Title
Rook Tactical Armored Vehicle
Action
Action:
A. Approve the purchase of a Rook tactical armored vehicle by the sole source exemption for a one-time purchase to Ring Power Corporation, and
B. Authorize the City Manager to amend the contract consistent with the purpose for which the contract was approved.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Johnny Jennings, Police
Jacqueline Bryley, Police
Brian Sanders, Police
Sole Source Exemption
§ NC General Statute Section 143-129(e)(6) provides that formal bidding requirements do not apply when:
- Performance or price competition are not available;
- A needed product is available from only one source or supply; or
- Standardization or compatibility is the overriding consideration.
§ Sole sourcing is necessary for this contract because a needed product is available from only one source or supply.
§ City Council approval is required for purchases made under the sole source exception.
Explanation
§ On April 24, 2023, City Council authorized the city to apply for funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Grant Program to purchase a Rook multi-purpose critical incident response vehicle. The city was awarded $500,000 through this program.
§ The Rook functions similar to a forklift built on a Caterpillar skid-steer platform and is equipped with attachments and plating to allow for a level of adaptability, maneuverability, and safety. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) does not currently have in this type of vehicle.
§ The Rook can be used by CMPD when responding to natural disasters, search and rescue, active violence incidents, armed and barricaded subjects, and explosive devices.
- The Rook tactical armored vehicle is custom designed and fabricated by Ring Power Corporation with custom installed bullet-proof glass and NIJ Level IV rated hard armor.
- The capability provided by the Rook would improve CMPD’s bomb squad to a “Type I” rating, the highest rating per standards set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
- As an example, the Rook can be used to relocate a vehicle containing suspected explosives to a safe area for mitigation or disposal.
§ The specialized vehicle will be available for use by all public safety agencies in Charlotte-Mecklenburg and the ten-county UASI region, which includes Cabarrus, Catawba, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Stanley, and Union Counties in North Carolina and Lancaster and York Counties in South Carolina.
§ Ring Power Corporation is the sole source, manufacturer, and distributor of the Rook tactical armored vehicle in North Carolina.
§ One-time expenditures are estimated to be $520,000.
Charlotte Business INClusion
This is a sole source contract and is exempt from the CBI Program since only one vendor can provide this specific vehicle.
Fiscal Note
Funding: UASI Grant and Police Operating Budget