Sole Source Posting Form_Fire Alarm Systems_C.pdf

City of Sandy Springs | Sole Source Justification and Public Notice Form

Sole Source Justification and Public Notice Form

Purpose

This form is used by the City of Sandy Springs Procurement Office to document, review, and post a proposed sole source procurement. The form supports transparency by identifying the proposed vendor, describing the City need, explaining the vendor's exclusive capabilities, identifying the estimated cost, and providing public notice before award.

Public Notice Statement

The City of Sandy Springs is providing public notice of its intent to award a sole source contract to WestNet inc for continued standardization and expansion of the City’s existing WestNet First-In fire-station alerting platform. The vendor has been identified as the sole source for this purchase based on the justification provided in this form.

Any supplier that believes it can provide the required goods or services may submit a written challenge to the City of Sandy Springs Procurement Office before the posted closing date and time. Challenges must include documentation showing the supplier can meet the City's stated requirements.

1. Posting and Request Details

Date Sole Source Posted July 28, 2026

Posting Close Date and Time July 31, 2026 at 2:00pm Enter the final date/time for receipt of any public challenge.

Estimated Sole Source Cost Fire Station 1-$151,569.85/ Fire Station 4: $152,259.85 Include total estimated contract value, including renewals when applicable.

City Department / Division Fire Department

Project / Request Title Fire Station Alerting System

2. Proposed Sole Source Vendor

Vendor Name WestNet Inc.

Vendor Contact Name Joe Jordan

Vendor Email joe.jordan@westnetpublicsafety.com

3. Sole Source Justification

Brief Scope of Services

Summarize the goods or services to be provided, including deliverables and expected use by the City.

Provide, install, configure, test, and support WestNet First-In Smart Station fire-station alerting systems at Sandy Springs Fire Stations 1 and 4. The work includes the quoted station alerting hardware and accessories; master control, audio, visual, dorm, appliance-control, telephone-interface, radio-isolation, power/UPS, and turnout-timer components; installation supplies; station equipment installation; project coordination; special engineering services; and one year of configuration and technical support.The systems will be connected to and operate with the City’s existing WestNet dispatch infrastructure, Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) interface, ChatComm environment, and Radio Interface Controller.The quoted amounts are $151,569.85 for Station 1 under Quote Q-11360-F8S2, Revision 2, and $152,259.85 for Station 4 under Quote Q-11369- Z1K6, Revision 1, for a combined total of $303,829.70.

Exclusive Capabilities

Describe the vendor's proprietary, specialized, or otherwise exclusive capabilities that make the vendor the only practical source.

This request is for the continued standardization and expansion of the City’s existing WestNet First-In fire-station alerting platform, not the selection of a new system. In 2021, the Fire Department evaluated WestNet First-In, PURVIS, and Motorola MACH. WestNet submitted the lowest responsive proposal meeting the City’s operational and technical requirements, and the Sandy Springs Public Facilities Authority approved its implementation and integration with ChatComm.The City’s WestNet system is an integrated life-safety platform consisting of station alerting equipment, dispatch software, proprietary CAD and ChatComm interfaces, and a Radio Interface Controller (RIC). The RIC is also shared with the City of Johns Creek under a 2025 Intergovernmental Agreement. The equipment quoted for Fire Stations 1 and 4 is designed to operate with this existing infrastructure and maintain common dispatch processing and regional interoperability.Although other manufacturers offer fire-station alerting systems, introducing a different platform would require incompatible systems to operate simultaneously or require replacement or redevelopment of existing station equipment, CAD and ChatComm interfaces, dispatch infrastructure, and the shared RIC. It would also create additional training, maintenance, support, spare-parts, and system-conversion requirements within a mission-critical environment. WestNet is therefore the only practical source presently identified that can expand the existing system without replacing functioning infrastructure, disrupting emergency-alerting operations, or compromising regional interoperability. Final approval remains subject to Purchasing’s market research, public notice, and OEM or authorized-seller verification.

Market Research / Basis for Sole Source

Briefly describe the steps taken to determine whether other vendors can meet the City's need.

