Northampton County Narrows Search for New Telephone System to Three Firms

Strategic Insights -

Northampton County is one step closer to replacing its outdated phone system after narrowing down the search to three firms. The county initially received bids from six companies, but after eliminating three for failing to comply with bid specifications, the selection committee is left with Lucent Technologies, Commonwealth Telephone, and NEC. The remaining companies have submitted bids ranging from $833,850 to $1.25 million, with Lucent leading the pack in terms of technical merit.

Key Takeaways:

  • Northampton County has narrowed its search for a new telephone system to three firms: Lucent Technologies, Commonwealth Telephone, and NEC.
  • The selection committee will weigh the price and technical considerations of the remaining three companies to determine which ones to invite for further evaluation.
  • Lucent Technologies bid $1.25 million, while Commonwealth Telephone offered $833,850, and NEC submitted a bid of $956,429.
  • The county's current phone provider, Siemens, was eliminated for failing to provide requisite signatures or bonding, despite receiving the top technical score from the county selection committee.
  • State Sen. Lisa Boscola and Director of Support Services J. Alan Fowler had recommended that the county stay with Siemens, which could have been hired under a state contract available to Pennsylvania municipalities.
  • The county's phone system is outmoded and cannot accommodate the increasing uses of phone lines for communications equipment, such as fax machines and video conferencing systems.
  • The county has budgeted $1 million for the new phone system, but Lucent's bid is more than that, leaving room for negotiation.

Statistics:

  • The county received bids from six companies, but eliminated three for failing to comply with bid specifications.
  • Lucent Technologies scored 250.6 points, followed by Commonwealth Telephone with 224 points, and NEC with 209 points.
  • The technical merit scores for each company ranked as follows: Siemens (251), Lucent Technologies (234), Commonwealth Telephone (199), Bell Atlantic (192), NEC (188), and Sprint (186).
  • Lucent Technologies' bid of $1.25 million is more than the $1 million the county has budgeted for the new phone system.

Sources:

  • "Northampton County Narrows Search for New Telephone System to Three Firms," The Morning Call, March 23, 2023.