Background:
The City's current lightning prediction and warning system at various parks has exceeded its useful life and needs to be replaced. With the City's continued growth and the increase of outdoor and sports activities, the Leisure Services Department identified the need for a better and modernized weather system to enhance the patron and staff experience with detection, alerting, and monitoring to ensure the safety of the City’s residents and other park patrons.
After thorough research, staff is recommending the replacement of the current system and equipment with Perry Weather’s Complete Weather Safety System. This advanced system offers a more accurate weather warning system based on lightning detection and enables customized, instant alerts and automated warning notifications based on the City's determination. It also triggers an outdoor warning siren thus ensuring a coordinated, swift response that enhances public safety across affected locations. Several other local municipalities are currently utilizing Perry Weather for their lightning detection systems and they have provided favorable responses to reference checks.
Perry Weather, Inc. holds proprietary rights to the integrated software and hardware solution proposed. Outdoor Warning Systems (sirens and flashing strobe lights) would be installed at the following facilities: Sunrise Civic Center, Sunrise Tennis Club, Flamingo Park, Nob Hill Soccer Club Park, Oak Hammock Park, Cypress Preserve Park, Roarke Pool, Sunrise Athletic Complex (SAC), Sawgrass Sanctuary, Oscar Wind Park, Sunrise Sportsplex, The Bridges at Springtree Golf Club, Piper Field, Village Beach Club, City Park, Welleby Park, and Veterans Park. As part of this contract, the City will have a dedicated Perry Weather Account Manager who will oversee monitoring the system software and hardware. The system will run a continuous self-diagnosis to ensure that everything is working. If an issue is detected, our Account Manager will notify us by email if they identify a problem that requires either a software fix or the replacement of hardware. Perry Weather will also send us a monthly “health report” on our entire system so we can keep track of functionality, even during times that everything is working as designed.
Shipping, installation, removal, and disposal of existing hardware is included in the proposed price, however the City would be responsible for any required permits and associated fees dependent upon the method of installation on the existing infrastructure.
The price offered by Perry Weather, Inc. to the City is more favorable and provides a better discount than those offered by competitive solicited contracts with other governmental agencies or municipalities such as BuyBoard Purchasing Cooperative and The Interlocal Purchasing System (TIPS). This purchase was planned and fully budgeted in the current FY 2025/2026 Budget, with subsequent years’ expenditures subject to budget approval and an annual increase in non-renewal years to the lower of the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers, or five percent (5%).
Pursuant to Section 5-173(c)(4) of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Sunrise Florida, it is requested that the City waive the competitive bidding procedures as this purchase is being made with pricing more favorable than, and terms comparable to, an existing governmental contract.