The Communications Division has developed a “self-insured” style maintenance program so local agencies can meet their maintenance responsibilities in the most cost effective way. Each agency will pay a flat rate per year for their radios or dispatch consoles on the system. For radios, routine repairs are completed by technicians on staff and factory repairs will be covered by the maintenance pool. For consoles, BRICS will provide local support and maintenance will be contracted at a group rate from Motorola.
Using a maintenance pool will provide economies of scale not otherwise available to individual agencies. In-house repairs and reserves of parts and spare radios will save money. A flat, predictable maintenance cost will simplify budgeting for what would otherwise be an unknown cost.
Technicians and support staff at the Communications Division will be available for routine assistance during business hours and for emergencies after hours. Radios needing work or factory service can be swapped out for a spare on site, nearly eliminating downtime.
Once out of warranty, the typical cost for factory repair of an XTS-5000 portable radio is around $400. Considering an agency with twenty portables would pay just $500 a year in maintenance for all their radios, the power of a shared maintenance pool is evident.
The Maintenance Agreement:
The agreement was adopted by the Board of Butler County Commissioners in Resolution 10-09-1431. You may download the agreement in Portable Document Format (PDF) or Microsoft Word format (DOC).
BRICS Radio/Console Maintenance Agreement (.PDF)
BRICS Radio/Console Maintenance Agreement (.DOC)
Common Questions:
- What documents govern maintenance of BRICS subscriber and infrastructure equipment?
- How do I join the maintenance plan?
- What is the annual cost of the maintenance program for portable radios?
- What is the annual cost of the maintenance program for mobile (vehicle) radios and fixed control stations?
- Why is there a difference in cost between the portable and mobile radio?
- What is included in the maintenance plan for portable, mobile and control station radios?
- What are the conditions and limitations of the maintenance plan?
- What is the annual cost of the maintenance program for dispatch consoles?
- How is the cost per console derived?
- What is included in the console maintenance plan?
- Where do I bring my covered equipment for maintenance or repair?
- Is this maintenance program an insurance agreement?
- Can my radio be temporarily replaced during service?
- What if I break or lose my temporary replacement radio?
- What will a repair cost that is not covered by the maintenance plan?
- How much will I be charged for replacement parts and accessories?
- What is the labor rate for non-covered repairs and other services like engraving or template creation?
- Why is BRICS invoicing agencies for radio maintenance in 2010?
The Answers
- What documents govern maintenance of BRICS subscriber and infrastructure equipment?
The Participation Agreement between the Board of Butler County Commissioners and each political subdivision specifies the responsibilities of both parties in maintaining and insuring BRICS equipment.
BRICS Policy 2.02, titled “Maintenance Policy for Subscriber and Console Equipment”, establishes requirements for maintenance based on the participation agreements. It also recommends that political subdivisions take part in the county’s flat-rate maintenance program for subscriber equipment. It can be found on our Policies page.
If the political subdivision decides to utilize the flat fee annual maintenance and repair program offered by the Butler County Sheriff’s Office Communications Division, because of the cost savings which can be achieved over commercial repair facility costs, the Maintenance Agreement specifies what will be covered and provided as part of that plan.
- How do I join the maintenance plan?
Use the ‘Contact Us’ link at the top of this page to reach our office. Once we receive your request, we will compile a draft of the “Covered Equipment List” for your agency. This will include all radios in your possession – both county and locally owned.
You will need to review and sign off indicating that you wish to cover the radios listed. We will provide you an invoice based on the covered equipment list. Once paid, BRICS will provide you a signed maintenance agreement indicating that we will provide maintenance for radios on the covered equipment list.
- What is the annual cost of the maintenance program for portable radios?
The cost is $25 per radio per year.
- What is the annual cost of the maintenance program for mobile (vehicle) radios and fixed control stations?
The cost is $50 per radio per year.*
This rate includes the travel time for a BRICS technician to reach the Contracting Party’s facility and up to one hour of on-site evaluation and covered repairs. Covered repairs that extend beyond one hour on-site, due to complexity of installation or other factors, may incur a labor charge at the standard labor rate for the time exceeding one hour.
*This rate is effective in 2011. Invoices for 2010 will reflect $25 for these radios because, at the time, we did not realize the cost and time that would be involved in servicing these radios compared to portables.
- Why is there a difference in cost between the portable and mobile radio?
Portable radios must be dropped off at the BRICS office for repair. The mobile radio maintenance charge reflects the added burden of an on-site service call by BRICS staff instead of bringing the unit to the BRICS office for maintenance or service, as well as the potential removal and re-installation of the mobile radio. This rate includes the travel time for a BRICS technician to reach the Contracting Party’s facility and up to one hour of on-site evaluation and covered repairs. Covered repairs that extend beyond one hour on-site, due to complexity of installation or other factors, may incur a labor charge at the standard labor rate for the time exceeding one hour.
- What is included in the maintenance plan for portable, mobile and control station radios?
The maintenance plan considers anything that would be a “warranty” repair to be covered, regardless of the warranty status of the radio. This includes defects to the radio or other situations where the radio stops functioning appropriately.
Repairs that can be completed by BRICS technicians will be done on site, to allow the radio to be placed back in service quickly. Covered repairs that require Motorola factory depot service will be shipped back by BRICS. For radios with a lapsed manufacturer warranty, the depot charge (typically ~$400) will be covered by the maintenance pool fund.
- What are the conditions and limitations of the maintenance plan?
You should read the full maintenance agreement for a complete answer to this question.
