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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBack-Up DocumentsCITY OF MIAMI. FLORIDA TO : FR0I\ 1 : INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM Annie Perez Director Procurement Department Manuel A orates Chief of Police DATE DEC 0 5 M FILE : LEG 7-2 SUBJECT: Finding of Sole Source REFERENCES : Purchase of (12) Volcanic Bikes to Include Shipping ENCLOSURES: The police department is requesting a sole source finding for the purchase of (12) additional Volcanic "APB" Bikes to include shipping, to replace the old 2007 Police Trek bicycles that were disposed of because of wear and tear for the Bicycle Response Team ("Team"), from Volcanic Bikes, in the amount of $21,999.88; allocating funds from CIP No. P: 40-B253204, A: 2252, T: 05, E: Equipment, 0: 19'1602. Based upon the attached, please take the necessary steps to verify that Volcanic Bikes, located at 11540 West Dodge Rd., Omaha, NE 68154 is the sole provider of this purchase. The Team conducted research and determined that no other vendor can provide the Volcanic Bikes. These are Approach Patrol Bicycles "APB" specifically designed and manufactured for law enforcement and the security industries to the standards required to withstand the rigors of daily patrol. Volcanic Manufacturing, LLC, doing business as Volcanic Bikes affirms that they are the manufacturer and direct distributor of the required purchase and that their products are customized to meet the needs of the law enforcement community. The police department strongly feels that this purchase will equip the Team with the resources necessary to perform their duties, more effectively. Your attention to this matter is greatly appreciated. FINDING OFSOLE SOURCE APPROVED: Annie Perez, Procurement Director MAM/ARA/JAB/jms Attachments 11/22/2024 City of Miami Police Department RE: Sole Source and Purchasing Thank you for considering Volcanic Bikes for your patrol bike purchase. Volcanic Bike models are designed exclusively for the rigors of the Bicycle Patrol Industry. Volcanic Manufacturing LLC, doing business as Volcanic Bikes, is the sole source for our patrol bikes. We only sell direct to the end consumer to ensure the customer gets exactly what they need and to ensure any products with Law Enforcement markings only end up in the hands of the authorized end -user. Unique characteristics of Volcanic Approach Patrol Bicycles (APB): - All Volcanic Bicycle frames are built specifically for the Bicycle Patrol Industry o Lifetime Warranty on all Volcanic frames - Chain Stay and Seat Stay Yokes are machined from solid alloy bar stock and fully welded to the bottom bracket and seat post. o Far superior in strength to other processes and NO other knows brand of Police Bicycle uses this technique Chain Stay yoke encompasses the width of the bottom bracket to Eliminate "chainring lean." o Volcanic frame components were combined by design to minimize the flex in the rear triangle of the frame to support additional weight and especially at the bottom bracket to reduce "chainring lean". When the bottom bracket flexes, the chainrings lean while being pedaled, which makes the chain drag over the chainrings, increasing abrasion between the two metals instead of being pulled directly over the chainrings to run smooth. Seat Stay Yoke is sized and placed to extend the strength and stiffness of "The Rib" o "The Rib" is a specifically designed frame component which is attached between the seat stay yoke and the seat tube. It is rectangular and has a rib in the middle to eliminate flex at the top of the seat tube to support the weight of a bicycle patrol officer's additional gear, reducing drivetrain wear and tear. Rectangular Chain Stays and Seat Stays are used to strengthen and eliminate flex in the rear triangle to support larger riders carrying extra gear, gun belt, trunk bag containing law enforcement equipment, etc. Unique dropouts add to the strength and comfort of the frame. The circular shape is designed to distribute impact force throughout the arc to minimize frame and rider fatigue. This design includes 14 inches of weld per set which is a drastic increase in point VOLCANIC BIKES - Toughest Patrol Bikes on Earth 11540 West Dodge Rd., Omaha, NE 68154 www.voleanicbikes.com of contact between the dropouts and the chain stays and seat stays which increases the strength of the frame and the safety of the rider. By minimizing the flex, Volcanic Bikes have much less wear and tear on the drive train. This saves the department time and money throughout the life of the bicycle. CUSTOMIZATION: - Volcanic Bikes offers color choices to coordinate with department colors. - Volcanic Bikes can create