BID SPECIFICATIONS WERE ISSUED FOR A SYSTEM WHICH WOULD INCLUDE A TURNKEY COMPUTER FACILITY, 50 MOBILE DIGIT TERMINALS WITH RADIO RECEIVERS, AND MODIFICATION TO ABOUT 900 EXISTING RADIOS FOR USE IN THE NEW SYSTEM. NONE OF THE FIVE BIDS WHICH WERE RECEIVED WAS ENTIRELY RESPONSIVE TO THE ORIGINAL BID SPECIFICATIONS, AND THE BIDS VARIED WIDELY IN PRICE, COMPUTER SIZE, AND OTHER IMPORTANT PARAMETERS. THE REASONS FOR THESE PROBLEMS WERE THAT THE BID SPECIFICATION DID NOT CONTAIN THROUGHPUT SPECIFICATIONS, BUT ONLY FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATIONS. THE SPECIFICATION OF THE MOBILE DIGITAL TERMINAL WAS SO PRECISE THAT NO EXISTING TERMINAL ACTUALLY MET THE REQUIREMENTS, AND SUCH MINUTE DETAILS WERE SPECIFIED FOR THE TYPE OF MEMORY TO BE USED THAT BIDDERS WERE LIMITED TO ONLY ONE TYPE OF DISPLAY. FURTHERMORE, AN ANALYSIS SHOWING THE EXPECTED LIFETIME COSTS OF THE SYSTEM AND ESTIMATES OF STAFF AND RESPONSE TIME REDUCTIONS OR EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS WERE NOT INCLUDED. OTHER CRITICISMS WERE THAT A FULL SYSTEM RELIABILITY SPECIFICATION WAS NOT REQUIRED IN THE BID; SYSTEM AND SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION WHICH WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR MAINTENANCE BY THE DEPARTMENT RATHER THAN BY THE CONTRACTOR WERE NOT REQUIRED; AND THE NUMBER OF MOBILE DIGITAL TERMINALS TO BE PROCURED (50) WAS TOO LARGE TO REPRESENT A MINIMUM TEST, AND TOO SMALL TO FULLY EQUIP THE FLEET. A PROCUREMENT OF ABOUT 25 TERMINALS WITH A CONTRACT PROVISION ALLOWING THE PURCHASE OF UP TO 200 ADDITIONAL UNITS AT THE SAME PRICE OVER THE FOLLOWING 2 YEARS WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE APPROPRIATE. VENDOR SELECTION CRITERIA SHOULD HAVE BEEN FORMULATED AS FOLLOWS: THE WINNING BID WILL REPRESENT THE LOWEST 10-YEAR COST TO ACHIEVE THE FUNCTIONAL, PERFORMANCE, AND THROUGHPUT SPECIFICATIONS DESCRIBED. COSTS SHOULD INCLUDE THE ORIGINAL PROCUREMENT, EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE, AND ADDITIONAL PROCUREMENT OF MOBILE DIGITAL TERMINALS TO EQUIP THE FLEET (INCLUDING SPARES TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY NUMBER IN WORKING ORDER), BUT SHOULD NOT INCLUDE THE COSTS OF DISPATCHERS OR PROGRAM MAINTENANCE. VENDORS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY DATA TO MAKE THE EVALUATION. THE CONTRACT SHOULD HAVE TOUGH AND EXPLICIT CLAUSES CONCERNING SYSTEM FUNCTIONS, SYSTEM RELIABILITY, AND SYSTEM CAPACITY. THESE CLAUSES SHOULD BE ENFORCED THROUGH ACCEPTANCE TESTS BASED ON ACTUAL PERFORMANCE UNDER REAL OR SIMULATED LOADING IN THE DEPARTMENT. AT LEAST 15 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL CONTRACT PRICE SHOULD BE WITHHELD UNTIL ALL ACCEPTANCE TESTS HAVE BEEN SATISFACTORILY COMPLETED.