There are four exceptions listed in the bid response, but only three of them are actual exceptions.
EXCEPTION # 1
The bid specifies that all 911 dispatchers have one year of detailed experience.
iXP would like to hire dispatchers with less than one year of experience. iXP has "a successful and extensive training program which provides over 200 hours of training and certification."
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
When Salem County Officials put out the bid, they requested that our 911 center be staffed by individuals that had a MINIMUM one year of experience. iXP does not want to comply with that part of the contract.
iXP wants be able to use anyone who completes their training program. Their program consists of 200 training hours, which sounds good except - 200 training hours over 12 hour shifts mean that someone with no experience in the field could be answering your calls in just over 16 1/2 days. Let's not forget that a portion of that time is allotted for iXP trainees to take tests to become certified.
Salem County currently train new employees a bit differently. The County training program is extensive. Trainees must pass a classroom training program before setting foot in the dispatch center. Trainees must learn how both the fire/ems room operates as well as the police room, that's right - trainees must learn two different systems and procedures. All of this is done under the watchful eye of well trained dispatchers who have decades of combined experience both as volunteers in the emergency response community and their experience as 911 dispatchers, for MONTHS, not days. Even when trainees graduate to a part time status, their colleagues are paying attention, because they are dispatching calls from their neighbors and their friends are the emergency response professionals being sent to help. They are paying attention because they know, and care about, the people involved in the emergency situation.
Here is a scary fun fact - If iXP is awarded this contract the training at the Custard Stand lasts longer than the training for our 911 Dispatchers.
EXCEPTION #2
The County requires dispatchers to have background checks and drug screenings.
This is the "distraction exception."
iXP would like local law enforcement's opinion on new hires. This makes sense because iXP isn't from our community. They don't know us. If local law enforcement can red flag someone for iXP, it saves time and money for iXP, and it is all under the guise of a better connection to local law enforcement.
EXCEPTION #3
The County requests that the contractor maintain and repair the County owned equipment. If the contractor believes the equipment is antiquated or beyond repair, through no fault of their own, they can request new equipment from the county.
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
iXP agrees, in part. Because as iXP states, they don't know what equipment we have, or our maintenance agreements They excluded all pricing for this piece of the bid.
That magic bid number of $2,398,487.50 actually has a little plus sign at the end of it, because iXP didn't answer all the questions.
This exception means THE BID AMOUNT IS ALREADY GUARANTEED TO GO UP.
Here is another fun fact: According to the contract, iXP tells the County Administrator, or their designee, if they feel our equipment is antiquated and/or beyond repair. The County Administrator then cuts a check for new equipment or repair, which if I read it right, sounds like iXP would be doing the repairs. There are no checks and balances to fact check the vendor request. What happens if iXP claims all of our equipment is antiquated? According to the contract the County writes a check!
THIS COST IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BID.
But wait, it gets better! "iXP proposes to discuss IT support and additional funding that would be used for the upkeep, repair, and maintenance of all County owned equipment located in the Communications Center at a later date."
EXCEPTION #4
The County outlines personnel requirements including maintaining 9 personnel for each of the 4 - 12 hour shifts, plus additional employees to cover time off.
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
iXP doesn't want to staff that many people at the 911 Dispatch Center. iXP prefers 6 employees per shift. That's 1/3 less people answering your calls. iXP proposes a power shift of 3 people to come in during "peak call times" to help handle calls. iXP claims that they have analyzed our call volumes, which is quite convenient because they want to staff less people, which cuts the cost of their bid. It's interesting that they choose to analyze this aspect of the bid that saves iXP money, but didn't take the time to look at our equipment and technology which will be an additional cost to the county even though that is a question, and cost, that should have been answered and included in the bid. (Exception #3).
Did iXP take into consideration the fact that we have highly trained and experienced personnel currently handling the calls? Is it unreasonable to anticipate that the time it takes to handle calls may increase with inexperienced personnel who only have 200 hours of training?
Emergency situations aren't scheduled and iXP would not be required to only hire Salem County residents. How far will their employees have to travel from if they need more people to handle an unusual event? How many lives will be compromised, or lost, during those minutes?
A very important sentence of Exception #4 - "All normal overtime is included in the iXP fixed price except for those unique circumstances caused by manmade or natural events when unique staffing is required."
THIS IS THE EMERGENCY CALL CENTER.
Who actually determines when a manmade or natural event requires unique staffing? Are there any checks and balances to protect the County? Could the large crowds at the Salem County Fair be a manmade situation that requires unique staffing? We simply don't know and we don't have any control, or rights according to the contract, to question. What else wasn't included in the quoted price? Were our annual drills for the nuclear plant included? How about safety drills like the one they held at the college a few months ago? What happens when staff are needed for the mobile unit?
What is the actual cost of this possible privatization?
iXP clearly states that ALL COSTS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE BID and the contract language exposes our County to unpredictable costs with little room for dispute and no cap. What happens if iXP and our current IT department don't agree? Lets not forget iXP is an IT and technology consultant for many of its contracts.
The potential contract with iXP will only cost the county what they quoted in the bid, for exactly what we asked for, EXCEPT they will provide less dispatchers to answer our calls, who are less qualified, less experienced, and who will probably be unfamiliar with our area. Oh, and they'd like us to doublecheck their staffing choices. Meanwhile, they have already told us that they plan to charge us more than the quoted amount - but they aren't sure exactly how much, because they didn't do their homework AND they're going to charge us more when they feel they may need additional staffing or equipment which, of course we don't have any control over.
Doesn't this sound like a terrific plan?