Orange County NC Website
Among the outcomes expected from this move would be: <br />• provides for a generator powered computer center <br />• moves the computer center to higher ground above the Eno River and away from potential <br />flood hazard <br />• places the center of the data network closer to the Sprint telecommunications central <br />office on East King Street, through which the data network connects to the State and to <br />the Internet <br />• improves performance and reliability of the data network services to downtown <br />Hillsborough departments <br />• replaces older wiring connecting some of these offices that has proven to be less reliable <br />than is needed for critical operations and to support the connection of the new State <br />Elections Information Management System (SEIMS) to the rest of the State network <br />• establishes network connection to the Clerk of Courts building, allowing elimination of a <br />current phone company network circuit to Child Support Enforcement and a dialup <br />Internet connection used in the Veteran Services office <br />• establishes high speed Internet access for Offices of the Superior Court Judge in the Old <br />Courthouse <br />• facilitates use of the network for future Internet, voice and video applications in the Old <br />Courthouse <br />• serves as the beginning of potential sharing of network connectivity with the Orange <br />County Schools network, and perhaps beyond (the IS Department and the IT Committee <br />are also exploring shared network resources, a concept called "OCNet", with the two <br />library systems; the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools; the Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, <br />and Hillsborough; and UNC-Chapel Hill) <br />• takes advantage of the timing of the move of the Purchasing and Central Services <br />Department to make network infrastructure upgrades that would be made eventually as <br />part of the IT Plan's "Network" initiative (staff believes this improvement would be logical in <br />any case, following the BOCC directed organizational assessment of the IT Plan <br />implementation over the past four years) <br />Specifications developed by staff were designed to address Orange County's needs. Proposals <br />were sent to seven prospective vendors. The bid was advertised on the County's Internet Site. <br />A pre-bid conference was held and attended by four vendors. Four bidders responded to the <br />bid call. Bids were evaluated by staff. S.F.M. Company Inc. of Whittier, California (the <br />apparent low bidder) has closed its North Carolina operation and subsequently withdrawn their <br />bid. Integrated Communication Service (ICS) of Raleigh, North Carolina submitted the lowest <br />responsible bid that was responsive at a cost delivered, installed and tested of $36,746. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: Total cost of this action, if approved by the Board, would be $36,746, <br />Sufficient funds are available in the IT Plan capital project in the adopted 2000-2010 CIP. <br />$1,400 per month in network circuit operating casts now paid to BellSouth and Sprint will be <br />eliminated by this fiber optic installation project. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board award the bid to . <br />Integrated Communication Service of Raleigh, North Carolina in the amount of $36,746; and <br />authorize the Purchasing Director to execute the necessary paperwork. <br />