TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Meg Ragan, Chief Technology Officer - Information Technology Services
REPORT BY: Julia Bordona, Staff Services Manager
SUBJECT: Budget Amendment and Authorization of Capital Asset for Radio Communication equipment
RECOMMENDATION
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Approve a Budget Amendment to increase appropriations by $250,540 for the purchase of communications equipment, offset by available fund balance; and establish purchase of certain equipment as capital assets. (Fiscal Impact: $250,540 Expense; Information Technology Services Fund; Not Budgeted; Discretionary)
[4/5 Vote Required]
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BACKGROUND
Napa County Communications maintains the mission-critical radio and microwave infrastructure relied upon by first responders and public safety agencies throughout Napa County. Several components of this infrastructure have reached or exceeded their manufacturer-supported useful life, while other equipment is no longer compatible with the County's modernized digital radio environment. Replacement of these assets is necessary to maintain system reliability, support ongoing maintenance and diagnostics, and reduce the operational risks associated with aging and unsupported equipment.
ITS is requesting authorization to purchase and establish $174,660 in capital assets, consisting of Tait radio repeaters, Viavi digital radio test equipment, and Aviat microwave equipment. ITS is also requesting a related budget adjustment totaling $250,540 to increase appropriations and use available Communications Fund balance to fund the full cost of these one-time purchases in FY 2026-27. The budget adjustment includes the $174,660 in capital assets, as well as $75,880 in additional equipment that does not meet the County’s capitalization threshold.
Purchasing this equipment in the current fiscal year will allow the County to address identified infrastructure needs before equipment failures create service or maintenance challenges, while reducing the financial impact to County departments in FY 2027-28.
Napa County Repeater Upgrades
A portion of the County’s radio communications infrastructure relies on repeaters strategically located throughout Napa County to provide reliable coverage and connectivity for multiple County departments and public safety partners. As part of a multi-phase radio infrastructure upgrade, ITS is systematically replacing aging and unsupported equipment to maintain system reliability, improve supportability, and modernize the County’s shared communications environment.
Several of the existing repeaters have reached manufacturer end-of-life and are no longer supported, including access to replacement parts. Continued reliance on this aging equipment increases the risk that a component failure could result in an extended service disruption due to limited replacement parts and manufacturer support.
As the next phase of this ongoing infrastructure upgrade, ITS is requesting authorization to purchase four Tait TB9400 repeaters at a total estimated cost of $46,540. Of this amount, $27,790 represents two repeaters that meet the County’s capitalization threshold and require capital asset approval from the Board of Supervisors, while the remaining $18,750 represents two additional repeaters that do not meet the County’s capitalization threshold. The full $46,540 purchase will be funded using available Communications Fund balance.
The new repeaters will replace aging, end-of-life equipment and transition these critical components to a currently supported platform. The equipment will also provide Communications staff with remote monitoring and diagnostic capabilities, allowing technicians to identify and troubleshoot issues more efficiently and support advanced configurations as the County’s radio environment continues to evolve.
Digital Radio Test Equipment
Over the past several years, Napa County Communications has modernized two countywide radio systems serving law enforcement. These upgrades were undertaken in response to Department of Justice requirements intended to protect Criminal Justice Information (CJI) and Personally Identifiable Information (PII) transmitted through public safety communications systems.
As the County transitioned from analog to digital radio technology, the Communications team's existing field test equipment became incompatible with the systems technicians are now responsible for maintaining. The existing analyzers have also reached end-of-life and can no longer receive annual manufacturer calibration or software updates, creating accuracy and reliability concerns and limiting technicians' ability to effectively diagnose problems in the field.
ITS is requesting authorization to purchase and establish as capital assets two Viavi CX200 radio test sets at a total cost of $59,000, requiring capital asset approval from the Board of Supervisors. The equipment will allow technicians to properly test, evaluate, troubleshoot, and maintain the County's digital radio systems. Current and properly calibrated diagnostic equipment is critical to identifying problems quickly, maintaining system performance, and supporting secure and reliable communications for law enforcement and other public safety users.
Microwave Network Modernization
The microwave network managed by Napa County Communications serves as a critical backbone for first responder radio communications throughout Napa County. The network also provides primary transport infrastructure for countywide remote CCTV cameras used for early wildfire detection and situational awareness.
