
ACTION: (T-11:38 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
body
Why Action is Necessary
In accordance with Broward County Procurement Code Section 21.25(a), Sole Source Procurement, sole source procurements above the award authority of the Director of Purchasing must be approved by the Board.
In accordance with Broward County Procurement Code Section 21.47(a), Award and Execution Authority, the Board shall make all awards, and authorize the execution of the associated contracts, with a value of more than $500,000, inclusive of the value of any renewals or extensions provided for in the contract.
What Action Accomplishes
Designates EPR Systems USA Inc. as the sole source to provide ESO Fire Records Management Software for the Broward County Office of Regional Communications and Technology.
Authorizes the Director of Purchasing to award a resultant open-end contract for ESO Fire Records Management Software for the Broward County Office of Regional Communications and Technology.
Goal Related Icon(s)
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Previous Action Taken
None
Summary Explanation/Background
THE PURCHASING DIVISION AND THE BROWARD COUNTY OFFICE OF REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTIONS.
This item supports the Board’s Accountable Government Goal, “Consistently delivering responsive, efficient, inclusive, and equitable quality services to the public and internal customers while providing a safe community to live, work and visit.”
Approval of the sole source designation to EPR Systems USA Inc. provides ESO Fire Records Management Software solution (ESO) for the Broward County Office of Regional Communications and Technology (ORCAT). EPR Systems USA Inc., as the software developer, is the only company that offers ESO software licenses, maintenance, and support.
ESO delivers standardized, automated delivery of National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) reports, accessible from any mobile device to fire rescue personnel, improving the safety of the Broward County community. Additionally, ESO provides seamless integration with fire properties and inspections software, electronic health reporting and numerous ESO software modules.
ESO is currently being utilized by the Broward County Sheriff's Office (BSO), and by fire rescue agencies in the cities of Davie, Hollywood, Lauderdale by the Sea, Lauderhill, Lighthouse Point, Margate, Oakland Park, Pompano Beach, Pembroke Pines, and Tamarac. ORCAT seeks to implement ESO for fire rescue agencies in the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Sunrise, and North Lauderdale.
Regional delivery of this system is crucial to provide fire response units throughout Broward County the ability to inter-operate and access critical information across jurisdictional boundaries. ESO provides a centralized repository from all data sources. Replacing ESO would be extremely costly as the system is used by thousands of fire rescue personnel in Broward County and it is already interfacing with Broward County's computer aided dispatch system. ESO is supported by the Fire Chiefs Association of Broward County (Exhibit 1).
On March 28, 2024, the Purchasing Division issued a Request for Information (RFI) Notice of Intent to designate sole source to ascertain whether there were any other entities able to provide ESO for ORCAT. The RFI closed on April 4, 2024, with two responses submitted by EPR Systems USA Inc. and First Due LLC. Per ORCAT, although First Due LLC offers an alternative to ESO to provide a Fire Records Management System (FRMS), this solution lacks unique features that automate the delivery of mandatory reports. Additionally, replacing the system already in use by BSO and 11 municipalities, with thousands of fire rescue personnel, will incur financial hardship, and potential risk to the County. Based on this information, the Director of Purchasing recommends approval of this sole source designation (Exhibit 1).
No County vendor performance evaluations have been completed for EPR Systems USA Inc.
The Director of Purchasing recommends approval of this sole source designation to EPR Systems USA Inc. for ESO. This system is a proprietary software for which alternate software systems are not compatible due to ESO’s unique features. ESO is the only known FRM software compatible with the systems already implemented by fire response units throughout Broward County.
The resultant open-end contract will provide for the procurement of ESO commencing upon a date mutually agreed upon by the parties, with an estimated total project value of $504,000. Subsequent to Board consent, the parties will negotiate a two-party signed agreement (which will serve as the open-end contract) subject to review and approval by the Office of the County Attorney.
Source of Additional Information
Robert E. Gleason, Director, Purchasing Division, (954) 357-6070
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
The open-end contract has an estimated amount of $504,000 over a potential five-year period. The funds estimated for the current fiscal year are included in the current fiscal year budget.
Requisition No. OCT0001772