Item - 2024.GG9.9

The General Government Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to negotiate and execute a non-competitive agreement from the date of award to July 31, 2025, with Tacel Ltd in the amount of $4,172,841 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($4,246,283 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Transportation Services, in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

The purpose of this report is to request City Council authority to enter into a non-competitive contract with Tacel Ltd. for the supply and delivery of the Polara Accessible Pedestrian Signals System Components and Central Control Units.  The contract initial period will commence from the date of award to July 31, 2025, with three (3) additional option year renewals, in the total amount of $4,172,841 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($4,246,283 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries).

A contract was originally awarded to Tacel Ltd. in 2013 resulting from competitive call Request for Quotation number 1205-13-0133 which had only one submission. The sole bidder, Tacel Ltd., was awarded the contract. A new Request for Quotation number 1205-17-0320 was issued on September 11, 2017 and was subsequently canceled because it was determined that Tacel Ltd. is the exclusive distributor. A letter from the manufacturer confirms the exclusive distributorship of Tacel Ltd. for Polara products.      

The new Contract is requested to continue procurement of Accessible Pedestrian Signals and Central Control Units, formerly known as Audible Pedestrian Signals, which advise pedestrians who are blind, visually impaired or deaf-blind when they have the right-of-way to cross at a signalized intersection and in which direction they may cross the intersection. Tacel Ltd. is the exclusive distributor of the Polara Accessible Pedestrian Signals and Central Control Units.

City Council approval is required in accordance with Municipal Code Chapter 195- Purchasing, where the current request exceeds the Chief Procurement Officer's authority of the cumulative five year commitment for each supplier, under Article 7, Section 195-7.3 (D) of the Purchasing By-Law or exceeds the threshold of $500,000 net of HST allowed under staff authority as per the Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 71- Financial Control, Section 71-11A.