As part of the Parks Department’s annual maintenance of its central irrigation system, this expenditure will be utilized to purchase 51 replacement controllers and associated parts for medians, parks and public buildings across the city. These individual irrigation controllers, part of the City’s Motorola Irrigation Central Control (ICC) system, have a lifecycle of approximately eight years. Each year the Parks Department targets 12 percent of the 483 citywide controllers for replacement, thus keeping the system up-to-date and functioning as intended. The 51 controllers identified for replacement this cycle have reached the end of their operational lifecycle.
Motorola’s ICC system was selected over 25 years ago as the preferred central irrigation platform for the City of Plano. This proprietary system provides a highly reliable, technology-based central control system for managing the city’s irrigation system in the most efficient and effective manner.
All replacement units will be purchased from Interspec LLC, which is the sole source for Motorola’s ICC system. These controllers are part of a proprietary system and are not available from other manufacturers. It is the recommendation of the Parks Department to proceed with the purchase of the aforementioned replacement units.
Upon approval, Parks intends to purchase the following items for an estimated amount of $248,510:
33 radio-controlled D/C irrigation controllers Item IS-R1D-RU-SO at $4,654.39 per unit
10 radio-controlled A/C irrigation controllers item IS-R1A-RU-SS at $5,021.21 per unit
8 radio-controlled A/C irrigation controllers item IS-R2A-RU-SS at $5,587.94 per unit
This purchase will occur in FY 2020-2021 (funding source CMF acct # 53361 Irrigation Technology and Mechanical) as a one-time purchase from Interspec LLC. The total amount of this expenditure is within budget for this purchase.
These replacement irrigation controllers will keep citywide irrigation systems on-line and functioning properly, meeting the City’s objective of establishing and maintaining “Great Neighborhoods – 1st Choice to Live.” A citywide irrigation system consisting of over 450 computerized field irrigation control units can only be operated and managed efficiently and effectively using a properly maintained and functioning central control system.
Should this recommendation be rejected, parts of the city’s ICC will no longer receive the required maintenance, parts, and service necessary to perform in the way in which it was intended. The eventual results will be system failures, outages, and malfunctions. This will place valuable city assets at risk of loss due to lack of proper supplemental water applications during periods of little or no precipitation. In addition, ICC is essential to irrigation water conservation and water management, as well as maintaining safe and usable sites for park users and the citizens of Plano.
The City is exempt from the competitive bid process for this purchase as allowed by Texas Local Government Code Chapter 252 Subchapter B Section 252.022(a)(7)(A). (City of Plano Internal Contract No. 2021-0454-X)