Purchase of UL rated, Ruggedized, P25 Portable Radios

Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, Purchasing Department, on behalf of the Fire Rescue Department, issued Request for Proposal No. 17-029-LJ for the purchase of UL-rated, ruggedized, Project 25 (P25) portable radios and associated equipment. The procurement encompasses approximately 550 portable radios operating in the 700/800 MHz frequency band, along with batteries, chargers, remote speaker microphones, parts, accessories, warranty services, and repair services. All radios must comply with rigorous technical specifications including UL ANSI/TIA-4950 hazardous location certification, MIL-STD-810 environmental standards, and P25 Phase I and II trunking capability, with specific performance requirements for transmitter and receiver functions. Proposers must provide fixed unit pricing for portable radios and fixed percentage discounts off manufacturer's suggested retail prices for parts, accessories, and services, along with technical training for eight Fire Rescue personnel. The evaluation process consists of five criteria: experience and qualifications (20 points), equipment evaluation (40 points), price proposal (25 points), Small Business Enterprise participation (10 points), and business location/local preference (5 points). Mandatory evaluation activities included a pre-proposal conference on April 12, 2017, radio testing scheduled for May 9, 2017, and oral presentations on May 15, 2017, with proposals due April 27, 2017, at 4:00 p.m. local time and Board award anticipated June 20, 2017.

The contract includes a 15 percent Small Business Enterprise (SBE) participation goal, with points awarded based on certified SBE utilization by responsive proposers. Local preference points are available for Palm Beach County-based businesses possessing valid Business Tax Receipts issued prior to the solicitation date. The contract term extends for three years commencing June 20, 2017, through June 19, 2020, with two optional one-year renewal periods available upon mutual written agreement maintaining all original terms, conditions, and unit prices. Amendment 2, issued April 19, 2017, provided technical clarifications addressing inquiries from manufacturers including Motorola Solutions, Inc., Citation Communications representing Harris Corp., and JVCKenwood/EFJohnson, confirming Phase II trunking installation requirements and accepting equivalent or better Intrinsically Safe ratings in lieu of specific UL certifications. The County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and may utilize Florida state contracts if pricing proves lower, though no specific budget range or award value was disclosed in the solicitation documents.