Agenda - 06-07-2005-5kk - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: June 7, 2005 Action A en~ Item No. SUBJECT: Change Order for Additional Services for Emergency Communications Study DEPARTMENT: Emergency Management PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Change Order # 4- Optional Services Jack Ball, ext 3030 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider approval of an Additional Services Change Order for the Emergency Communications Study to provide radio coverage and programming analysis and technical assistance. BACKGROUND: Several years ago, the Board of Commissioners approved funding to initiate an evaluation of the County s emergency communications infrastructure. The Board approved an agreement with CTA Communications, Inc,, an engineering consulting firm, to conduct a needs assessment of the County's communication systems, which are based on outdated technology and have been causing increased problems in repair and maintenance. Necessary enhancements have been studied by GTA Communications, Inc, as part of a multi- phased study since the approval of Phase 1 during FY 2001-02, The consultant determined that the necessary technology changes would be best approached through utilizing the partnership system developed by the State of North Catalina known as the Voice Interoperability Plan for Emergency Responders (VIPER), Additionally, the County was awarded grant funding towards procuring 800 MHz infrastructure on the VIPER system, resulting in two towers that will be established within Orange County. Other contiguous counties are establishing infrastructure as well, which will provide overlapping coverage far emergency responders in Orange County, Other grant funding will allow the purchase of portable radios far emergency responders' use on the VIPER system, On April 12`h, 2005, the Board approved the acceptance of the 2004 Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program grant in the amount of $54,000 for propagation analysis and fleet mapping, Staff recommends that funding from that grant be rased for a change order to existing contracts with CTA under which CTA will provide staff with templates for programming radios and provide better understanding of the current and future radio reception from the two towers.