REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 24, 2026
FROM
SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Grant Award from the City of Riverside - Office of Emergency Management for the Fiscal Year 2023 Urban Areas Security Initiative
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Amendment No. 1 to grant award Agreement No. 24-1161 from the City of Riverside - Office of Emergency Management for Fiscal Year 2023 Urban Area Security Initiative, increasing the grant amount by $48,980, from $145,236 to a total amount not to exceed $194,216, and extending the term by four months, for a total grant performance period of September 1, 2023 through April 30, 2026.
2. Authorize the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator and/or Undersheriff to execute and submit the grant award document to the City of Riverside - Office of Emergency Management in order to secure the additional grant funding.
3. Direct the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator and/or Undersheriff to transmit the grant award document to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
4. Authorize the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post adjustments to the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator’s 2025-26 budget, as detailed in the Financial Impact section (Four votes required).
(Presenter: Carolina Mendoza, Chief Deputy Director, 387-0640)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Improve County Government Operations.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator’s (Department) received an additional $48,980 for the Fiscal Year 2023 Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) grant award by the City of Riverside - Office of Emergency Management, increasing the original grant award amount from $145,236 to a new total amount not to exceed $194,216 for the purchase of accessories for two tactical robots. No matching funds are required.
The Department requests that the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector post the following adjustments to the 2025-26 budget, as detailed below:
|
Fund Center |
Commitment Item |
Description |
Action |
Amount |
|
4438001000 |
52002130 |
Non-Inventoriable Equipment |
Increase |
$48,980 |
|
4438001000 |
40509094 |
Federal-Grants |
Increase |
$48,980 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Since its inception in 2003, the intent of the UASI program has been to enhance regional preparedness in major metropolitan areas. UASI program funds address the unique planning, organization, equipment, training, and response exercise needs of high-threat, high-density urban areas and assist in building capacity to prevent against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism.
Eligible candidates for the Fiscal Year 2023 UASI program were determined by an analysis of the relative risk of terrorism faced by the 100 most populous metropolitan areas in the United States. A total of 31 urban areas were deemed to be eligible for funding under the Fiscal Year 2023 UASI program, including the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario Urban Area, administered by the City of Riverside’s Office of Emergency Management (City). The UASI Approval Authority, comprised of Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ontario City Managers, the Riverside County Executive Officer (CEO), and the San Bernardino County CEO, recommends projects for funding and submits them to the California Office of Emergency Services for final approval.
On October 24, 2022, the Department submitted a proposal to the City to fund the purchase of six tactical robots, totaling $127,411, and five Fatality Management Global Positioning Systems, totaling $17,825, with Fiscal Year 2023 UASI funding.
On October 2, 2024, the Department received an award letter from the City announcing that available funds from the California Office of Emergency Services, in the amount of $145,236, had been approved to acquire the requested equipment, with an overall performance period of September 1, 2023, through January 1, 2026.
On December 3, 2024 (Item No. 50), the Board of Supervisors (Board) accepted the UASI grant award (Agreement No. 24-1161), and approved the required Memorandum of Understanding with the City, and adopted Resolution No. 2024-168 authorizing the Chair of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator, or Undersheriff to proceed with certain actions related to the administration of the Fiscal Year 2023 UASI grant award.
On July 16, 2025, the Department attempted to procure six tactical robots by releasing Invitation to Bid (ITB) No. SHR126-ADMSR-5974 through the County’s electronic procurement system (ePro). Due to the lack of sufficient bids resulting from the ITB on the five like robots, the Department submitted a grant modification request on August 25, 2025, to reduce the quantity of tactical robots to be procured from six to two, with the intent to purchase two of the second kind of tactical robot instead of only one. Following approval of the grant modification request, the Department submitted a “Request for Noncompetitive Procurement Authorization” on October 20, 2025, to the City, as the Grantor, to proceed with the purchase of the two robots.
On December 12, 2025, the Department received notification of the Grantor’s approval of the request for noncompetitive procurement authorization, allowing the Department to use federal funding to procure the two tactical robots based on the single bid resulting from the ITB.
On January 13, 2026 (Item No. 63), the Board approved the purchase of one additional tactical robot as an unbudgeted capital asset by deleting four budgeted tactical robots, thereby reducing the quantity of tactical robots in the Department’s budget from five to two.
On February 4, 2026, the Department received a modification approval letter from the City to extend the performance period from September 1, 2023 through April 30, 2026. The letter also confirmed an additional funding allocation of $48,980, increasing the amount awarded for the tactical robot project from $127,411 to $194,216, to purchase accessories for the tactical robots.
Approval of Recommendation No. 1 will allow the Department to procure accessories that will enhance the capabilities of the two tactical robots for the Department’s Specialized Enforcement Division, allowing the Department to strengthen the fight against domestic and international terrorism.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Grace B. Parsons, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 4, 2026; Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector (Charlene Huang, Manager, 382-7022) on March 4, 2026; and Finance and County Administration (Erika Rodarte, Administrative Analyst, 387-4919) on March 5, 2026.