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TO:

Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council

FROM:

Jon Urben, General Services Manager

DATE:

August 14, 2024

SUBJECT:

Res 24-453 Approve Waiver of Purchasing Requirements for Personal Protective Equipment for the Fire Department

BACKGROUND

The Fire Department has identified the need to replace a portion of its personal protective equipment (PPE). The Common Council allocated $166,200.00 in the 2024 CIP for this project. Personal protective equipment is an ensemble intended to protect firefighters from radiant and thermal exposure. PPE must meet standards for safety while allowing for dexterity and comfort. Personal protective equipment is a potentially lifesaving piece of equipment that has mission-critical performance requirements. While the City of Oshkosh Municipal Code requires that all purchases, services, supplies, materials and equipment in excess of $25,000 be competitively bid, due to the specific needs of the department and the implications of life safety, staff believes that the process of utilizing a staff selection and specification committee would be a better approach for this purchase to ensure that the Fire Department’s operational needs for personal protective equipment are addressed.

ANALYSIS

Staff recommends the Common Council waive the City’s purchasing requirements to enact this approach. Once personal protective equipment has been selected and recommended, Purchasing will review the purchasing options with the vendor to ensure the best price on the specific system is achieved. The final purchase will then be brought forward before the Common Council for approval.

FISCAL IMPACT

The Common Council allocated $166,200 in the 2024 CIP for this project. There is no fiscal impact at this time.

RECOMMENDATION

We recommend that the Council waive the purchasing requirements of Section 12-10 of the Oshkosh Municipal Code to allow a committee to review and select personal protective equipment that is best suited to the operational needs and budgetary requirements of the Fire Department. Please direct any questions on this matter to Fire Chief Mike Stanley.

Attachments

RES 24-453