As a result, a smaller staff is required to operate and maintain an interoperable system. To quantify this difference in the costs of ownership, managers will have to prepare estimates of staffing requirements for each type of system. Non-recurring costs typically cover replacing failed components, upgrading existing hardware or software and changing the system as a result of changes in a facility. The most significant non-recurring costs result from changes within facilities due to churn. As a result of these changes, building systems must change.
Proprietary systems tend to lock building owners into one vendor for expansions and upgrades.
With only one vendor qualified to perform the work, prices will not be competitive. Interoperable systems are not vendor dependent, so any qualified vendor can perform changes, increasing competition. Vendors qualified to work with interoperable systems can provide a cost for comparable changes to interoperable systems. In presenting the proposal, it is important to stress both the direct and indirect benefits interoperable systems can offer. Without this type of information, it will be difficult to justify anything beyond the lowest first-cost system.