City Manager David Frasher has completed his review of the City of Hot Springs Project 25 Radio System Request for Proposals and approved its issuance to vendors.
The 162-page document, authored by Federal Engineering of Fairfax, Virginia, details the city’s vision for the establishment of a public safety grade communications system that will be available to all city departments. The specifications establish common ground for the submission of vendor responses to the city’s Request for Proposals (RFP).
It was imperative that an apples-to-apples comparison process be established to insure that the vendor proposals disclose the cost, quality and capabilities of the systems they intend to provide. Ultimately, the city wants a communications system that will meet the needs of first responders now and in the future, one that will evolve with technological advances and the city’s changing needs. Some of the requirements for the communications system as detailed in the city’s RFP are as follows:
- P25 Phase 2, six-channel, 800 MHz communications system
- Alternate proposals may be submitted
- Vendor proposals shall meet the 13 primary nationally accepted quality assurance standards
- Prices for equipment and components are good for five years
- Scalable microwave backhaul loop providing 99.999% reliability
- Proposal must include conventional VHF system for the support of the flood warning siren system
- Interoperability with the Arkansas Wireless Information Network (AWIN)
- System must be highly redundant and survivable
- 95% portable radio on street coverage
- 95% in building coverage within identified critical infrastructure
- Delivered audio quality of 3.4 measured on a five-point scale
- Required system features cover all aspects of network components
- The system shall also support P25 Phase 1 operating mode
- Operator/system management training is provided
- Coverage areas to be tested include the City of Hot Springs and adjacent areas
- Warranty shall be for a three-year period, covering all equipment and software
The process of assembling the RFP was authorized in October 2015 and overseen by Fire Chief Ed Davis and Police Chief Jason Stachey. Once issued, vendors will have 60 days to respond to the city’s RFP.