That the City Council:
A.  Waive formal bid procedures per La Habra Municipal Code Section 4.20.070 (B), utilize exceptions to the bidding requirement as the equipment being purchased can only be purchased from one vendor; as well as Section 4.20.070 (E), utilize exceptions to the bidding requirement as the purchase involves the acquisition of specialized electronic equipment that is compatible with the City’s existing irrigation system; and

B.  Authorize the City Manager to issue a purchase order in the amount of $86,184.24 from available funds in the FY 2025-26 Public Works General Fund budget to SiteOne Green Tech, City of Industry, California, for the purchase of new Irrigation Controllers.

The City’s current park irrigation water management system uses Toro equipment, originally purchased in 2006. Due to its age, the system has become outdated and unreliable, with both software issues and hardware that is difficult to find replacement parts for. The system has also been experiencing more frequent interference due to the growing prevalence of 5G mobile data networks that the existing system is not compatible with. The current system was designed to detect the potential for rain, identify potential irrigation breaks, or stuck valves and then send a signal to shut down the irrigation system. However, due to growing 5G network interference, intermittent breaks in the communication process with the irrigation program occurs, creating situations such as a stuck valve that is not shut down or sprinklers activating during rainstorms.

The new proposed hardware and software being recommended for acquisition will allow the City to utilize contemporary technology with faster, more reliable equipment and software, along with better security features. The new equipment will be supported by the vendor and will receive regular security patch updates through a cellular-based communication system. It will also detect system issues faster, such as impending changes in weather, breaks in irrigation lines, or stuck valves.

Due to savings in the Public Works department's current fiscal year General Fund budget, there are sufficient funds available to purchase the recommended equipment and begin the process to replace the outdated system this summer in time for fall weather at the end of the year. Staff researched the availability of this equipment and found that the Toro equipment that is compatible with the City’s existing irrigation systems is only offered for sale in California by one authorized vendor, SiteOne Green Tech. Since this equipment is specialized for the specific irrigation system utilized in La Habra parks and requires a vendor who has the technical skills and expertise to configure this equipment, staff recommends that this purchase be exempted from the City’s bidding requirements per La Habra Municipal Code Section 4.20.070 (B) and 4.20.070 (E).

The cost of the new proposed equipment is $86,184.24, which can be funded via the Parks Maintenance budget, Equipment account 100803-85004. There is sufficient available funding in the FY 2025-26 Public Works General Fund budget for this purchase without the need for additional appropriation.