Radio's

[johny]

Has anyone heard anything about the radio bids?

[BigFoot]

The only information shared to date is from Wednesday's Public Opinion

Bids top $4M for county's emergency radio upgrade
By JIM HOOK
Senior writer

Bids for upgrading the Franklin County's emergency communications system hit $4 million.

County commissioners on Tuesday opened proposals from five companies.

The bids appear to be within county estimates, according to Charles Hnot, county consultant with L. Robert Kimball & Associates, Pittsburgh. Hnot's review and evaluation is expected to take more than a month.

The 11 boxes of bid documents arrived on two dollies.
"We've got so many variables, I'm not sure what you're going to get out of this bid opening," Commissioner G. Warren Elliott told the dozen people gathered to hear the numbers.

Bids ranged from $370,000 for a portion of the project to $4.6 million for most of the project. Several vendors could share the project.

"I'm glad we have interested companies," Elliott said. "This is a best-value procurement. There will be the opportunity to negotiate. We're off to a good start."

Commissioners had requested proposals to upgrade the county's base communications system serving local police, fire, ambulance and municipalities:

The different agencies will be able to communicate directly with each other and coordinate a better response during an emergency.

"Dead spots," where emergency radios can't receive or send long distances, should be eliminated.
The system could include an undetermined number of new towers at undetermined locations, according to Hnot.

Many agencies must replace their low-frequency radios with high-frequency ones. Most are not poised to purchase their radios, according to Franklin County Department of Emergency Services Director Gerry Flasher.

"I had recommended that unless they absolutely have to buy a radio not to do so until the design is adopted and the contract is awarded," Flasher said.

The bid proposal will offer discounted prices to groups that buy their radios through the county contract, according to Flasher. County officials want to avoid a proprietary system that would lock in one vendor.

Commissioners last year issued $39 million in bonds — $4 million for the communications upgrade, $30 million for a new county jail and $5 million for farmland preservation.

Bidding on the radio system were:

Akcatel of Plano, Texas, $1.3 million for the microwave links.

JG Contracting Co. of Pittsburgh, $369,175 for tower site development.

Kuhns Radio Communications LLC of Pleasant Hall, $388,803 for tower site development.

Motorola of Horsham, $4.6 million for most of the project.

Transcore LP of Harrisburg, $4 million for most of the project.

The earliest that commissioners will consider award of the contracts is Jan. 5.

Originally published December 7, 2005

[johny]

What type of radio's(Macom, Kenwood, and Motorola)?