In summary, the maintenance plan does not cover:
– irreparable radios, including but not limited to a radio that (i) has been submerged in water; dropped from sufficient height to damage the unit or its case or disable it; or (ii) has been subjected to extreme physical conditions, such as being crushed by being run over, being left outdoors in extreme conditions, or being damaged by fire, or (iii) has been damaged by spilling of coffee or other food or drink.
– radios that have been intentionally, recklessly, or negligently abused or damaged, or which has been damaged in a botched repair effort by someone other than BRICS.
– batteries or battery chargers nor repair or replacement of other parts which attach to the radio unit (known hereafter as an “accessory”), including but not limited to remote speaker and public safety microphones, RF adapters and belt clips (however, malfunctioning antennas may be repaired or replaced so long as the cause of the malfunction is not physical damage to the antenna)
– a radio that has been damaged by the improper use of an authorized accessory, or by the use of an unauthorized accessory
- What is the annual cost of the maintenance program for dispatch consoles?
The annual cost is $4,545 per console.
The console maintenance charge has been provided as the individual console cost under Motorola’s proprietarily priced System Infrastructure Maintenance Agreement. The Contracting Party will pay this cost as a recoupment of the cost paid by the county for console maintenance but, in addition to the coverage provided by Motorola, the Contracting Party will receive local support from BRICS technicians. BRICS will act as the intermediary between the Contracting Party and Motorola as needed, to simplify a political subdivision’s process for requesting service.
- How is the cost per console derived?
Butler County has entered into a maintenance contract with Motorola that covers all radio consoles at all nine dispatch centers, greatly reducing the cost per console due to economy of scale. The cost per console is the proportional piece of the overall console maintenance. The cost is a recoupment from each political subdivision to the county for the Motorola maintenance. It also includes service and support from BRICS staff at no additional charge.
- What is included in the console maintenance plan?
When the dispatch center has a console problem, they will contact the BRICS office. BRICS technicians will often respond to the site or provide technical assistance and troubleshooting via phone. BRICS will act as the intermediary with Motorola and their service providers to simplify the support process for the political subdivision.
The console coverage includes all console failures and equipment problems. It excludes cases of abuse, misuse and negligent damage or other cases where insurance is more appropriate.
- Where do I bring my covered equipment for maintenance or repair?
Portable radio equipment needing maintenance or repair should be brought to the BRICS office. See the ‘Contact Us’ link at the top of the page for directions.
Mobile and control stations can be brought to the BRICS office or repaired on site.
- Is this maintenance program an insurance agreement?
No, the Maintenance Agreement between Butler County and the Contracting Party (you) is not an insurance agreement. Each political subdivision is responsible for ensuring their equipment in accordance with the Participation Agreement. Furthermore, the Board and the Contracting Party acknowledge and agree that Covered Equipment will not last forever and will, at some point, reach a condition where it can no longer be economically repaired or maintained or supported by the spare parts market.
- Can my radio be temporarily replaced during service?
Yes, for any equipment covered by the maintenance agreement, we will use our best efforts to provide you with a programmed temporary substitute radio of the same or similar kind while your radio is being serviced at no additional cost (if one is available).
A substitute radio will not be provided to replace covered equipment found to be in an irreparable state or which is is not eligible for repair for any other reason in the maintenance agreement.
- What if I break or lose my temporary replacement radio?
According to the maintenance agreement: “If a temporary substitute radio is provided, it shall not be treated as if it were included on the Contracting Party’s Covered Equipment List (meaning the temporary substitute radio is not itself covered by this Agreement in the event of casualty or damage to it while it is in the Contracting Party’s possession and a Contracting Party can be asked to pay the cost of repair of a temporary substitute radio damaged while entrusted to a Contracting Party’s possession), so it is to each Contracting Party’s advantage to see that temporary substitute radios are promptly returned and properly cared for.”
- What will a repair cost that is not covered by the maintenance plan?
A non-covered repair will include: (1) the cost of any part or accessory, at the same price it was purchased by BRICS, and (2) the labor charge, based on the time it took to evaluate the equipment and complete the repair. A quote or “not to exceed” amount can be established before the repair or service.
- How much will I be charged for replacement parts and accessories?
BRICS will purchase and stock a variety of parts and accessories for both covered and non-covered repairs so that radios can be turned around more quickly and put back in service. Your agency will be billed for parts and accessories at the same rate as they were purchased by BRICS. This will typically allow you to purchase these items at a reduced rate compared to typical market prices, due to volume discounting.
- What is the labor rate for non-covered repairs and other services like engraving or template creation?
The BRICS labor rate is $80 per hour; far below commercial technical labor rates. It accounts for the time of the technician as well as the tools, equipment and training required to perform the task.
The technical labor rate will be used for all non-covered repairs and service. This also includes such functions as engraving, radio programming and template creation / modification. It will be billed at a minimum of, and in increments of, one quarter hour.
BRICS will be able to provide you a quote or “not to exceed” amount before the non-covered repair or service is completed.
- Why is BRICS invoicing agencies for radio maintenance in 2010?
Why start collecting for radios in 2010? While the new radios will be under warranty, not all repairs are covered. The system will also be coming online with hundreds of radios from the Oxford and West Chester systems that will be refurbished and redeployed for purposes like emergency caches. Collecting in 2010 will allow us to cover existing radios, stock spare parts, and build the fund for uncovered repairs. Collecting in 2011 will cover repairs for when the warranties expire in 2012.
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