CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the award of Sole Source Procurement 23-287, GE Lentronics MPLS System, to GE Grid Solutions, LLC for an amount not to exceed $221,939.88
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DEPARTMENT: Electric Utility
SUBMITTED BY: Brian Groth, Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
The Electric Utility (Utility) utilizes the GE Lentronics multiplexer technology at all 16 electric substations and two municipal facilities. The multiplexer technology allows for multiple circuits of relay protection and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) to utilize just two fiber strands. In the event of a fiber break or hit, the traffic is automatically rerouted to ensure reliable communication for system protection.
In June 2013, GE Grid Solutions, LLC was approved as a Sole Source for the communication portion of the Electric Utility’s (Utility) 138kV Line 1600 protection upgrade.
As part of Capital Improvement Project EU044, the Utility is in year three of five of upgrading the existing JMUX system with JPAX. JPAX is a Multiprotocol Label Switching System (MPLS) that will work in conjunction with the existing JMUX system and allow the Utility to move to an IP based system from the current serial communications with limited interruption of substation relay protection and SCADA communications.
DISCUSSION:
This Sole Source is requested for the continued JPAX MPLS System upgrades. The Utility will be purchasing seven JPAX units to be installed in 2024.
The Utility has identified this purchase as a Sole Source because GE Grid Solutions, LLC is the sole provider of the hardware and software needed for the GE MPLS JPAX System. There are no other vendors that allow for interoperability options with the existing JMUX system. In addition, the upgrade path will allow the Utility the flexibility of keeping the existing system up thereby limiting SCADA communication outages. The JMUX and JPAX are the only systems that will allow the Utility to remain on the existing SCADA and relay protection scheme while building out an upgrade that will meet our future requirements of IP based SCADA.
A Sole Source letter from GE Grid Solutions, LLC is attached. If this Sole Source were not approved, the Utility would have to replace the entire network including SCADA modifications which would not be cost-effective.
The JPAX units are estimated to be delivered in the second quarter of 2024 by June 30, 2024. Term of contract is from date of award to June 30, 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT:
CIP#: EU044
JPAX units are purchased in association with the work done on EU044. These units will be delivered in an installed in 2024. The Electric Utility proposed a budget of $314,000 in 2024. While the 2024 budget is still in the approval process, the proposed budget amount is sufficient to cover this award.
|
Account Number |
Fund Description |
Proposed Budget Amount |
|
40251300-551502 |
Electric Utility |
$15,179,200 |