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Rules committee removes small-business waiver, refers SFPD Real Time Investigation Center procurement using private gifts to full Board
Summary
The committee amended an ordinance so it would no longer waive San Francisco’s small-business preference (Chapter 14B) before sending the measure to the full Board. The change concerns procurement of equipment and services for the Police Department’s Real Time Investigation Center using gifts from the San Francisco Police Community Foundation.
The San Francisco Rules Committee on Monday amended and referred to the full Board an ordinance that would waive competitive-solicitation requirements for the Police Department’s procurement of equipment, technology and services for the Real Time Investigation Center (RTIC) using gift funds from the San Francisco Police Community Foundation.
Commander Tom McGuire of the San Francisco Police Department Investigations Bureau told the committee the RTIC provides live information to officers, has supported more than 500 arrests in 2024, helps manage vehicle pursuits and locate missing persons, and depends on modern technology and workspace to function. He said a sublease at a Montgomery Street site is in place from April 30, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2026, with a planned move-in in August and a long-term relocation target of Jan. 1, 2027. The Montgomery site is intended to house about 40 members, including RTIC operators, strategic investigations staff and drone operators.
Supervisor Walton proposed amending the ordinance to remove language that would waive the competitive-solicitation requirements in Administrative Code chapter 14B, a provision intended to protect and promote local small businesses. Walton said she did not believe it was necessary to waive chapter 14B to enable the department to procure equipment, and that local businesses should continue to have opportunities.
The mayor’s office and members of the police department indicated support for striking the chapter 14B reference, and Deputy City Attorney Brad Russe told the committee the amendments were not substantive and the committee could move forward without continuing the item.
The committee adopted the amendment without objection and then voted to refer the ordinance to the full Board without recommendation as a committee report. The motion to amend and the referral were recorded with unanimous ayes by Vice Chair Cheryl (Sherrill), Member Madamman and Chair Walton.
Committee members requested that, as part of the longer-term planning for RTIC, the police department define space and programming needs by January, determine whether to move forward with relocation by March, identify funding sources with the mayor’s office by June, and have the real estate division submit a final negotiated lease for Board approval by July.
Because the ordinance was amended and only referred as a committee report, no competitive-solicitation waiver is final; the full Board will consider the amended ordinance during its formal review.
