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Outside vendor urges Carter County to resurrect RFP for alternate radio system; commissioners press for permitting, costs
Summary
Communications International presented an alternate county radio system, said it could be deployed in about a year, argued it would be cheaper than the state system (which may require new towers costing "1 million dollars or more each"), and asked the commission to reconsider and resurrect the RFP; commissioners raised questions about permits, maintenance, control and long-term costs.
Representatives from Communications International presented an alternate communications system for Carter County and asked the commission to reconsider and "resurrect" an RFP decision taken at a prior special called meeting. CI said its system could be deployed in about a year, would be compatible with radios already in use after updates, and that the CI proposal would be less costly than the state system, which CI said could require new towers "that could cost 1 million dollars or more each." CI offered to honor its original RFP response for 90 days to give the county time to reconsider.
Commissioners asked about maintenance costs, permitting for sites that may lie outside county or state boundaries (Buffalo Mountain and Fall Creek), and who would control the system. CI said maintenance could be significant (the representative mentioned a possible high-side maintenance estimate of $160,000 per year) and that a communications officer or the county’s level of control could alter that figure. Commissioner Aaron Frazier and others asked whether permits had been investigated; CI said permit work would not be undertaken until a contract was in place.
Chairman Travis Hill and several commissioners questioned whether the county should pursue a proprietary system when a state system is available; CI emphasized lower tower costs and offered further follow-up if the commission rescinds the prior RFP vote and republishes it for comparison.
The commission did not take a final vote on resurrecting the RFP during the Aug. 23 meeting.
