Rosebud County hears five bids for 9-1-1 call system; commissioners send proposals to 9-1-1 board

At the Rosebud County Board of Commissioners meeting on Feb. 24, 2026, the board opened bids for a new 9-1-1 call-handling solution and heard summaries of five vendor proposals from Jenny Cherry, the county 9-1-1 dispatch supervisor.

"Vesta 9 1 solution, they gave us a summary for 5 years, a total cost of $342,000," Cherry said when describing Motorola Solutions' offer, which she said included hardware, software support, on-site maintenance and extended warranties. Cherry presented five-year totals from the bidders: Motorola Solutions (Vesta) $342,000; Central Square (Vortex) $371,985.45; Carbine/Apex $535,331.98; Comtech $372,559.38; and Zetron/Zitron, which offered two pricing options — a discounted five-year total Cherry summarized as $272,917 (after a $155,000 discount off a $377,977 price), or an amortized five-year plan at $331,345.

Cherry described differences in how vendors provided cost detail and local maintenance. "They did discount this because we're already a Motorola customer," she said of one bid, and she told commissioners that some vendors would provide a more detailed breakdown if awarded the contract.

Commissioners discussed local maintenance and support options, noting some vendors rely on remote service while others maintain a local footprint. Chair (speaker S1) moved, and the board voted, to take the 9-1-1 bids under advisement so the county's 9-1-1 board can review them at its meeting Thursday at 9 a.m.

The board did not award the contract; the 9-1-1 board's review will inform any recommendation back to the commissioners.