Report Prepared By: Lieutenant Leon Pintabona, Police Department
Title
SUBJECT: Approval to Waive the Competitive Bidding Requirement and Approval to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a 1-Year User Agreement with Cellebrite, Inc. for Cellebrite Guardian Premium Annual Subscription Service and a Cellebrite Dongle Kit with Annual Subscription Service in an Amount not to Exceed $44,923.75
REPORT IN BRIEF
Considers approving an agreement with Celebrite, Inc. to allow staff to extract forensic evidence from cellular telephones with the latest technology. This request can be accomplished by waiving the competitive bidding requirement pursuant to Merced Municipal Code section 3.04.210 for purchases necessary for standardization of equipment. This agreement for Cellebrite Guardian premium annual subscription service and a Cellebrite Dongle kit with annual subscription service does not exceed the total sum of $44,923.75.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion:
A. Approving to waive the competitive bidding requirements as stated in Section 3.04.210 of the Merced Municipal Code for standardization of equipment; and,
B. Approving the purchase of Cellebrite Guardian premium annual subscription service and a Cellebrite Dongle kit with annual subscription service; and,
C. Authorizing the City Manager to execute the necessary documents.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve as recommended by staff; or
2. Refer back to staff with direction; or
3. Continue to a subsequent meeting; or
4. Take no action
AUTHORITY
Article II and III of Title 3, Chapter 3.04, of the Merced Municipal Code relating to purchases of equipment and services (Section 3.04.080 and 3.04.120) and waiving of the competitive bidding requirements (Section 3.04.210).
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As provided for in the 2024-25 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION
The City of Merced has previously purchased annual subscriptions for Cellebrite Guardian. The Cellebrite Guardian premium subscription service is an upgrade in technology used to extract forensic evidence from cellular telephones.
The Merced Police Department relies on crucial forensic evidence extracted from cellular telephones to thoroughly investigate a vast majority of their investigations. This upgraded technology would allow for more forensic evidence data to be extracted from a cellular telephone than the current technology currently used.
The Merced Police Department previously pays for the annual subscription of one (1) Cellebrite Dongle, which stores the extracted data to be analyzed by an investigator. The purchase of the new Cellebrite equipment would add an extra Cellebrite Dongle, giving the Merced Police Department the ability to extract from multiple devices at the same time.
Since the Merced Police Department and the City already use Cellebrite Guardian and other Cellebrite equipment, the department is requesting the competitive bid process be waived to allow for the purchase of standardized equipment.
The quote includes the annual subscription for Cellebrite Guardian Premium, the annual subscription of an additional Cellebrite Dongle and the one-time purchase of miscellaneous Cellebrite computer hardware. The total cost would be $44,923.75 and is available in the 2024/2025 budget under 10003520 590004.
The renewal costs for future fiscal years would be $34,600 for the Cellebrite Guardian premium annual subscription and $6,900 for (1) Cellebrite Dongle annual subscription, $3,423.75 tax for a total of $44,923.75.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
Funding is available in the 2024-2025 adopted budget under account 10003520 590004 for Cellebrite upgrade.
The future years renewal costs will be included in the annual budget process.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Cellebrite Inc. quote for Cellebrite equipment and Cellebrite user agreement