The City conducted market research and identified several manufacturers that provide comparable fire-station alerting systems, including PURVIS Systems, Mach Alert, Honeywell US Digital Designs, APS Firehouse Alerting, Bryx, RadioMobile, and Locution Systems. However, no alternate vendor was identified as authorized to provide the specific WestNet First-In equipment included in Quotes Q-11360-F8S2 and Q-11369-Z1K6 or to configure and integrate that equipment with the City’s existing WestNet software, CAD interface, ChatComm dispatch environment, and shared Radio Interface Controller.This procurement is for the continued expansion of the City’s existing, standardized WestNet First-In platform—not the acquisition of a new alerting system. Implementing a different platform would require replacement or substantial modification of functioning equipment, software interfaces, dispatch infrastructure, and regionally shared components. Based on the compatibility, interoperability, and continuity-of-service requirements, WestNet is the only source presently identified as capable of providing and integrating the required equipment without disrupting or replacing the City’s existing public-safety infrastructure.

4. OEM Letter and Supporting Documentation

OEM Letter Available: ☒Yes ☐No ☐ Not Applicable

OEM Letter Attached: ☐Yes ☒No

5. Buyer / Procurement Professional

Buyer Name Connie Donley

Buyer Title Purchasing Director

Buyer Email cdonley@sandyspringsga.gov

Buyer Phone 770-206-1457

6. Buyer Certification

Buyer Signature:

Date:

Certification: I certify that the information provided in this form is accurate to the best of my knowledge and supports the City's sole source determination.

Docusign Envelope ID: F11E3ED9-2798-8185-83CA-2313FB73B59C

7/28/2026

7/28/2026

SCOPE OF WORK

Fire-Station Alerting System Expansion – Fire Stations 1 and 4

Procurement objective: Expand the City’s existing WestNet First-In platform without acquiring a new software platform or interrupting current emergency-alerting services.

1. Purpose The City of Sandy Springs is seeking competition for the provision, delivery, installation, configuration, integration, testing, commissioning, and technical support of fire-station alerting equipment at Sandy Springs Fire Stations 1 and 4.

This procurement is not for the acquisition or implementation of a new fire-station alerting software platform. The City intends to expand its existing WestNet First-In fire-station alerting system by installing compatible equipment at Fire Stations 1 and 4. The completed installations must operate as extensions of the City’s existing system and remain consistent with the equipment, configurations, operational functions, and alerting processes used at the City’s existing locations.

2. Existing System and Locations The City currently uses the WestNet First-In platform as its standardized fire-station alerting system.

The existing platform includes station alerting equipment, dispatch software, a Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) interface, ChatComm integration, backup-dispatch capabilities, and a Radio Interface Controller.

The WestNet First-In system or its supporting infrastructure is currently installed or operating at:

Sandy Springs Fire Station 2;

ChatComm primary dispatch center;

The City’s backup dispatch center; and City of Johns Creek fire stations connected through the shared WestNet Radio Interface

Controller located at ChatComm.

The Radio Interface Controller is shared with the City of Johns Creek under an Intergovernmental Agreement. The system therefore supports emergency communications and fire-station alerting functions for more than one jurisdiction.

3. General Scope of Work The vendor shall provide all equipment, labor, materials, installation supplies, supervision, project coordination, engineering, programming, configuration, integration, testing, commissioning, documentation, warranties, and technical support required to complete the fire-station alerting system installations at Fire Stations 1 and 4.

1. Furnish and deliver all fire-station alerting equipment and accessories identified in this Scope of Work.

2. Install the required equipment at Fire Stations 1 and 4.

3. Configure the equipment to operate with the City’s existing WestNet First-In software and system architecture.

4. Integrate the equipment with the City’s CAD system, ChatComm dispatch environment, Radio Interface Controller, backup-dispatch capabilities, emergency communications network, and existing fire-station alerting infrastructure.

5. Provide equipment and configurations consistent with those used at the City’s existing locations, including applicable audio, visual, dorm, appliance-control, telephone-interface, radio-interface, power, timing, monitoring, and alert-display functions.

6. Provide all required programming, configuration, system integration, technical adjustments, and specialized engineering services.

