FROM:
Engineering
SUBJECT:
Title
Authorizing Sole Source Purchasing Practices of Econolite Traffic Equipment for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) TMS Signal Intersection Improvements (HSIPSL-5307(037))
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
1. Authorize Engineering Department to procure Econolite Traffic Equipment for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) TMS Signal Intersection Improvements (HSIPSL-5307(037)), in the amount of $1,171,480.00 and authorize a 10% contingency in the amount of $117,148.00, utilizing the Purchasing Policy and Procedure Manual Section 3.1.5 Non-Competitive Proposal - Sole Source.
2. Approve and authorize the City Manager to enter into any and all utility agreements, utility easements, installation, and subsequent agreements on behalf of the City for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) TMS Signal Intersection Improvements HSIPSL-5307(037).
End
COUNCIL GOALS:
• To operate in a businesslike manner by improving services through the effective use of technology.
• To invest in the City’s infrastructure (streets, sewers, parks, etc.) by maintaining and improving the city's existing infrastructure.
• To invest in the City’s infrastructure (streets, sewers, parks, etc.) by focusing on relief of traffic congestion.
DISCUSSION:
On March 9, 2023, the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) approved state funding in the amount of $665,900.00 for the TMS Signal Intersection Improvements Project (HSIPSL-5307(037)). The TMS Signal Intersection Improvements HSIP Project (HSIPSL-5307(037)) consists of upgrading and improving 118 traffic signal controllers, detection devices, and communication infrastructure that must integrate directly with the City’s existing Econolite-based Traffic Management System. The installation and configuration of these components involve proprietary programming tools, calibration procedures, and communication protocols that are specific to the manufacturer. These tasks must be performed in a manner consistent with the City’s established system architecture to maintain corridor coordination, operational reliability, and long-term maintainability.
On April 15, 2003, the City Council approved a City Council Action Report establishing the City’s practice of standardizing Econolite equipment to ensure compatibility, maintain reliable system operations, and support efficient maintenance. Since then, all signalized intersections have continued to operate on this platform, forming a fully integrated system dependent on uniform hardware, firmware, and communication standards. The City has continued to build and operate its Traffic Management System around Econolite hardware, firmware, communications architecture, and cabinet configurations. As a result, the City’s network functions as an integrated system in which timing plans, detection devices, communication links, and field equipment operate under uniform manufacturer specifications developed over two decades of deployment.
Engaging Econolite directly to supply and install the equipment ensures full compatibility with the City’s existing system, avoids the added cost and complexity of subcontracted proprietary work under a competitive bid, and supports consistent implementation across all upgraded locations. Without this manufacturer-level knowledge, the risk of communication failures, misconfigured timing plans, and extended troubleshooting increases significantly in which it directly affects the system’s safety and performance. Access to the necessary software tools and technical procedures is limited to the manufacturer, and the work requires specialized expertise that general contractors do not maintain.
This approach maintains the City’s long-standing practice of system standardization, supports reliable corridor operations, and aligns the HSIP Project with the City’s established technical framework for traffic signal infrastructure.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact associated with the approval of this item is $1,288,628.00 for the full term of the construction contract. Funds are included on the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget in 37600064-301-D-8330 and 37600064-246-D-8330; funded by the HSIP grant and available funds in Measure I-Local Fund 246.
MOTION:
Approve staff recommendation.