Board to hear AWIN proposal
The city announced Friday a proposal for an Arkansas Wireless Information Network-based communication system will be presented to the Hot Springs Board of Directors next month.
The AWIN system, a state-run platform providing interoperability among the 900 federal, state and local agencies that use the network, was one of three proposals vendors submitted in response to the city’s effort to upgrade its public safety communications to a Project 25, Phase 2 system.
Motorola Solutions, the state’s AWIN contractor, also submitted a proposal for a proprietary, self-contained sys-
tem the city would have been responsible for maintaining. Harris Corp. was the other vendor that responded to the initial request for proposals the city issued in February and the revised request that went out in July. Harris’ proposals were for proprietary systems.
The board is expected to consider the AWIN proposal at its Nov. 7 meeting. City Manager David Frasher said in an email he sent the board Friday that he had reviewed the proposal, which was referred to him by the city’s selection committee.
“My due diligence included a careful review of all materials and reference checks with the cities of Little Rock, Russellville, Jonesboro, Fayetteville and Fort Smith,” Frasher said. “I concur with the committee that the best system for Hot Springs is the Motorola/AWIN system.”
According to information provided by the selection committee, the $4,900,477 cost for the AWIN system is the least expensive of the three proposals. The city budgeted more than $6 million for its Comprehensive Public Safety Communication System project, which the city said will close gaps in radio coverage, improve signal strength and quality, increase interoperability and replace components that no longer have manufacturer support.
Fire Chief Ed Davis, who led the selection committee, said Friday that Motorola will provide about 600 radios and 10 talk paths on the 12 800-MHz channels currently licensed to the city.
Prior to Friday, the city had denied requests to release the proposals or identify which one the selection committee had rated as the top submission. The city maintained the proposals weren’t subject to disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, citing the FOIA provision that exempts material that could give an advantage to competitors or bidders.
Frasher’s email to the board said releasing the selection committee’s choice before it was referred to the board could’ve given the vendor leverage to negotiate a higher price.
“If strong public sentiment or political dynamics had favored one system over another, a vendor may have been encouraged to stick to their guns on a higher price or to begin lobbying efforts that may have undermined the strength of our negotiating position,” he wrote. “In the instant case, it’s hard to argue with the results and the dramatic savings and system quality that will benefit the public and our affected departments/personnel.”