TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Oscar Ortiz, Sheriff-Coroner, Deputy Director of Emergency Services
REPORT BY: Brieanna Jones, Emergency Services Officer
SUBJECT: Homeland Security Grant FY24- Capital Asset Purchase
RECOMMENDATION
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Authorize the purchase of a capital asset for two unmanned aerial systems (UAS) BRINC Lemur 2 drone Operations Bundles; approve a sole source waiver of competitive bidding; and approve a Budget Amendment with appropriation from FY24 Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP). (Fiscal Impact: $40,000 Expense, General Fund; Budgeted; Discretionary)
[4/5 votes required]
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BACKGROUND
Napa County Office of Emergency Services (OES) manages the Homeland Security Grant Program and participation of FY2024 was previously approved by the Board of Supervisors on February 25, 2025. Napa County OES works with law enforcement, fire, EMS, and public health to help distribute funds to mitigate, prepare, respond, and recover from acts of terrorism. The Homeland Security Grant Program has a requirement for all activities to have a nexus to terrorism to receive funds. Any purchases made through grant funding with OES is deployable to any agency within the county and this purchase will benefit countywide response operations.
Napa County OES found a need within the Napa County Sheriff's Office Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Team. The drones are used to protect lives and property of citizens of Napa County and first responders in a constitutionally and legally sound manner and in compliance with all regulations. This equipment will be used for real time surveillance of planned and unplanned events within Napa County. The sUAS Team operates under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines and all pilots undergo strict training, including obtaining FAA Remote Pilot Licensing.
The sUAS Team currently operates several different types of DJI Mavic drones which are sufficient for basic surveillance tasks, but there is a growing need f...
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