While the overall microwave architecture is designed with significant resiliency, a number of components have reached or are approaching manufacturer end-of-life. As manufacturer support and replacement parts become increasingly limited, continued reliance on this equipment creates additional maintenance challenges and increases the risk of extended outages following equipment failures.
ITS is requesting $145,000 in appropriations for Aviat microwave network upgrades. Of this amount, $87,870 is associated with capital assets requiring Board authorization. This capital asset request consists of eight microwave radio frequency units fundamental for the microwave system to operate. The remaining $57,130 consists of related non-capital equipment. The requested budget adjustment will provide the necessary appropriations, funded through available Communications Fund balance.
The upgrades will replace aging and end-of-life hardware, improve long-term maintainability, and align the County's microwave infrastructure with current technology and performance standards. Proactively replacing these components will reduce the risk of equipment failure and help ensure the continued availability of communications infrastructure relied upon by first responders and other County operations.
Fiscal and Operational benefit
The requested budget adjustment totals $250,540, funded through available Communications Fund balance. Of this amount, $174,660 represents capital assets requiring Board authorization, consisting of $27,790 for two (2) Tait repeaters, $59,000 for two (2) Viavi CX200 radio test sets, and $87,870 for eight (8) Aviat microwave radio upgrades. The remaining $75,880 is associated with non-capital equipment for the microwave network modernization and Tait repeater upgrade.
All equipment included in this request will be purchased utilizing competitively awarded NASPO ValuePoint cooperative purchasing agreements, allowing the County to leverage established contract pricing and satisfy applicable competitive bidding requirements. Purchasing the equipment during FY 2026-27 allows the County to secure current contract pricing and reduces the County’s exposure to future price increases that could result from deferring these purchases. As a specific example, the NASPO ValuePoint cooperative purchasing agreement currently available for the Tait equipment is scheduled to expire December 31, 2026. Based on available pricing information, delaying the Tait purchase until FY 2027-28 could increase the estimated cost from $46,540 to approximately $62,890, an increase of $16,350, or approximately 35%. While future pricing changes may vary by vendor and equipment type, proceeding with the purchases now allows the County to address identified infrastructure needs while taking advantage of current cooperative contract pricing and reducing the potential for additional costs associated with delay.
Deferring these purchases until FY 2027-28 would require the full $250,540 in one-time costs to be incorporated into the next budget cycle and recovered through departmental rates. Using available Communications Fund balance in FY 2026-27 allows the County to reinvest existing Communications resources in critical infrastructure, address known equipment needs now, and avoid this additional pressure on the FY 2027-28 allocation. This approach is intended to minimize the impact on departmental costs while addressing the Communication’s infrastructure in a timely manner. Proceeding with these purchases at this time is deliberate and a strategic decision to help mitigate future costs increases to departments and supporting ITS's goal of maintaining a no-growth Communications allocation for FY 2027-28.
Requested Actions:
1. Approve a Budget Amendment increasing Capital Asset Equipment account in the Information Technology Services budget (Fund 4200, Subdivision 4200013, Account 55400 by $174,660, offset by use of available ITS Fund Balance; and
2. Approve a Budget Amendment increasing Minor Equipment account in the Information Technology Services budget (Fund 4200, Subdivision 4200013, Account 53400 by $75,880, offset by use of available ITS Fund Balance; and
3. Authorize the purchase of two (2) Tait repeaters in the amount of $27,790, two (2) Viavi CX200 radio test sets in the amount of $59,000, and eight (8) Aviat Microwave radio upgrades in the amount of $87,870; and establish those items as capital assets.
FISCAL IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
No |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
Authorizing these purchases will proactively address known end of life risks within Napa County’s mission critical radio and microwave infrastructure. Acquiring these components helps to ensure continued system reliability for first responders and avoids significant cost increases associated with delaying the repeater upgrades. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
The replacement equipment is expected to reduce maintenance requirements and emergency repairs. Ongoing costs will be limited to standard maintenance and any applicable manufacturer support or warranty renewals. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
Not approving the requested equipment purchases can have a negative effect on system resiliency as well as effectively testing and maintaining infrastructure which help to ensure 24/7 radio communication for our first responders operating in Napa County. |
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Additional Information: |
Strategic Initiative: Innovation and Learning |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.