03/14/83 Board of Public Works Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING MARCH 14. 1983 Councilman John Voorde, 817 West North Shore Drive addressed the Board on this matter and stated that he is not opposed to the combined police/fire communications center but is concerned about whether the City should be looking at this time with combining with the County and Mishawaka in a combined com- munications center. Mr. Voorde asked that the Board delay awarding the bids on this project for a couple of weeks in order to call together the appropriate people to discuss the combined communications center concept.. He stated that he spoke briefly to the St. Joseph County Sheriff about this matter and that department is interested in the project. Mr. Voorde suggested that it might be wise at this time to use the money to be expended to complete the total project with the County and Mishawaka rather than waiting until some future time. He additionally mentioned that the county and city residents would be better served by a combined com- munications center. Mr. Voorde was informed that an appropria- tion bill would be presented to the Common Council to cover the expenses incurred by the project should the Board determine to proceed. Mr. Hill advised Mr. Voorde that the Board is not doing anything now that would preclude the future consolidation of services. He stated that the City needs to determine how it will handle the center, management wise, before bringing together other entities. Mr. Hill further stated that after the City implements its own system, it would be in a better position to combine in the future. The combined communications center with Mishawaka and the County is definitely an option that would be considered at a later date. Mr. Voorde statedthat he appreciated Mr. Hill's comments but thought it would be best to address the whole issue at one time before the money is spent. Mr. Tim Treat, Account Executive, Government Markets Division - Central Area, Motorola Communications and Electronics, Inc. questioned the award of the bid stating that the optional items should not have been compared with the prime bid. Mr. Leszczynski read Mr. Zubler's letter concerning the criteria used for the recommendation. Mr. Treat further stated that the difference in bids is based on a methodology difference and not performance. Mr. Glenn Zubler stated that both bids were basically in compliance but based on the items mentioned in his letter to the Board, was recommending the bid be awarded to ComCenter Corporation. Additionally, it was stated that the bid of ComCenter was approximately $19,000.00 lower than that of Motorola. Mr. Ron Goeller, District Sales Manager, also of Motorola, asked if his company could respond in writing to the comparisons made by Mr. Zubler before the Board awards the bid. Mr. Hill stated that Motorola could look at the recommendations submitted to the Board by Mr. Zubler but advised Mr. Ron Goeller that state law distates that the award be made to the lowest and best bid in compliance and if the Board now accepted additional information, it would have to allow all other bidders an opportunity to provide supplemental information which would begin an endless process. Mr. Hill further stated that we are dealing with nuts and bolts. He stated that meetings have been held with Chief Dan Thompson of the Police Department and Chief Tim Brassell of the Fire Department regarding the combined com- munications center and its implementation. Those two departments have submitted their proposals and recommenda- tions for the center. He further stated that the combining of these two departments' communications center is going to