Westchester Arc is the largest agency in New York’s Westchester County supporting children, teens and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
A major construction project forced the need to upgrade telecommunications throughout the Westchester Arc organization. In seeking proposals for a new phone system, the Arc prioritized improving connectivity between all locations and replacing outdated systems.
THE CHALLENGE
The main goal was to purchase an affordable system that met current and future needs. Evaluating the combination of phones, features, software packages, maintenance and compatibility of systems between all locations was complicated. Each vendor’s proposal was engineered and priced differently, making them difficult to compare.
Westchester Arc sought an independent consulting firm to help evaluate its choices. Cost Control Associates had reviewed the Arc’s telecom and energy bills, so the two organizations were well-acquainted.
“It has been reassuring to know we have objective, responsive and highly technical expertise to navigate the complexities of data and telecom innovations.”
THE SOLUTION
Cost Control Associates provided a comprehensive analysis of the three vendors and their proposals. They:
- Prepared a detailed breakdown of each element of the proposed systems
- Compared the Arc’s requirements with each system’s feature/function design and capability
- Met with each vendor to analyze system designs, options and costs
- Requested new system designs and pricing to establish an “apples-to-apples” comparison
- Ensured follow-up and timely reporting to verify the completion of the changes
- Delivered a comprehensive final evaluation with recommendations for the best solution to meet the Arc’s needs.
Cost Control demystified the process of choosing the best system, saving the Arc more than $30,000 per year in total network and system costs. Westchester Arc was happy to get a reliable phone system that will serve them for years to come.
“Cost Control Associates is a valued business partner.”
Valerie Paquin is manager of energy services at Cost Control Associates. Since 1999 she has developed her utility-cost expertise for energy, water/sewer, telecom and waste removal. She earned the designation of project executive in 2012. Valerie received her ABA in accounting from State University of New York-Adirondack. Learn more.