TRAVERSE CITY -- A local company and some Grand Traverse County residents are crying foul over $87,000 spent on six new work stations for 911 central dispatch.
Concepts Plus LLC, of Williamsburg, submitted the low bid of $20,200. Its president, Mike Hedlund, said he typically doesn't involve himself in politics, but he's critical of local officials.
"Our government doesn't know how to spend its money properly," Hedlund said.
The county board unanimously voted in March to award the bid to Xybix Systems Inc., of Colorado, whose price fell right in the middle of seven bids.
Hedlund isn't the only person to complain about the board's decision. Several commissioners said they've heard from constituents about the deal, but contend they made the best choice.
"My job is to choose the best value for the taxpayers, and it's not always the cheapest one," said county Commissioner Christine Maxbauer.
Concepts Plus' bid didn't even make it to the county board as an alternative. Its one-page bid, plus cover letter, was disqualified as unresponsive to the county's 15-page bid specification packet, said Jamel Anderson, 911 director.
Hedlund said his company failed to submit a couple of forms he needed to sign with the bid. Low bidders generally receive notice from the would-be purchaser to submit additional documents, Hedlund said.
"They don't automatically throw you in the trash," he said. "I could have saved them money and done it locally."
County employees reviewed Concepts Plus' bid and scored it lowest among candidates because it "complied with only a few of the many requirements" of bid specifications, according to county documents.
Desks that were chosen for the dispatch center have two levels with electronic height adjustment and come with ventilation fans, data ports and cable management systems. The desks need to hold six monitors and three keyboards, plus computers.
"This is not regular office furniture and it is never not being used," Anderson said.
Commissioners said 911 employees thoroughly researched desks and documented why Xybix was their unanimous choice. They also considered how much the county spent on their current desks.
The county last purchased new desks in the early 1980s and replaced those in 2003 with used desks they purchased online for $1.
"We certainly got our money's worth out of those and we'll get our money's worth out of these, too," county Administrator Dennis Aloia said.
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