7. Coordinate installation, configuration, testing, and system activation with the City, ChatComm, and other applicable technical representatives.

8. Test all equipment, interfaces, alerts, controls, audio functions, visual indicators, monitoring functions, and other system components.

9. Commission the completed installations and confirm that the equipment communicates properly with the existing dispatch platform and accurately receives and processes emergency alerts.

10. Correct any installation, programming, compatibility, integration, or operational issues identified during testing.

11. Provide documentation confirming successful installation, configuration, integration, testing, and commissioning.

12. Provide applicable manufacturer and installation warranties.

13. Provide one year of configuration assistance and technical support following installation.

4. Vendor Qualifications and Manufacturer Authorization

1. The vendor must be the original equipment manufacturer or an authorized dealer, distributor, or reseller for the original equipment manufacturer of the proposed fire-station alerting equipment.

2. The vendor must provide current written documentation from the original equipment manufacturer confirming the vendor’s authorization to sell, install, configure, integrate, commission, and support the proposed products.

3. The vendor must be authorized and capable of furnishing all products and quantities identified in this Scope of Work.

4. The vendor must demonstrate that the proposed equipment is fully compatible with the City’s existing WestNet First-In software, hardware, CAD interface, ChatComm environment, Radio Interface Controller, and supporting emergency communications infrastructure.

5. The vendor must possess the technical knowledge, manufacturer authorization, training, and resources required to configure, integrate, test, commission, and support the equipment within the City’s existing system.

6. The vendor must be capable of completing the work without requiring the City to purchase or implement a new software platform, replace functioning system infrastructure, redevelop existing system interfaces, or operate a separate fire-station alerting platform.

7. The vendor must identify the personnel responsible for project coordination, installation, programming, configuration, testing, commissioning, and technical support.

8. The City reserves the right to request additional documentation from the manufacturer to verify the vendor’s authorization, technical qualifications, and ability to provide the required products and services.

5. System Compatibility Requirements All proposed products and services must be fully compatible with the City’s existing WestNet First-In platform. The completed installations must function as extensions of the existing system without requiring the City or ChatComm to:

Acquire or implement a new fire-station alerting software platform;

Replace functioning station or dispatch equipment;

Replace or substantially modify the existing Radio Interface Controller;

Redevelop the existing CAD or ChatComm interfaces;

Operate separate or incompatible alerting platforms;

Duplicate existing dispatch functions or system interfaces; or Compromise interoperability with the City of Johns Creek.

The vendor shall provide sufficient manufacturer and technical documentation demonstrating that the proposed equipment can be configured and integrated with the City’s existing system. General statements of compatibility will not be considered sufficient without supporting technical documentation.

6. Continuity of Existing Services The vendor shall perform the work in a manner that maintains continuous operation of the City’s existing fire-station alerting and emergency communications services.

1. Prepare and coordinate an installation and implementation plan before beginning work.

2. Identify any installation or configuration activity that could affect operation of the existing system.

3. Prevent any unplanned interruption, degradation, or loss of existing alerting, dispatch, or emergency communications services.

4. Coordinate all activities that could affect the existing system with the City and ChatComm.

5. Obtain the City’s prior written approval before performing work that requires a planned interruption or maintenance window.

6. Schedule any approved interruption during a time authorized by the City and ChatComm.

7. Provide qualified technical personnel during system integration, testing, and activation to promptly resolve compatibility or operational issues.

8. Maintain or restore the existing system to full operation if the work adversely affects existing services.

9. Verify that all existing alerting and dispatch functions remain operational after the new equipment is connected and activated.

7. Required Products and Quantities The City requires the following products for Fire Stations 1 and 4. The quantities shown represent one complete installation at each station.

