To: Board of Supervisors
From: Aaron J. McAlister, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Report Title: Approve Inclusion of Specifications Requiring the Use of Plymovent Vehicle Exhaust Removal Systems, Sargent Door Hardware, and Phoenix G2 US Digital Designs Station Alerting Systems in the Request for Proposals for Fire Station 9
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Acting as the governing board of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, REVIEW and APPROVE, pursuant to California Public Contract Code section 3400(c)(2), the inclusion of specifications in the forthcoming Request for Proposals (RFP) for the design-build construction of Fire Station 9 requiring the use of Plymovent Vehicle Exhaust Removal Systems, Sargent Door Hardware, and Phoenix G2 US Digital Designs Station Alerting Systems, based on the finding that the specified products are necessary to match products currently in use throughout the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
FISCAL IMPACT:
100% CCCFPD Capital Construction Fund.
BACKGROUND:
The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (District) intends to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the selection of a design-build entity to construct Fire Station 9, located at 209 Center Avenue in Pacheco.
The construction of Fire Station 9 will be conducted in accordance with applicable provisions of the California Public Contract Code. Public Contract Code section 3400(c)(2) permits an awarding authority to specify a designated material, product, thing, or service by brand or trade name when the awarding authority finds that the purpose of the specification is to match other products in use on a particular public improvement, either completed or in the course of completion.
To ensure consistency, interoperability, maintainability, operational efficiency, and compatibility with existing District infrastructure, the District proposes to include specifications in the Fire Station 9 RFP requiring the use of the following products:
Plymovent Vehicle Exhaust Removal Systems
Plymovent vehicle exhaust removal systems are currently installed and operating in District fire stations. These systems connect directly to fire apparatus and remove diesel exhaust emissions from the station environment, reducing personnel exposure to hazardous contaminants and supporting firefighter health and safety. Standardization of vehicle exhaust removal equipment across District facilities ensures compatibility with existing apparatus and maintenance practices. Accordingly, the District finds that specifying Plymovent Vehicle Exhaust Removal Systems is necessary to match products currently in use.
Sargent Door Hardware
The District utilizes Sargent Door Hardware as part of its districtwide master key system. Standardizing door hardware allows for consistent security protocols, efficient key control, and authorized personnel access across multiple facilities. Continued use of Sargent Door Hardware at Fire Station 9 will maintain compatibility with the District's existing access control and key management systems. Accordingly, the District finds that specifying Sargent Door Hardware is necessary to match products currently in use.
Phoenix G2 US Digital Designs Station Alerting Systems
The District is transitioning from its legacy station alerting platform to the Phoenix G2 Station Alerting System manufactured by US Digital Designs (USDD). The USDD system is fully integrated with the District's CentralSquare Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system, and the required infrastructure and hardware have already been implemented. Standardizing on the USDD platform ensures seamless communication between dispatch and fire stations, improves response efficiency, reduces maintenance and training requirements, and supports consistent operations throughout the District. Accordingly, the District finds that specifying the Phoenix G2 US Digital Designs Station Alerting System is necessary to match products currently in use and currently being implemented throughout District facilities.
Based on these findings, staff recommends approval of the inclusion of these specifications in the Fire Station 9 RFP pursuant to Public Contract Code section 3400(c)(2).
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this action is not approved, the District would be unable to include specifications requiring the use of Plymovent Vehicle Exhaust Removal Systems, Sargent Door Hardware, and Phoenix G2 US Digital Designs Station Alerting Systems in the Fire Station 9 RFP. As a result, Fire Station 9 could be constructed using products that are incompatible with existing District infrastructure and systems, reducing standardization, increasing maintenance and training requirements, and negatively impacting operational efficiency, interoperability, facility access, and emergency response operations.