Big Horn County commissioners approve Everbridge emergency-notification contract with $6,250 first-year fee

The Big Horn County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously Jan. 2 to replace the county’s Code Red emergency-notification system with Everbridge Community Engagement and approved a quoted Year One fee of USD 6,250.

Commissioner Larry Vandersloot moved to approve the contract; Commissioner George Real Bird III seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The vote was recorded during the board’s Jan. 2, 2026 meeting in Hardin.

The quoted materials included by the county show a Year One fee of USD 6,250, no one-time implementation charge, and a calculated set-up fee reference. The Everbridge documentation attached to the record describes features the county will receive, including unlimited email and app push notifications, social-media posting, IPAWS integration for authorized users, and a range of messaging channels (SMS, voice, fax, TTY). The quote and inclusion sheets note that certain channels (for example SMS and voice) are counted against annual "message credits" and that exceeding the credit allotment may trigger additional charges.

The Everbridge materials in the record also state that integration with the FEMA IPAWS-OPEN system requires the county to provide digital-certificate credentials and an IPAWS Memorandum of Agreement; the vendor notes that distribution via IPAWS and downstream systems cannot be guaranteed and that the client is responsible for message content and credentials.

The contract documents indicate billing will begin Jan. 1, 2026. The quote lists payment terms (Net 30) and identifies a salesperson and Everbridge's Master Services Agreement URL. The board did not record additional implementation steps or a timeline in the meeting minutes beyond approving the contract and enacting the motion.

The board adjourned after the item; next steps for signature or purchase-order issuance are not specified in the minutes.