DES MOINES – Lawmakers sent state agency chiefs a clear signal they don’t want any interference in the purchase of $14 million in radios to achieve narrowband compliance with federal regulations for communications interoperability.

Sen. Matt McCoy

The legislators expressed concern over what Transportation, Infrastructure and Capitals Appropriations Subcommittee Matt McCoy called “shenanigans” in an earlier attempt to buy radios.

“That was a real mess,” the Des Moines Democrat said about the Department of Natural Resources’ request for proposal (RFP) for about 100 hand-held and 100 mobile radios last year.

DNR Conservation and Recreation Division Administrator Chuck Correll chalked up the incident to staff who were “overzealous in writing specs” for the purchase and an inadequate review of the process.

Later, he conceded there was a gap “between the intent and execution.”

Subcommittee members weren’t buying it.

“It’s a stretch to say it was an oversight,” McCoy said.

Sen. Bill Anderson, R-Pierson, was less forgiving.

“It doesn’t seem 100 percent above board,” he said after the subcommittee heard from Correll and representatives of the Departments of Public Safety, Transportation and Corrections.

They were updating lawmakers on a Federal Communications Commission mandate that state and local government radio users – police, fire, emergency services – meet a Jan. 1, 2013, deadline to “narrowband” their transmissions to double the broadcast frequencies available for the booming growth in mobile devices.

The DNR’s problem that arose when specifications for radios with narrowband capabilities were so narrowly crafted that vendors said they were brand-specific, Anderson said. For instance, he said, the specs specified the size of a radio button and the distance between buttons as well as the weight of a radio’s battery.

Sen. Bob Dvorsky. D-Coralville, suggested the RFP process raised ethical concerns.

“It gets scary when you write specs for one company,” he said. “Do you want the Legislature writing the specs?”

Correll denied there were any unethical about the process. Instead, he said, DNR employees who handle RFPs have been trained to be as specific as possible in writing specs “for a radio that would meet our needs best.”

After withdrawing the RFP, the department has issued a request for information. The DNR will soon issue a second RFP that Correll said would be “less specific, but result in purchase that meets our needs.” There will be another layer of review, too, he added.

However, if that same “overzealous” staff member is involved, Anderson said, “adding another level of bureaucracy won’t solve the problem.”

“I’m not satisfied. There’s still a chance this may not be the fairest process,” he said.

However Public safety Chief Larry Noble said lawmakers’ message had been received loud and clear.

“I can assure you this has my attention,” the former state senator said. The departments are working with an independent consultant to make sure the RFPs will be written in the “appropriate manner.”

If state agencies do not meet the Dec. 31 deadline, the fine is $5,000 a day, Noble said.