Fiscal Note
Grant funding is available in a segregated fund (SG35). No appropriation is required.
Title
Authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to sign a contract with Radio-IP Software, Inc., to purchase certain "middleware" software and enter into a 3-year maintenance agreement for maintenance and support services.
Body
WHEREAS, the Madison Police and Fire Departments, since 1994, have been part of a 19 agency consortium who have shared a Motorola mobile data wireless communications (RD-LAP) network through the Dane County 911 Public Safety Communications Center; and
WHEREAS, City of Madison Traffic Engineering Communications Section is responsible for maintaining and supporting the mobile data wireless communications network for Dane County 911 Public Safety Communications Center, which serves Madison Police and Fire Departments and other local law enforcement agencies; and
WHEREAS, there have been minimal upgrades (base stations and additional frequencies) to the mobile data wireless communications network since 1994, and complete replacement of the existing mobile data wireless network is not envisioned for another two to five years; and
WHEREAS, the existing mobile data wireless communications network has a limited capacity for sending the receiving data; and
WHEREAS, Madison Police and Fire personnel over the past three years have increasingly used and relied upon the existing mobile data wireless network to send and receive more information (e.g. RMS contact information, digital photos, AVL for MFD paramedic units); and
WHEREAS, City and Dane County staff have researched and tested new "middleware" technologies that seek to compress data packets so that older wireless communication networks can be used to more efficiently send and receive wireless data communications, identified two companies nationwide that offer such a product and services capable of meeting our needs and conducted side-by-side trials of the two; and
WHEREAS, the City and Da...
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