Motorola Solutions acknowledges it proposed 700 MHz TETRA system for NYC transit before filing protest

In contrast, the 35-site system in the Parsons/PowerTrunk proposal “met or exceeded Transit’s requirements” from the initial round of proposals, the MTA staff summary states.

When MTA solicited “best and final offer” (BAFO) bids, the selection committee opted for the Parsons/PowerTrunk proposal for $202 million instead of the Motorola Solutions bid of $172 million.

“The [MTA selection committee] unanimously recommended Parsons for award, determining that its proposal offered the best overall value to NYC Transit based on the selection criteria,” the staff summary states. “Notwithstanding the lower BAFO price, Motorola’s BAFO proposal failed to rectify its technical deficiencies and, as a result, was not recommended for award by the [selection committee].”

The staff summary cites Parsons’ experience as a prime contractor and systems integrator on “projects of similar magnitude in the U.S., as well as PowerTrunk’s deployment of TETRA systems worldwide. One of the systems being implemented is a TETRA network for New Jersey Transit, but Motorola Solutions claims it is still not being used, even though it was completed in 2014

In addition, the New Jersey Transit system is deployed on 800 MHz spectrum and does not use the public-safety 700 MHz narrowband frequencies that Motorola Solutions officials contend cannot be used for TETRA, citing a 2012 FCC order.

“With respect to the 700 MHz narrowband spectrum, the Commission’s rules require that 700 MHz narrowband radios use Project 25 Phase I technology on the 700 MHz narrowband interoperability channels, and there is no indication in the record that TETRA equipment would conform to this standard,” the 2012 FCC order states. “In addition, we note that the petitioner did not request that TETRA operation be authorized in the 700 MHz band. Accordingly, we do not consider the 700 MHz narrowband spectrum to be a candidate for TETRA operation.”

When asked about the MTA procurement dispute, PowerTrunk declined to comment on the matter.

"It's not PowerTrunk's policy to comment publicly on its competitors' protests in the context of RFPs," PowerTrunk CEO Jose Martin said in an e-mail statement to IWCE's Urgent Communications.