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Miami County staff recommend more information before approving $1,500/month MDT maintenance deal
Summary
County staff presented a proposal to contract with Net Standard to install Central Square software on 11 mobile data terminals for Fire District 1 with a $5,500 setup fee and a three-year maintenance agreement at $1,500 per month; commissioners asked for cost comparisons with the sheriff's contract and suggested delaying a decision.
Miami County commissioners on Sept. 10 discussed a proposal to have Net Standard install mapping and CAD software on 11 mobile data terminals (MDTs) in Fire District 1 vehicles and to provide ongoing maintenance.
Mark Whalen, Miami County fire coordinator, told the commission the county purchased the computers, brackets and air cards for the 11 District 1 vehicles and that Turnkey Mobile installed the hardware. "The next step is to install the mapping application and the CAD application onto those computers and link those to the servers located at the sheriff's office," Whalen said, and Net Standard proposed a $5,500 one-time setup fee and a three-year maintenance agreement at $1,500 a month for the 11 units.
The proposal drew questions from several commissioners about alternatives and per-unit costs. Commissioner Bond said, "I guess, did we, look at other vendors? Is this the most affordable way to do this?" Whalen replied that other vendors generally do not have access to the county's servers and that Net Standard already provides IT support tied to the sheriff's office and the county's new CAD system. Whalen said the Net Standard arrangement is "an extension" of services the sheriff's department already receives.
Several commissioners asked staff to obtain more detail before taking formal action. Commissioner Vickery asked whether the county would be locked into annual escalation fees; another commissioner noted, "it looks like this one locks in the ... $1,500 a month." Commissioners also asked Whalen to compare the per-computer cost the sheriff's office is paying and to ask Net Standard whether the county could be added to the sheriff's existing contract or whether Net Standard would waive the $5,500 setup fee for these units.
Commission discussion touched on potential funding sources and operational benefits. Whalen and others said the mapping and CAD integration could reduce response times and provide hydrant and building information to responders; Whalen noted the computers did not yet have the Central Square software installed. One commissioner suggested some 9-1-1 funds might be eligible to pay for part of the work.
No motion or vote was taken at the study session; commissioners instructed staff to obtain detailed cost breakdowns, confirm whether the sheriff's contract includes the same per-unit pricing, and return with the information at a later meeting. Whalen agreed to coordinate with undersheriff Kelly and to provide invoices and per-unit numbers for comparison.
The county did not make a final decision Sept. 10 and indicated the item may be postponed so staff can clarify whether the setup fee can be waived and whether the maintenance can be bundled with the sheriff's contract.
