CAL FIRE AVL 2.0 is a mission-critical, model-driven portal purpose-built for a leading Fire & EMS mobile data solutions provider operating across California. The platform unifies every stage of the hardware lifecycle from assembly and quality testing through fleet installation and device activation giving distributed hardware teams, field technicians, and operations managers a single, real-time system of record.

Our Purpose

  • Bring the entire hardware lifecycle assembly, QA, activation, and fleet installation into one centralized portal
  • Eliminate disconnected spreadsheets and manual handoffs across the supply chain and field teams
  • Enforce structured, auditable QA testing for every hardware component before deployment
  • Prevent IP conflicts and misconfigurations across 1,500+ subnet assignments fleet-wide

How We Delivered

  • Built natively on Microsoft Power Apps (Model-Driven) with Dataverse as the structured data layer
  • Designed 16 purpose-built modules covering every stage from manufacturing to field installation
  • Automated cellular router and satellite terminal activation workflows with Power Automate RPA flows triggered via OneDrive
  • Deployed a BI dashboard for real-time operational reporting across all hardware modules

Game-Changing Features

  • 11-step digitally enforced plate test protocol with per-step pass/fail logging and full audit trail
  • Automated Cradlepoint R1900 and Orbcomm satellite activation via RPA, with zero manual re-entry
  • Subnet IP address registry linking 1,510+ MDT/MDM allocations to specific R1900 IMEI numbers
  • Vehicle installation and revisit tracking give field teams real-time status across the entire fleet

Values Achieved

  • Eliminated manual spreadsheet handoffs between assembly, QA, logistics, and field installation teams
  • Full component traceability from manufacture through vehicle installation supporting warranty claims and field diagnostics
  • Automated activation workflows for cellular and satellite hardware reduced processing time significantly
  • Network IP conflict risk eliminated through structured subnet-to-IMEI mapping across the fleet

From hardware assembly and QA testing to fleet installation and device activation, all in one portal

Fire & EMS agencies depend on mobile data systems to dispatch resources and coordinate with command without a single failure. Yet the hardware supply chain behind those systems was managed on disconnected spreadsheets, with no structured QA, no centralized activation tracking, and no fleet-level visibility into what was installed, tested, or activated. The goal was to build a Microsoft Power Apps model-driven portal that replaced every manual process from assembly bench to fire apparatus with a single, auditable, real-time system of record across 16 integrated modules.

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Overcoming the Challenge — Fragmented Data, No QA Standard, No Fleet Visibility

Stock levels, assembly status, and device serial numbers lived in disconnected spreadsheets. Cellular router and satellite terminal activations required manual extraction, vendor coordination, and error-prone re-import. Hardware testing lacked a structured checklist, making it impossible to audit quality or trace defects post-installation. Vehicle technicians had no unified system to log installations or flag revisit requirements. And with 1,500+ subnet IP assignments to maintain, network configuration errors were a constant risk.

👏🏽 Transformative Solution — 16-Module Hardware Lifecycle Portal

CAL FIRE AVL 2.0 was engineered as a complete hardware operations platform from packing slips and plate assembly to MDT manufacturing, satellite terminal activation, and fleet-level IP management. Built on Microsoft Power Apps with Power Automate RPA automation, the portal gave the entire team assemblers, QA technicians, field installers, and operations managers a single real-time view of every device at every stage. Every checklist step is logged, every serial number is traceable, and every activation is automated.

The Outcome

CAL FIRE AVL 2.0 eliminated manual hardware tracking chaos and delivered measurable impact across the entire supply chain and field operation. From zero IP conflicts to fully automated activations, the portal transformed how the client’s team assembles, tests, ships, and installs mission-critical communications hardware all through a single, scalable platform built for long-term reliability in public safety operations.

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OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

QA TRACEABILITY

FLEET VISIBILITY

NETWORK RELIABILITY

Tech Stack

Some technologies used for this project