Diebold on track with transportation projects

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.--With a New York subway project underway and "other exciting projects we hope to participate in" in the offing, Diebold Enterprise Security System has identified the transportation segment as an important enterprise market, said Tom LaBarbera, director of business development. "It's not a market that we've overlooked or ignored in the past, but it's a market where a lot of money is being spent, and that's why we're focusing more attention on it," LaBarbera explained. On Jan. 25, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board awarded Diebold an estimated $1,654,289.40 two-year contract to install 233 access and intrusion alarm systems in the New York subway system. According to the procurement contract, the city received nine bids; the others were from 2.4- to 88-percent higher than Diebold's bid. Simplex-Grinnell won a separate $2.7 million fire installation contract from MTA. The subway currently has a hodgepodge of security and fire systems, said Charlie Seaton, director of public affairs for the New York City Transit Authority. "This installation will allow us to standardize the fire and security systems across the subway system. It will also allow us to expand fire and security to some rooms that didn't previously have them," he said. The installations are underway. Seaton said no completion date has been set "at this point." LaBarbera said Diebold is actively pursuing similar projects. He noted that the Department of Homeland Security has set aside $1.4 billion for projects in high-risk areas. Many of these are mass transit or port projects. While most homeland security dispersments are based on "political jurisdiction and population," leaving the door open to pork-barrel projects, this $1.5 billion "is being awarded based solely on risk and need," LaBarbera said. In addition, the government has "moved away from a low-bid mentality. There's a trend toward prequalifying customers based on their ability and financials," and this is a trend Deibold likes. It means they're competing for projects against similar companies, with similar footprints and infrastructures, rather than "three guys in a van,", LaBarbera said.