and deliver any color decal requested and can customize the decal to meet the needs of different departments. Thank you for your consideration, Nathan Keenan Owner, Sales & Operations Director Volcanic Bikes nate@volcanicbikes.com 509-427-8623 VOLCANIC BIKES - Toughest Patrol Bikes on Earth 11540 West Dodge Rd., Omaha, NE 68154 www.volcanicbikes.com Please provide the following information in order to document the sole source request: 1. Explain why the product/service requested is the only product/service that can satisfy your requirements, and explain why alternatives are unacceptable. Be specific with regard to specifications, features, characteristics, requirements, capabilities, and compatibility. Describe what steps have been undertaken to make this determination. • Volcanic Bicycles are specifically manufactured for public safety professionals. They do not cater to the general consumer and each build is specific to agency needs. Public Safety professions that are using this company include police officers, EMS personnel and Security Cyclists. The Volcanic Bicycles are the only mechanical bicycle now that manufacture bicycles to police patrol usage. The other bicycle companies manufacture mountain bikes. Riding a mountain bike for 10-16 hours (Typical police shift) a day will give you medical problems. The riding position of the Volcanic bicycle is ergonomically designed and built with a police officer in mind and their 'required equipment. The bicycle provides a safer riding posture that in the long run can reduce the officer from incurring back injuries. Most metropolitan police agencies such as Seattle Police Department, Tampa Police Department, Fort Worth Police Department, Nashville Police Department, etc. have switched over to Volcanic Bicycles because they care about their officer's health, and they want to ensure their personnel are healthy and comfortable while they are serving and protecting the community in their respective jurisdiction. We currently have (13) Volcanic Bicycles in our bicycle fleet and the 13 officers that have ridden the Volcanic Bicycles have demonstrated that they feel and not strained after a long day on the bicycle. These bicycles are very comfortable and meet the needs of the officers in our department. I have attended the International Police Mountain Bike Association conference and out of all the bicycle sold for police in the industry, this bicycle exceeds the needs of our officers. 2. Explain why this services provider, supplier or manufacturer is the only practicably available source from which to obtain this product or service, and describe the efforts that were made to verify and confirm whether, or not, this is so. (Obtain and include a letter from the manufacturer confirming claims made by distributors or exclusive distributorships regarding the product or service, if that is cited as a reason for this Sole Source.) • This supplier is the only supplier that have a vested interest to make a product that meets the needs for police officers and public safety personnel. What I mean is that other providers make a mountain bicycle that is used for off road mountainous terrains. This manufacture sells you a mechanical bicycle for Police Patrol use. They are developed and manufactured solely for enhancing public safety operations. They provide support for their own products. With Volcanic Bicycles, the manufacturer provides exemplary customer support to the agency. Whereas compared to a regular company such as Trek that has a large worldwide customer base, dealing with equipment issues leaves the agency relying on authorized dealers versus the actual company. The manufacturer is a cyclist from a law enforcement background and who other than law enforcement can understand the needs of a fellow officer when it comes to comfort and the reliability of the bicycle. 3. Will this product obligate us to a particular vendor for future purchases (either in terms of maintenance that only this vendor will be able to perform and/or if we purchase this item, will we need more "like" items in the future to match this one)? • This product will not obligate us to a particular vendor for future purchases because bicycles have a frame which is the aluminum body of the bicycle. Everything else the bicycle have is components made by other manufactures. If a component breaks, then you replace the component just like you would a motor vehicle component. If we need to purchase additional bicycles in the future and we want to have our police personnel ride bicycles that will minimize their back strains and this manufacture is still available then we can purchase bicycles from them again or if a new bicycle comes into the police cycling