August 2004 Industry News

Vertex Standard USA, a manufacturer of commercial two-way radio communications products, has been awarded a General Services Administration contract to supply radio equipment—including mobiles, portables, base stations, repeaters and associated accessories—to U.S. federal, state and local government agencies. The long-term agreement (which runs through February 2009 with three optional renewable five-year terms) gives government buyers the ability to procure Vertex Standard land mobile radio (LMR) products without having to go through a competitive tendering process. Contract particulars are available at www.gsaadvantage.gov. “The GSA contract is an important step in our company’s ongoing growth,” Jim Driscoll, government sales manager for Vertex’s Land Mobile Radio Division, said. “This award opens the doors to all U.S. government buyers to access Vertex Standard equipment.” Headquartered in Cypress, CA, Vertex Standard’s Land Mobile Division has manufactured and distributed land mobile radio products, repeaters and accessories for more than 40 years…Zoll Data Systems (formerly Pinpoint Technologies) announced in June that it had reached an agreement with EMS Technical Services, LLC (EMSTS) by which it would assume responsibility for EMSTS’s RWI Systems customers. Since 2001, Muskegon, MI-based EMS Technical Services has offered the RWI Computer Aided Dispatch (R-CAD) System and the AMS Billing System, software solutions designed to meet the data-management needs of the medical transportation industry. However, EMSTS recently decided to concentrate on the growing need for connectivity within the emergency care industry, and thus sought to transfer its billing and dispatch commitments. “The selection of Zoll Data Systems was based on their ability to deliver excellent support and maintenance of our RWI Systems customers’ systems while providing an upgrade path to the full suite of [its] RescueNet solutions,” EMSTS CEO Rob George said of the deal. EMSTS support staff will be employed by Zoll Data Systems and remain the primary contact for all current RWI users during the transition period. Zoll Data Systems, based in Boulder, CO, develops, markets and sells RescueNet computer-aided dispatch, billing, field data collection and mobile data software for the EMS market…Zoll Data Systems has also announced new partnerships with ET&T, Gateway EDI, NHS Billing and Zirmed to provide customers with additional EDI service and support options, in addition to existing provider WebMD. Each of these new clearinghouse partners has been recognized for outstanding service and support, and Zoll Data Systems believes they can provide effective alternative EDI solutions for customers needing them. “Zoll Data Systems wanted to offer its customers a wide variety of service and support options for their EDI clearinghouse needs, a key element in data management for many of our clients,” company President Vane Clayton said of the agreements. Customers wishing to submit claims through one of these new clearinghouses should contact their regional Zoll Data Systems sales representative for information on purchasing the corresponding electronic claim module…Akron Brass Company, a worldwide marketer and manufacturer of high-performance firefighting and rescue equipment, has appointed Tim Hutchens its director of municipal sales. Hutchens has spent the last 16 years with a leading EMS manufacturer, specializing in sales and distribution management. He will oversee all of Akron Brass’ U.S. district managers. A Premier Farnell company, Akron Brass, founded in 1918, is ISO 9001:2000-registered.