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DATE: |
January 13, 2026 |
02 |
SUBJECT
Title
GENERAL SERVICES - AUTHORIZATION TO ADVERTISE AND AWARD A PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACT FOR VISTA DETENTION FACILITY INFRASTRUCTURE & FACILITY UPGRADE AND CEQA EXEMPTION (DISTRICT: 5)
Body
OVERVIEW
The Vista Detention Facility (VDF) located in the City of Vista opened in 1986 and serves as the primary point of intake for incarcerated males in North San Diego County. The facility is staffed by approximately 70 employees, of which about 35 are sworn San Diego Sheriff’s Office staff. The population at VDF consists primarily of special handling incarcerated persons, newly booked incarcerated persons awaiting transfer to other facilities and pre-arraignment incarcerated persons.
The VDF Infrastructure and Facility Upgrade Project encompasses comprehensive enhancements, including renovation of the intercom and Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) systems, installation of anti-ligature features, and integration of a centralized security backbone. This backbone will provide unified control over cameras, cell doors, lighting, access points, elevators, and water shut-off systems, along with other related improvements.
Today’s request is for Board of Supervisors (Board) approval to authorize the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting, to advertise and award a public works contract for the VDF Infrastructure and Facility Upgrade, either as a Construction Manager At Risk contract in accordance with California Public Contract Code (PCC) section 20146 or a Progressive Design-Build contract in accordance with PCC section 22185 et seq.
In addition to approving the contract delivery method, the Board also authorizes the Director of General Services to make findings that certain materials, products, or services may be designated by specific brand or trade names as permitted under PCC section 3400. This ensures interoperability of building systems that rely on brand-specific components. For example, when adding a fire alarm to an existing facility, the same brand is used to maintain system compatibility.
If approved, construction is expected to begin Summer of 2026 and complete Winter of 2028.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
1. Find that the proposed security and safety renovations at Vista Detention Facility (VDF) are exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301.
2. Authorize the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting, to take any action authorized by Article XXIII, Section 401, et seq. of the Administrative Code and California Public Contract Code (PCC) to advertise and, upon successful negotiations and determination of a fair and reasonable price, award a public works contract for the VDF Infrastructure and Facility Upgrade, either as Construction Manager At Risk contract in accordance with PCC section 20146 or a Progressive Design-Build contract in accordance with PCC section 22185 et seq. , and to amend the contract as needed to reflect changes to services and funding.
3. Designate the Director, Department of General Services, as the County officer responsible for administering the public works contract for the development and construction of VDF Infrastructure and Facility Upgrade and authorize the Director, Department of General Services, to execute any and all documents necessary for the implementation of the public works contract.
4. Designate the Director, Department of General Services, as a County officer responsible for making findings that particular materials, products, things, or services may be designated by specific brand or trade names, in accordance with California Public Contract Code section 3400.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The authorization and award of a construction contract for the Vista Detention Facility Infrastructure and Facility Upgrade would contribute to the County of San Diego’s (County) Strategic Plan Community Goal of Safety to support programs and services that focus efforts to reduce disparities and disproportionality across the justice system.
Expenditures resulting from this action will create private sector jobs and economic opportunities in San Diego County. The procurement of a public works contract will encourage participation from local, small, and small-local businesses, including veteran-owned businesses. The awarded contractor will be encouraged to engage with local subcontractors for the project. Examples of such local participation include partnering with local organizations, local apprentice programs, local employment resource centers, workforce community outreach programs. To ensure equity, inclusionary contracting criteria will be incorporated into the source selection process.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Implementing effective sustainability objectives is crucial to ensuring safe and healthy communities and contributing to the overall success of the region including the Vista Detention Facility (VDF) population. The authorization and award of a public works contract for the VDF Infrastructure & Facility Upgrade will contribute to the County’s Sustainability Goals of engaging the community, providing equitable access to County services, transitioning to a green, carbon-free economy, and protecting the health and well-being of everyone in the region.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for this request are included in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Operational Plan for the Major Maintenance Capital Outlay Fund (MMCOF) 1026061 Vista Detention Facility Intercom, Anti-Ligature, and Security Improvements. If approved, this request will result in estimated costs of $20,222,366. The funding sources are $14,000,000 bond funding, $1,493,353 Criminal Justice Facility Fund and $4,729,013 prior year General Fund Fund Balance for a total of $20,222,366. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
The approval to advertise and award a public works contract for the Vista Detention Facility Infrastructure and Facility Upgrade would result in the creation of private sector jobs and economic opportunities in San Diego County. It is anticipated that members of all equity seeking groups could benefit which helps stimulate the local economy as the contractor must comply with Board Policy B-53 which requires at least 3% local small business participation including Veteran Owned Business (VOB) and Disabled Veterans Business (DVB) Program.
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
N/A
BACKGROUND
The Vista Detention Facility (VDF) is a medium-security facility and operated under the San Diego County Sheriff’s jurisdiction. The facility includes housing units, a medical area, an incarcerated persons processing area and administrative areas. Located in the administrative areas are the Detentions Processing Unit, Operational Support Unit, and the Facility Command staff.
Due to its age, the VDF Infrastructure and Facility Upgrade (Project) is needed. The scope of this work includes replacing the intercom and security system. The intercom system includes duress buttons, and the overall project includes replacing security cameras, and the system responsible for opening and closing doors. The intercom and security system is 1980s technology. When these do not work, deputies, staff and incarcerated individuals must vacate the area due to gaps in safety and security. If any of these outdated systems fail, repairs are challenging because the manufacturer is no longer in business and compatible parts are difficult to obtain. If one of these systems fails, the entire detention housing unit must be vacated, and there is no alternative location to accommodate this number of incarcerated individuals. Additionally, anti-ligature improvements are needed and required by the Board of State and Community Corrections to minimize the risk to detainees. This includes improvements to existing beds, air vents, sink bubblers, various benches and stools.
To implement these required upgrades, the County engaged SVA Architects, Inc. under Contract #568566 to provide technical assistance and develop the necessary design documentation for the Project. SVA Architects, Inc. completed the planning and design phase; a construction contract is now needed to perform the installation.
Today’s request is for Board of Supervisors (Board) approval to authorize the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting, to advertise and award a public works contract for the Project, either as Construction Manager At Risk contract in accordance with California Public Contract Code (PCC) section 20146 or a Progressive Design-Build contract in accordance with PCC section 22185 et seq Over the coming months, staff will determine the best type of public works contract to use for the Project.
Additionally, certain building systems are often constructed with components of a particular brand that must be maintained with spare parts of the same brand for interoperability. For example, when adding a fire alarm to an existing facility, the same brand of fire alarm is used to maintain the system’s interoperability. For this reason, today’s request is also for the Board to authorize the Director, General Services, to make findings that particular materials, products, things, or services may be designated by specific brand or trade names, in accordance with California Public Contract Code section 3400.
If approved, construction is expected to begin in Summer of 2026, with estimated completion in Winter 2028.
ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT
The proposed security and safety renovations at Vista Detention Facility is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Article 19, Section 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines, as work involves the interior alteration of existing facilities and equipment, involving no expansion of the existing facility’s capacity or use. Further, none of the exceptions in CEQA Section 15300.2 apply to this project. See Attachment A for Notice of Exemption.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed action to authorize and award a public works for Vista Detention Facility Infrastructure & Facility Upgrade supports the Sustainability Initiative in the County of San Diego’s 2026-2031 Strategic Plan by ensuring economic solvency to achieve the basic facilities and physical resources necessary for superior service delivery.
Respectfully submitted,
ebony n. shelton
Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT
Attachment A: Notice of Exemption