industry that is better and more efficient for our officers in their duties, then we can test the product out and see if it works for us. 4. Explain why the price for this product or service is considered to be fair and reasonable. • Extensive research was done to ensure we obtained the best price for the best product for our needs. The reason why this product is reasonable is because other manufactures of bicycles that they claim are for police usage, are being sold for a similar price but those bicycles do not provide the ergonomic design to alleviate lower back strain from our personnel. We have researched Trek Bicycles and they sell a Service bicycle for a similar price as The Volcanic Approach Patrol Bicycle. 5. Describe the negotiation efforts, if any, that have been made with the supplier to obtain the best possible price. • Contact has been established with the seller to ensure we obtain the product we need and the best price. The price of this product is very competitive, and it works better than mountain bikes that are available in the market and this bicycle suit the officers better in terms of health and comfort. The bicycle has a frame lifetime warranty which means that if the frame breaks, they will replace it. 6. Explain the consequences(s) to the City, including the dollar estimate of the financial impact, if this Sole Source is not approved. • The lack of proper equipment can jeopardize the officer's health by riding in a bicycle that is not made for police work. Going to the city doctor will lower back pain will cost the city more in the long term than the price of a properly fitted bicycle. Police work is physically demanding and if you are not healthy enough to stand and walk then you will need to be sidelined in a light duty capacity. Officers riding other brands such as Jamis (City issued) have had cracked frames which have cause officers to fall from the bicycle. These incidents increase the likelihood of serious injury to city employees. While you are in a light duty capacity, you cannot work and police officers will be short-staffed, which means that there will be less police personnel in the streets ultimately putting the public at risk from lack of police resources which will ultimately make the citizens of the City of Miami distrust the police for not being there when they were called upon for lack of resources. Monetarily, the financial impact of not having this equipment is based on individual officer injury. There are currently over 100 bicycle certified police personnel in the City of Miami Police Department. If a 100 officers claim injuries that require an emergency room visit, that alone can cost over 1 million dollars. Volcanic Bikes PO Box 526 Boys Town, NE 68010 (509) 427-8623 info@volcanicbikes.com www.volcanicbikes.com ESTIMAT 2657474 Estimate Ivan Miranda Miami Police Department 400 NW 2nd Ave Miami, FL 33128 11/22/2024 Volcanic APB ix11 29" Topeak MTX 29" Rack Freight / Shipping Sales Tax SHIP Tl Ivan Miranda Miami Police Department 400NW2ndAve Miami, FL 33128 IOW IVitiM -- APB 1 x11 34t SRAM GX 11 s (34t, 11-42t) Wheel Size: 29er Frame Size: TBD Frame Color: Black Wheels: DT Swiss Brakes: Avid BB7 Fork: RockShox Recon Topeak MTX Explorer Disc 29" Rack Freight 50% discount Sales Tax calculated by AvaTax on Fri Nov 22 02:40:30 UTC 2024 Final assembly and tuning required by a trained bicycle mechanic. Purchaser is required for complying with sales tax requirements in the state the order is being shipped to. Pay by phone convenience fee will be applied to your total for credit card payments. Accepted By SUBTOTAL TAX TOTAL Accepted Date 12 ! 1,799.99 12 0.00 1 400.00 1 0.00 21,599.88 0.00 400.00 0.00T 21,999.88 0.00 $21,999.88 MARKET RESEARCH Contract No.: Sole Source 24-25-010 Current Term: N/A Expiration DateN/A Title: Volcanic Manufacturing, LLC dba Volcanic Recommendation: IZISole Source Contract Sol ❑ Solicit Competition ❑ Access Contract ❑ Other Procurement Contracting Officer: James Justin Griffin Background: The City of Miami ("City") Department of Procurement ("Procurement") has been tasked with researching whether Volcanic Partners, LLC d/b/a Volcanic Bikes ("Volcanic"), a non -local vendor, located at 11540 W Dodge Road, Omaha, NE 68154, is the sole source provider of the Volcanic Approach Bike Patrol Bicycles ("APBs") for the Miami Police Department Bike Patrol Division ("MPD").1 Research Conducted: Volcanic's APBs are specifically designed and manufactured for law enforcement to withstand the rigors of daily patrol. The typical Police Bicycle Patrol Officers' shift is 10 to 16 hours per day. Spending those hours on a mountain bike ultimately leads to discomfort and can lead to medical issues. MPD requires