Outdoor Warning Siren Control System

Dane County, Wisconsin, is seeking proposals for an Outdoor Warning Siren Control System through a Request for Proposal (RFP) released on December 22, 2022. The procurement involves replacing and upgrading hardware and software for monitoring and controlling 141 outdoor warning sirens across multiple jurisdictions, including 79 county-owned and 62 local government-owned sirens. The project requires comprehensive deliverables, including central control replacement, decommissioning of existing equipment, installation of new site controls at each siren location, acceptance testing, training, user manuals, and ongoing support. The proposed system must support automated siren activation based on National Weather Service storm-based warning polygons, provide map-based interfaces, allow dynamic siren grouping, and offer comprehensive monitoring and status reporting capabilities. The proposal deadline is February 2, 2023, at 2:00 pm, with electronic submissions required through the county's eProcurement Portal. Evaluation will be points-based, scoring across organizational capabilities, technical requirements, implementation, after-sales support, and cost, with a total of 100 possible points. The system must utilize existing UHF radio infrastructure and include a redundant control system with three separate locations.

The RFP does not explicitly specify set-aside designations or restrictions on respondent organizations. The siren network encompasses communities including Madison, Fitchburg, Verona, Sun Prairie, and Cross Plains, with most existing sirens manufactured by Federal Signal and American Signal. The majority of current sirens are Omni-directional models, primarily Federal Signal 2001-DC or American Signal Tempest T-128. The pricing structure includes per-site costs for central controls, site control equipment installation, spare equipment, training, and five years of annual maintenance and support. The procurement includes provisions for five spare complete site control units. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the comprehensive nature of the project—covering 141 siren sites across multiple jurisdictions with advanced technological requirements—suggests a significant investment in public safety infrastructure. The detailed Siren Site List (Attachment C) provides a comprehensive inventory of existing siren locations, which will be crucial for potential vendors in developing their technical proposals.