DOI Creates Contract to Make P25-Compliant Radios More Affordable
to Federal Buyers
BELLEVUE, WA – P25 interoperability two-way radios are expensive, but
required by law. The DOI has created a contract so Federal Government Workers
can now purchase approved trunked and/or conventional P25 interoperability
radios at a significant volume discount. The U.S. General Services
Administration has named Icom America as a P25-compliant radio equipment
contractor under a blanket purchase agreement (BPA).
The total estimated value of the BPA is $381 million.
“The BPA is really important for government purchasers because it gives them
confidence that their choice has been pre-tested before the sale and will meet
the P25 requirements,” said Jim Smith, Government Sales Manager, Icom America.
The BPA does not specify purchase dates or quantities of equipment from any
particular supplier but rather provides the buyer a choice of all pre-approved
P25 manufacturers. Icom America Inc is one of those manufacturers.
The BPAs established under the GSA Schedules Program increase a customer's
buying power by taking advantage of the total aggregated volume of radios
purchased. A GSA Schedule BPA is not re-negotiated with each buy, which
eliminates contracting and administrative costs.
Government end users that will benefit from the BPA include the National Park
Service, the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fire Service, the Bureau of Reclamation,
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey and Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Icom America's parent company, Icom Inc., was founded in Osaka Japan. Icom is a
publicly held Japanese corporation; its stock is traded on the Tokyo and Osaka
Stock Exchange. Icom began as an engineering and manufacturing company, making
advanced, compact solid-state radio equipment for use by amateur radio
enthusiasts. Icom has since grown to become an industry leader in Public Safety
and P25 radios, with a product line that includes other state-of-the-art digital
communications equipment for land and marine use as well as avionics. Icom
America's headquarters are in Bellevue, Washington. www.icomamerica.com
Print-ready P25 logo art and photos of Icom P25 interoperability radios are
available for immediate downloading from www.icomamerica.com/downloads.
|