the use of APBs, which are unique in their ability to withstand wear while preventing injury and discomfort to its Officers. Popular police bicycle brands include Cannondale, Force Patrol, Fuji, Haro, Kona, Raleigh, Trek, and Volcanic. However, other brand products are not compatible with MPD's specialized needs. In contrast, APBs are specifically manufactured for public safety professionals, rather than being mountain bikes modified for police usage. Unique characteristics of APBs include: • Each bike frame carries a lifetime warranty, all other components are available commercially; • Chain stay and seat stay yokes that are machined from solid alloy bar stock, which results in far superior strength; • Frame components that minimize "chain -ring lean" that can occur during pedaling and results in the chain dragging over the frame instead of being pulled directly over the chain -rings; • A seat stay yoke that strengthens and stiffens the "Rib," which is a specifically designed frame component supporting the weight of an officer's additional gear, thereby reducing drivetrain wear; • Rectangular chain stays and seat stays in the rear triangle to support larger riders carrying law enforcement equipment, and; • Unique framing and abundant welds to distribute impact forces and reduce flexing, thereby minimizing the bicycle rider's fatigue and wear on the frame. Volcanic is the sole designer, creator, and distributor of APBs in the United States. There are other law enforcement bicycle manufacturers, but their products are not compatible with MPD's specialized needs. MPD has been using APBs for several years and its Officers are trained proficiently in their use. Currently, there are 13 Volcanic bikes in M PD's fleet that have demonstrated durability, comfort, and safety. Therefore, the compatibility of the equipment, accessories, or replacement parts permits only one reasonable source of supply. Furthermore, Volcanic provided documentation showing that they are the sole manufacturer and direct distributor of APBs. 1 Volcanic is formerly known as Volcanic Manufacturing LLC and changed its name to Volcanic Partners, LLC in 2022, while still doing business as Volcanic Bikes. Comparable Contracts: Volcanic Bike purchases are all sole sources depending on the purchasing thresholds of the buying agency because they are only sold directly by Volcanic. Agencies that have purchased Volcanic as a Sole Source include the following: Hillsborough County, FL ("Hillsborough") — On August 29, 2024, Hillsborough purchased two (2) APBs in the amount of $3,599.98 for two (2) APBs ($1,799.99 each), plus shipping ($400.00). City of South Miami, FL ("Hillsborough") — On August 29, 2024, Hillsborough purchased one (1) APB in the amount of $1,799.99 for one (1) APB, plus shipping ($400.00). City of Orlando, FL ("Orlando") — On November 19, 2024, Orlando purchased two (2) APBs in the amount of $3,599.98 for two (2) APBs ($1,799.99 each), plus shipping ($400.00). Recommendation: MPD has used APBs for several years and needs to add to its bicycle fleet with compatible equipment. The continuity of the APBs is necessary to ensure safety, readiness, and consistent performance. APBs are exclusively designed, manufactured, and distributed by Volcanic, and are the only existing item and source compatible with the needs of the MPD. Procurement recommends a finding of Sole Source for Volcanic pursuant to Section 18-92 (a) (1) & (3) of the Code of the City of Miami. Volcanic is the sole manufacturer and seller of APBs. The total cost for this purchase is in the amount of $21,999.88, which includes twelve (12) APBs ($1,799.99 each) and a rear storage rack (approximately $50.00) for each bike, plus $400.00 shipping. Pricing for APBs is similar to other manufacturers' police service bicycles such as Code ($1,989.99) and Haro ($2,199.99), which are repurposed mountain bikes. Procurement Contracting Officer: James Justin Giffin Date: Procurement Contracting Manager: ?A, toka6va, Date: 1/6/2025 Director/Asst. Director: Date: 2/7/25 VOLCANIC BIKES Thu Dec 12 13:21:45 2024 SOS Account Number 2202027363 Status Active Contact VOLCANIC PARTNERS LLC 942 S 117TH CT OMAHA, NE 68154 Entity Type Trade Name Date Filed Feb 01 2022 Expiration Date Feb 01 2032 Filed Documents Filed documents for VOLCANIC BIKES may be available for purchase and downloading by selecting the checkbox. If no checkbox and price appears, contact Secretary of State's office to request document(s). Document Date Filed Price Trade Name Feb 01 2022 $0.45 = 1 page(s) @ $0.45 per page Proof of Publication Feb 10 2022 $0.45 = 1 page(s) @ $0.45 per page Good Standing Documents Not Available for Trade Names Select All I Select None ♦ Back to Top