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• FAQ's
• VersiTech Library

We have found that our customers have many similar questions about VersiTech and its solution set for higher education.   The Q & A format that follows is an attempt to centralize our responses in a step by step process for your convenience.

1.            What is the story behind the Company?

VersiTech was founded in 2003 as a subsidiary of FourthWave, LLC, a Fort Wayne, Indiana based holding company that develops and deploys software.   VersiTech provides products and services exclusively for colleges and universities.   The Company's focus is on campus security, with a fully integrated product line designed to help universities prepare for and manage emergency operations better than ever before.

2.            What are the products and services offered to higher education?

VersiTech currently offers four related lines:

•  Threat & Vulnerability Assessment for campus facilities
•  Call center capability for catastrophic events on campus
•  Emergency Operations Center planning and deployment
•  Command and Control software to respond to and manage emergencies on campus

3.            What makes VersiTech unique?

The Company will be owned, in part, by universities.   We will begin offering stock in VersiTech to select universities later this summer.   We believe that the comprehensive security needs of higher education's leading institutions would be best served if they had a stake in the technology solutions.   A second point of differentiation is that one of our affiliate companies, SentryPoints, provides similar solutions for local government.   This means that VersiTech's products will integrate with the first responders from the city who help the university manage a major emergency.   The U. S. Conference of Mayors recommends SentryPoints to its hundreds of members across the nation.  

4.            If a university is interested in VersiTech for its campus, where would it begin the process?

The first step is to schedule a meeting on campus with the units most affected by emergency operations and loss mitigation.   Usually, we meet with representatives from the President's office, risk management, finance and administration, planning and campus security.   At that time we work through a checklist to determine the present state of conditions compared to a desired state of readiness.

Often, the next step is to tailor a proposal back to the institution outlining measures that could comprise phase one of a long term plan.   Phase one usually contains recommendations for a Threat & Vulnerability Assessment for vital campus buildings and the establishment of the Call Center.   Except for the largest and most complex universities, these actions can be undertaken together for a few thousand dollars per month.

From start to finish, these two critical features can be completed in 30 days.

If the university desires to invest in VersiTech, we offer discounted pricing for all of our products and services.   A Private Placement memorandum will be available in June which describes the details of that opportunity.

5.            Could you describe a scenario where the VersiTech solutions would be called into action?

Yes, the best example might be an athletic event where thousands are gathered to watch a game.   VersiTech would have done an analysis of the facility to offer suggestions for improving the risk factors associated with high-population events.   In addition, the Company would provide training for ushers and others who would need to render assistance in an emergency and lead fans to safety.   Outside the venue, at a safe distance from the site, the university would have deployed a fixed or mobile Emergency Operations Center (EOC) filled with VersiTech's response management software.   This EOC would be linked to all campus security operations as well as local government to the extent they are on the scene.   Finally, if an emergency happened at the game involving loss of life and serious injuries to fans, the call center would be activated to handle calls from concerned family members of potential victims.

6.            How is a relatively new company able to offer such an array of complex services?   How can we be sure they are reliable?

The Company has worked hard to develop strategic partners in each area which are the best at what they do in the world.   For example, our partner in the Call Center is the company that set it up for the NCAA and Major League Baseball.   This call center was activated by the U.S.   Department of Justice on September 11, 2001 and handled the calls related to the Trade center and Pentagon.   VersiTech has the exclusive rights to use the Call Center for higher education world-wide.   A similar partnership, though with different entities, applies to each area of our Company.

The reliability is based on their performance in actual real-life environments.   Each of our partners has a sterling record of accomplishment in their area of expertise.   Our university customers will find that the products and services we have aggregated are proven, cost-effective and integrated solutions customized just for the higher education industry.  

7.            How are your products and services priced?

That depends.   Investors, as previously mentioned, will get favorable pricing across the board.   Traditional customers will receive pricing based on a number of factors, including:   size of campus, nature of athletic program and other vulnerable events, environment surrounding the campus (urban/rural), size and scope of internal security force, location and response capability of local governmental units, status of current preparedness planning and readiness exercises, training programs for staff and other traditional underwriting criteria.

A typical campus with a Division I sports program could expect to pay an annual fee, including installation, maintenance and upgrades in the range of $10 to $15 per FTE of faculty, staff and students, if all features are adopted.   Obviously, prices will vary with each situation.

8.            Why is this important now?   We have gotten along fine without you so far.

Things have changed since September 11, 2001.   Universities are high-profile targets for terrorism according to the FBI.   While universities have very solid security forces and disaster plans, they alone may not be enough to be fully prepared when a major emergency occurs.   An incident on campus involving loss of life and numerous injuries would require the best response available.   It would attract national and international media attention.   It could threaten the on-going operations of the institution.