Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Pennsylvania House of Representatives- Lewis, Browne Request Audit and Review Of Statewide Radio System Project

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2004 11:55:52 -0400

Lewis, Browne Request Audit and Review Of Statewide Radio System Project

Lewis, Browne Request Audit and Review Of Statewide Radio System
Project
Monday April 26, 2004
Original Price Tag of $179 million now exceeds $400 million

Two members of the House Finance Committee and House Judiciary
Committee, Reps. Rep. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh/Northampton) and Rep.
Kelly Lewis (R-Monroe and Pike), requested an audit and review of the
beleaguered statewide radio system project, which remains three years
behind schedule.

Browne said, "In 1996 the Commonwealth budgeted $179 million to fund
the statewide radio system project. In the spring of 1999, the
contracts for the statewide radio system were awarded and scheduled
to be installed, tested, and operational by April 2001. Cost overruns
and delays continue to plague the project and we believe a thorough
audit and review is reasonable and warranted."

Lewis added, "Today, we ask the administration, the auditor general
and the attorney general to audit and review the statewide radio
system project for good reason. Recent testimony at the House
Appropriations Committee indicated the total project costs now exceed
$400 million. To date, the project is over $220 million over-budget
and three years behind schedule. I'm very concerned that a project of
this size and importance has languished for so long and for so many
taxpayer dollars."

Four vendors were awarded components of the overall statewide radio
project. M/A Com received the largest portion of the contract, which
includes installation of the radio system using their OpenSky
technology.

Lewis and Browne, who are both lawyers and accountants, indicate the
complexity of the interdepartmental accounting, the implementation
delays in the radio system implementation and the rapid changes of
available technology warrant a thorough audit and review of this
situation.

Lewis continued, "I've heard and read from several public safety
leaders that the proposed statewide radio system won't work as
planned and will continue to experience cost-overruns, delays and
coverage shortfalls. Several experts question the use of 800 MHz
technology and its growing interference difficulties. While I have a
proven record of supporting and encouraging high technology
investments by local, county and state governments, I'm very
concerned that we aren't headed in the right direction with the
statewide radio system project."

Browne concluded, "Obviously, Pennsylvania public safety requires a
modern telecommunications system for law enforcement and related
agencies to communicate and I believe that was one of the main
reasons to commence the statewide radio system project. However, I
share concerns about the costs, delays and technology shortfalls. We
can't afford to squander an opportunity to get to the bottom of this
situation as soon as possible."

In September 2003, Rohn Industries, Inc., the company responsible for
constructing the 800 Mhz radio tower sites, filed for Chapter 11
bankruptcy protection. Recently, several industry reports are
questioning the effectiveness and interference blackouts of public
safety agency radio systems using 800 Mhz frequency radio systems.

Rep. Kelly Lewis
Rep. Pat Browne
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Contact: Todd Abele
ouse Republican Communications
(717) 787-3993
www.pahousegop.com

http://dist189.pa-leg.com/index.cfm?ContentID=184&ParentID=0&SectionID=4&SectionTree=4&lnk=b&ItemID=177

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