Council action is requested to issue a purchase order for $81,505.80 to Grid Solutions US LLC for the replacement of next generation (NG) fiber optic equipment for the Power & Light Department.

Council approval to issue a purchase order.

Power & Light recommends moving forward with the purchase of GE Grid Solutions next generation (NG) fiber optic equipment or NG JPAX MPLS-TP Packet Transport Equipment. As the current system, GE’s JungleMux nears it end of life, IPL needs to begin migration to the next system and increase its communication bandwidth and reliability.

GE’s JPAX (10 gbs) permits P&L to move into the next evolution of communications platforms and increasing our bandwidth (capacity) on our current fiber optic system – GE JungleMux (2.5 gbs). JPAX allows a non-service interruption migration to the MPLS-TP platform (ethernet routable protocol) while utilizing the existing equipment – JungleMux ancillary interfaces. GE’s NG JPAX’s equipment takes over the major backbone transmission role on the fiber optic cable, provides additional bandwidth while accepting our current technologies as lower-level inputs (serial data).

GE’s JPAX system is also compatible with P&L’s current fiber optic network manager or alarm monitoring system. The Telenium system currently provides alarm status messages and alerts to system degradation and equipment failures. The Telenium NMS provide technicians with operation and maintenance abilities for both systems while also reporting to P&L’s current SCADA/EMS system.

With JPAX’s seamless integration to increase bandwidth, use of current JungleMux interfaces for protection switching and Scada communications, this solution provides common sense approach to upgrade the utilities communication network. These caveats allow cost reductions, lower integration times, reduced system interruptions, provides a smoother migration path to NG protocols and technologies. From the maintenance perspective it negates the issues of a complete forklift replacement of existing equipment, employee training, and reoccurring maintenance and licensing costs. GE has a proven track record of service and customer commitment with P&L.

GE’s JPAX current pricing package allows the purchase of IPL’s 19 elements in a programmed fashion. At the current price of $31,000 per node, the total cost of the upgrade has been reduced to $527,000.00, and once fully deployed, the annual support service and licensing price of $5,100.00 annually ($300 per network element). For this iteration, only 2 nodes will be purchased for the Primary and Back Up site operations.

The suggested provider, GE Grid Solutions, is the original equipment manufacturer and sole provider of support services and training on the products being requested.

Approval of this item shall authorize change orders up to a total of ten (10) percent of the authorized amount for each order, provided appropriations are available.

The fiscal impact to the City is $81,505.80. Funding is included in the 2021-22 adopted budget, page 199, Project string E (202101 -C - - ), account number E (7020-5406).