Sedgwick County approves $20.9 million Motorola radio system modernization to replace aging public-safety network

The Sedgwick County Board of Bids and Contracts voted to accept the NASPO ValuePoint Master Agreement No. 00318 with Motorola Solutions, Inc. in the amount of $20,915,967 to modernize the countywide public-safety radio system.

Joe Thomas, presenting on behalf of project services and purchasing, said the existing system is roughly 18 years old and that Motorola has identified November 2028 as the end of manufacturer support. "Given the complexity and implementation timeline associated with replacing a countywide public-safety radio system, replacement must begin well in advance of the end of support date to avoid unacceptable operational and financial risk," Thomas said. Elora Forshey, director of Emergency Communications, added that implementation is a multi‑phase undertaking and current estimates indicate the project may require approximately 389 days once underway.

Forshey said the county could leverage the Kansas statewide interoperable communication system and that joining that system included incentives the county could capture. She said the upfront purchase will be bond-funded, while ongoing maintenance will be funded from 9‑1‑1 tax funds, and that a contract must be signed by Sept. 18 to secure the cooperative pricing. "A contract has to be signed in September, but nothing will be built until 2027," Forshey said. The board approved the recommendation by roll-call vote.

Why it matters: county officials said a significant system failure after loss of vendor support could hinder coordination among first responders and field crews. The project is intended to increase reliability, resiliency, interoperability and cybersecurity for emergency communications across Sedgwick County and the region.

Next steps: staff will proceed to finalize the contract in order to meet the Sept. 18 signature deadline and begin implementation planning ahead of the 2027 build schedule.