D.A. Finds No Crime Done in Motorola Pact

The Orange County district attorney’s office has concluded there was no criminal wrongdoing involved in the contested selection process for an $80-million county law enforcement radio contract awarded to Motorola Communications and Electronics Inc.

Prosecutors began reviewing allegations by the Florida-based Harris Corp. in January that the selection process for the contract was rigged to favor communications giant Motorola.

Deputy Dist Atty. Randy J. Pawloski wrote Thursday in a letter to the county officials that the review found “no evidence of criminal activity to justify further inquiry by this office at this time.”

Harris Corp. officials could not be reached for comment Friday.

Randy Smith, a consultant to Motorola, said Friday he was happy to see what he described as “bogus charges” put to rest.

“I always felt it was just part of Harris’ last-minute outrageous attempt to grab back the contract,” Smith said. “It was not based on any facts.”

The radio contract, awarded to Motorola by the Board of Supervisors in January, is one of the biggest in county history and is designed to improve police radio communications countywide during emergencies.

In October, supervisors had tentatively awarded the contract to Harris, but county officials later decided that the company had failed to satisfy seven technical standards necessary for completion of the project.

The contract was then awarded to Motorola. Harris officials complained that the selection process had favored their competitor, alleging that county staffers had leaked confidential documents concerning their proposal to Motorola.

On Friday, R.A. (Burt) Scott, director of the general services agency, called the Harris claims of wrongdoing “groundless and irresponsible.” He said the district attorney’s decision was “exactly what we expected.”

“We’ll just continue to proceed as we were directed by the board,” he said.