Customer Profile

The What If Challenge

On our nation’s military installations, the rapid delivery of information is critical for day-to-day operations. In times of emergency, this especially rings true, as military personnel need to be able to respond swiftly whether the threat is a natural emergency, a crisis at a fixed facility, an act of terrorism, or a catastrophic event.

The system this Military Agency Customer used to disseminate such warnings and other outdoor alerts was a Giant Voice (GV) System. However, this public-address infrastructure was outdated and aging poorly. The customer knew it would soon require an upgrade to maintain compliance with the requirements of the Emergency Mass Notification System (EMNS).

Understanding the scope of the project, the Military Agency Customer realized they needed a company with specific capabilities and an established partner network to help complete the work. “What if,” they asked themselves, “we had a partner who could handle all aspects of the project? What if we can find a neutral, consultative approach so that we’re sure to get the best solution for our needs?”

A Transformational Solution

Familiar with Sterling, the Military Agency Customer reached out to inquire about our capabilities. As a fifteen-week project, the work would prove a vast undertaking, and they wanted to know if Sterling could handle the removal of existing infrastructure and the implementation of a brand-new system. Pointing to prior successes, we assured them that we could.

Sterling’s sales rep for the opportunity called upon our expert Services team to assist, and together they hosted a discovery call with the Military Agency Customer. During the call, our team gained a thorough understanding of the customer’s mission and what the agency hoped to accomplish with the project. They developed an initial plan and then set out to conduct holistic market research, evaluating which of our many partners would be best suited to meet the customer’s needs.

With a detailed Market Research SOW in hand, our team members presented their recommendations to the customer, who then took those recommendations to the agency’s leadership and explored budgetary pricing. From there, the project evolved even further: our teams provided revisions to the proposal, conducted additional research, and fine-tuned the solution until all requirements were met.

Once they were, Sterling’s team members began work on replacing the existing PA infrastructure. We installed six new steel poles and GV Omni directional speaker clusters, which integrate seamlessly with the current infrastructure and comply with AFI 10-206 Operational Reporting for EMNS (among others). This new PA system gives the base complete coverage—ensuring that, in times of crisis, every serviceman and servicewoman will be informed and prepared to respond.

What If…Resolved

Because of Sterling’s assistance, the Military Agency Customer was able to rest easy in the solution they received. Their first-response alert system is now modernized and compliant, and throughout the project’s fifteen-week duration, they had the support they needed.

This opportunity allowed Sterling to demonstrate the range of our capabilities as well as our commitment to be a trusted advisor. For every mission or changing environment, we help turn What if into reality.