Product ID Product Description Station 1 Station 4 Total

2U-SHF 2U Slotted Shelf Kit 1 1 2

ACD-RS Appliance Control Device with one reset switch 1 1 2

AEP-32 Alerting Endpoint with 32-inch monitor 1 1 2

AEP-40 Alerting Endpoint with 40-inch monitor 1 1 2

AUX-L01 MCU Auxiliary Module Lite 1 1 2

CI-M-BAY Medium Company Indicator for apparatus bay 2 2 4

DLSP MCU Data Line Surge Protector 1 1 2

DR-FM Dorm Remote with ceiling-mounted light 12 12 24

HPA-M High Power Audio Module without speakers 1 1 2

HPA-OMNI High Power Audio Module with one omnidirectional speaker and hanging kit 1 1 2

HPA-S High Power Audio Module with one speaker 1 1 2

MCU-10 MCU 10 Master Control Unit 1 1 2

OSA-D Outside Audio Module with two speakers 2 2 4

PM-BLK-UPS Black Power Module with UPS 1 1 2

PM-BLUE-UPS Blue Power Module with UPS 1 1 2

R-ISO-U4C Four-Channel Radio Isolation Unit 1 1 2

SCR26-24VC5 Control Remote capable of controlling up to eight functions 1 1 2

SSAT Satellight 21 21 42

SSAT-M-FT Satellight Controller 15 15 30

SS-IH-PMIC In-House Paging Microphone 2 2 4

Product ID Product Description Station 1 Station 4 Total

SSPK-SW-M Smart Station Speaker Switch – Main 2 2 4

SW-DB Doorbell Button 1 1 2

SW-EM Emergency Button 1 1 2

SW-RS Appliance Reset Switch 1 1 2

TIM Telephone Interface Module 2 2 4

TT-M Medium Turnout Timer 2 2 4

8. Installation and Configuration Services For each fire station, the vendor shall provide:

Required installation materials and supplies;

Delivery and installation of all equipment;

Equipment mounting, placement, connection, and labeling;

Programming and configuration;

Integration with the existing WestNet First-In platform;

Coordination with the City and ChatComm;

Required engineering and technical services;

Testing, commissioning, and correction of deficiencies;

System activation and project coordination;

Installation and system documentation;

Manufacturer and installation warranty coverage; and One year of configuration assistance and technical support.

The vendor shall provide all incidental equipment, connectors, mounting hardware, cables, and supplies required for a complete and operational installation unless specifically identified as a City responsibility.

9. Testing and Acceptance Before the City accepts the work, the vendor shall perform comprehensive testing to verify that:

1. All equipment has been properly installed and configured.

2. The new station equipment communicates correctly with the existing WestNet First-In platform.

3. Alerts generated through the existing CAD and ChatComm environment are accurately received at Fire Stations 1 and 4.

4. Audio, visual, dorm, appliance-control, telephone-interface, radio-interface, power, timer, monitoring, and display functions operate as intended.

5. The installations are consistent with the system configuration and operational functions used at the City’s existing locations.

6. The new installations do not adversely affect existing stations, dispatch functions, system interfaces, or the shared Radio Interface Controller.

7. The system remains interoperable with the City of Johns Creek’s connected WestNet infrastructure.

8. All identified deficiencies have been corrected.

9. The City’s acceptance will be based on successful testing, completion of required corrections, delivery of system documentation, and written confirmation that the installations are fully operational.

10. Documentation Required from Interested Sources Any vendor responding to the City’s notice must provide:

1. The vendor’s legal business name and contact information.

2. Documentation confirming that the vendor is the original equipment manufacturer or an authorized dealer, distributor, or reseller.

3. A current manufacturer authorization letter identifying the products and services the vendor is authorized to provide (if applicable).

4. A complete price list of the requested products and quantities the vendor can furnish.

5. Technical documentation demonstrating compatibility with the City’s existing WestNet First-In system.

6. A description of the vendor’s experience installing and integrating fire-station alerting equipment within an existing WestNet environment.

7. A description of how the vendor will configure and integrate the equipment without interrupting existing services.

8. Identification of any required software changes, licenses, interface modifications, equipment replacements, planned interruptions, or City responsibilities.

9. A proposed installation, testing, commissioning, and implementation approach.

10. Information regarding warranty coverage and post-installation technical support.

The City will determine whether a proposed source can meet all manufacturer-authorization, product-availability, compatibility, integration, interoperability, continuity-of-service, installation, testing, and support requirements.