Bell will provide the city with its cell phones and other wireless devices for the next three years.
Council, at its June 22 meeting, elected to go with Bell Mobility after the carrier scored the highest on a Request for Proposals that closed June 3.
While Bell was a more expensive choice at $153,836, it scored the highest with 84.28 points. Telus came in second at $157,168 and scored 80.75 while Rogers provided the lowest bid, at $148,320 but Clinton Crook, senior buyer for the city said Rogers didn’t fully meet the city’s criteria.
“Even though Rogers submitted a lower bid, their submission did not sufficiently meet the required technical considerations,” Crook said.
As a result, staff recommended council go with Bell.
Coun. Charlie Cornfield, before agreeing to a contract, wanted some clarification.
“Can you explain, in layman’s terms, what are our wireless devices? What does that include?” Cornfield asked.
Mayor Andy Adams was quick to chime in.
“I can text you on that,” he joked.
“That’d be fine, Your Worship, but I may not know how to answer,” Cornfield quipped.
Adams, in all seriousness, said that the wireless devices include city staff and councillor cell phones, tablets, and laptops.
Dave Morris, the city’s general manager of supplies and facilities, said it did not include Wi-Fi.
Shaw currently provides Shaw Go WiFi hotspots at City Hall and other city-owned facilities such as the Sportsplex and the Community Centre.
Coun. Larry Samson asked whether Shaw responded with a bid.
Morris said Shaw did not respond, only Bell, Telus and Rogers.
The three bidders were evaluated and scored on product offering (20 per cent), customer services (25 per cent), support and implementation (25 per cent), presentation (10 per cent), and budget (20 per cent).
