DATE: February 12, 2016
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett Bayag, Acting Director
Office of Regional Communications and Technology
PHONE: 954-357-8565
EMAIL: bbayag@broward.org
BROWARD COUNTY, FL - A major step toward improving Broward County's Public Safety Radio System has been taken by the County Commission. On Tuesday, the Board voted unanimously to begin the process to pre-qualify vendors interested in submitting proposals on a project to replace the public safety radio system (Project 25 Public Safety Radio system). The vote to begin the procurement process follows on the heels of the County Commission's January 26, 2016 approval of the Regional Domestic Security Task Force (RDSTF) Region 7 700 MHz Overlay System, which will strengthen back-up capability in the event that the primary system becomes impaired or overloaded, will strengthen interoperable communications capabilities with other existing 700MHz interoperable systems, and will strengthen intelligence and information sharing and coordination.
The approval of the request for qualifications is the first step in the radio replacement procurement process. Step two will be a request for proposals from qualified vendors on an estimated $45 million project.
The Office of Regional Communications and Technology, working with the technical consultant Mission Critical Partners, and with input and feedback from key stakeholders, assessed the current system and recommended its replacement based on information from the assessment, and as a way to address stakeholder's concerns. Those stakeholders include the Broward County Sheriff - Law Enforcement and Fire, participating municipal police and fire departments, and the Fire and Police Chiefs Associations of Broward County, among others.
The recommended replacement will update current analog equipment, which will reach "end of life" in 2018, with a new Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Project 25 modernized digital system, will increase the number of new towers, will implement measures to mitigate radio interference issues, and will provide redundancy, to include ancillary support systems and back-up capabilities to support communications for our first responders.
The County has invited a representative from both the Fire and Police Chiefs Associations to serve on the evaluation committee which will approve a vendor to replace the public safety radio system.
Potential proposers are encouraged to review the draft specifications.
It's expected that the County's Request for Proposals (RFP) will be released after the selection of the short-listed qualified firms are brought back to the County Commission. Final specifications for the new radios will be available then as well. The new system is forecasted to be operational in 2018.
This project will not only enhance the County's Public Safety Radio system, but will also improve the County's Regional Consolidated E911 Dispatch System.
For more information on this project and other projects on regional communications, please visit the Office of Regional Communications and Technology website.
About Regional Communications and Technology
The Office of Regional Communications and Technology (ORCAT) manages, administers and provides oversight of the countywide consolidated E911 communication system. Responsibilities include the design, implementation and maintenance of the public safety infrastructure used to respond to E911 calls on a 24/7 basis, thereby enabling rapid emergency response to 911 callers for lifesaving assistance in Broward County. The Regional Consolidated E911 Dispatch System is overseen by ORCAT and operated by the Broward Sheriff's Office via a Performance Based Contract with the County Commission. For more information, visit our website.
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