SNOW HILL – County officials agreed to accept a proposal from a consulting firm to assist in implementation of a new radio system.
The Worcester County Commissioners last week voted unanimously to accept a proposal from Federal Engineering to help implement the county’s new Harris P25 radio system. The vote came after county staff reached out to other jurisdictions that had worked with Federal Engineering.
“All of the contacts gave very positive remarks about Federal Engineering and said they had been very pleased with the services they received,” said Kelly Shannahan, the county’s assistant chief administrative officer.
Initially, Director of Emergency Services Fred Webster approached the commissioners with a request to hire Federal Engineering in July. He said a consultant was needed to analyze the interference problems plaguing the county’s new public safety radio system. The commissioners, however, expressed concern regarding project delays and the efforts of Harris Corporation, the company the county hired in 2015 to set up the new system.
As a result of those concerns, the commissioners participated in a work session with representatives from Harris Corporation and Federal Engineering on July 31.
“During the presentation, Mr. Ron Bosco from Federal Engineering offered, at no charge, a ‘coverage workshop’ in addition to the services in their original proposal,” Webster wrote in his report to the commissioners last week. “This would help the commissioners better understand the nature of the current issues.”
Webster wrote that he was seeking the commissioners’ approval of a contract not to exceed $77,265 for Federal Engineering to assist with implementation of the new radio system.
Shannahan told the commissioners last week he’d received positive feedback from officials with the state of Maryland, King and Queen County in Virginia and New Hanover County in North Carolina when he’d inquired about Federal Engineering.
The commissioners voted unanimously to approve a motion to accept the proposal from Federal Engineering as long as the funding came from the Department of Emergency Services.
