Public Safety
Radio Communication System
$6,600,000
Near NW 12th St
Update as of 2/5/2022
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TUSA Consulting Services selected to manage RFP evaluation.
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During the week of November 1st thru the 5th 2021, TUSA Consulting Services (TUSA) along with representatives from the City of Bentonville, met with RACOM and Motorola Solutions to further evaluate and negotiate their proposals, per the recommendation given by TUSA Consulting as outlined in the report titled RFP EVALUATION, September 27, 2021.
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The schedule and procedures for the vendor negotiations were followed per the TUSA information in the document provided to Bentonville Purchasing on October 18th, 2021, titled P25 Vendor Selection and Negotiations. This dual negotiation process allowed the vendors to give their best and final offer for equipment and services for the 15-year Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
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January 27, 2022- TUSA provided informational update to council on side-by-side comparison, final pricing, and maintenance cost of Raycom/Harris and Motorola/AWIN options.
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Request from City Council for additional documentation of maintenance contract and scoring.
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Finance and legal reviewing staff recommendations, TUSA review, scoring, and pricing.
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February 7, 2022- Committee of the Whole; provide information to city council.
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February 22, 2022- Intent is to present final recommendation to City Council based on final review of all items.
Update as of 08/21/2023
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All documentation, permitting and approvals have been completed with all new towers placed. We are currently waiting for additional radio storage facilities (bunkers) at each site. Once these facilities arrive at each site, additional site improvements will be made to include electric and other connections for the system. Fire Station monitoring has been installed at all of the fire stations.
The project includes a new radio system manufactured under the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Project 25 standard, or commonly known as “P25," that improves City of Bentonville interoperability, and also creates multi-agency communication on a shared radio channel.
The new radio technology supports the Bentonville firefighters and police officers with improved in-building coverage in our schools, hospitals, local businesses, and throughout our City.
The City of Bentonville Fire and Police Departments are currently using communications technology that no longer allows our first responders to have interoperability communications with local, regional, and state agencies during times of emergencies or when interoperability communications with these agencies are necessary. The new radio technology would create this interoperability and the potential partnership with the Arkansas Wireless Information Network, also known as AWIN. This allows responders to operate on the same radio channels in an emergency or as they travel throughout Arkansas.
Bentonville Fire and Police Departments will have direct interoperability with State agencies such as Arkansas State Police, Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, and other Northwest Arkansas city and county agencies; Benton County, Rogers, Siloam Springs, all Benton County small City agencies dispatched by CENCOM, Springdale, Fayetteville, and Washington County. Non-public safety agencies will be able to share the same radio infrastructure helping to reduce the taxpayer burden in the City of Bentonville.
This system would include mobile and portable radios, dispatch consoles, tower site, communication towers, training and maintenance.
