WASHINGTON-Sometime this week, the Hillsborough County, Fla., Sheriff’s Department should be able to use most capabilities of an $18 million Enhanced Digital Access Communications Systems radio system being installed by Ericsson GE Mobile Communications. However, county commissioners still slapped the Lynchburg, Va., manufacturer with a $2,000-a-day fine June 24 because it missed a second buildout deadline. While resigned to paying the penalties, Ericsson GE contends that missed deadlines have not been solely its fault, and the public-safety agency agrees.
“Ericsson was given an impossible task,” said Steve Mitchell, the department’s maintenance-support section manager. “When we awarded Ericsson GE the radio contract, we hadn’t even awarded the tower-and-building contract yet.”
The contract for the new system was signed in June 1994, according to Ericsson GE spokesman Alex Small, who sold the system, and Ericsson promised to have equipment delivered beginning that November; some 2,500 radios and 800 mobile data terminals have been ordered and delivered. The new network, which will improve general dispatch communications along with linking the sheriff’s department with fire departments and other emergency services throughout the county, was to have been completed a year ago. However, installation was delayed several months because the tower contractor had to deal with troubleshooting problems including zoning.
“We awarded the tower contract in November or December of 1994, and it contained a pretty aggressive schedule-180 days,” Mitchell said. “It really took them about 280 days. Ericsson went in as soon as they could, so we really can’t blame them.” Mitchell, who was present at the commission hearing, said Ericsson was charged with asking for four buildout modifications, but it really only was responsible for two; the other two should have been attributed to the tower contractor.
The department is continuing its performance throughput testing of the analog part of the EDACS system, and deputies will be assigned to the new network as soon as all testing is completed.
Ericsson’s fine will be reduced to $250 per day once the department signs off the analog portion of the network. “We will have 90-percent use of the system, and we didn’t think it was fair to continue to charge them the full fine,” Mitchell said, adding that the manufacturer was giving the Sheriff’s Department a two-year extension on its parts-and-labor warranty free of charge, and that Ericsson GE is throwing in technical training as well.
