Money Talks: $13.1 Million Released in SLIGP Grants to Five States

Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, New York, and Ohio have been awarded $13.1 million in grants through the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for FirstNet. 

All 56 states and territories will be receiving with funding, with a 20% matching requirement, for the planning and building of the nationwide Public Safety Broadband network (NPSBN).

Monies will be released in two phases: the first intended to help states establish governance, consult with FirstNet, engage all relevant stakeholders in education and outreach, as well as identify potential users of the NPSBN; and the second will focus on collecting data requested by FirstNet in preparation for the network buildout, as well as continuing to perform activities undertaken during the first phase of funding. Whether they opt in or opt out, states will not be permitted to use the funding for "activities related to site preparation, broadband deployment, installation, construction, lobbying costs, contingency fees, or the acquisition of equipment used to provide wireless broadband services," according to NTIA.

NTIA is making awards on a rolling basis, and the award amounts are as follows: $2.5 million in Colorado, $1.4 million in Connecticut, $724,613 in Delaware, $4.86 million in New York, and $3.6 million in Ohio. 

Wordcloud by Tagxedo

FirstNet has been embroiled in controversy these past months, even before Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald's shocking allegations at the April 23rd board meeting, wherein he aired concerns of lack of transparency and Public Safety input, among other issues.  His motion and statement spurred an (internal) Special Review Committee, which is responsible for addressing his concerns, but is still out conducting the investigation (of its own practices).  Many were disatisfied with this remedy and posed that an objective, independent review committee would have been more appropriate, however it is a step in the right direction.  Meanwhile, NTIA and FirstNet have continued on with their assuaging outreach message, but no actions have been taken to visibly include the Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC), or to address the concerns over transparency.

“The input of states, tribes, and local governments will be critical as FirstNet develops its plans for this historic network,” said Lawrence E. Strickling, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Information and Communications and NTIA Administrator. “NTIA’s State and Local Implementation Grant Program will give states the resources they need to consult with FirstNet on deployment of a nationwide public safety broadband network.”

Still have some questions about FirstNet funding?  EMR created a visual interpretation for you of where the money will come from and where it's going according to the law, here.  Please note the $135 million that was promised has been reduced to $121.5 million, and may further be reduced due to sequestration.

Contact EMR Consulting today to find out how we work to keep politics out of the equation, and how we can assist your Public Safety agency, or your state, in preparing for FirstNet.

Free Money: SLIGP grants are coming!

The State and Local Implementation Grant Program is facing a July 15th deadline to award the $121.5 million promised in grant money set aside for all 56 states and territories to implement the First Responder Network Authority's nationwide Public Safety Broaband network (NPSBN). 

Each state will be notified in writing with a Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification of their award amount and the requirements the grant money carries, as well as any Special Award Conditions.  Each state is required to designate a "coordinator of implementation of grant funds," who must, by law, involve local governments in the build-out of the NPSBN. 

SLIGP funding will be issued in two separate phases:  the first to establish a governance structure with a single point of contact for FirstNet, and the second phase will focus on gathering information to enable the state to effective collaborate with FirstNet.  The funding is also intended to help states develop procedures to ensure local and tribal representation, conduct education and outreach for stakeholders, identify potential public safety users, develop a standard memorandum of agreement for the sharing of infrastructure, and prepare a comprehensive plan as part of the Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP), to describe the public safety needs for FirstNet to address. 

FirstNet Addresses BTOP and Other Issues, Holds Press Conference

 The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Board created by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-96) held its third meeting today in Boulder, CO, in which it passed resolutions on reporting to congress, BTOP Projects, delegated hiring authority, and other procedures.  Information was also provided on outreach efforts and the State and Local Implementation Grant Program (SLIGP).

FirstNet is required to report to Congress on the anniversary of Public Law 112-96.  The first report, authorized under Resolution 17, included FirstNet activities, as well as actions taken by the Department of Commerce and NTIA, including those prior to the appointment of the FirstNet Board in August 2012.  The Technical Advisory Board, State and Local Implementation Grant Program, recruitment of the FirstNet Board, general outreach and education, and partial suspensions of BTOP Public Safety projects are discussed.  Furthermore, the operations of the FirstNet Board including resolutions, presentations, and NOI are detailed therein.

Board member Sue Swenson will negotiate Public Safety BTOP recipient spectrum lease agreements, as authorized under Resolution 18.  FirstNet's preliminary conclusion is that these recipients' projects could provide "substantial benefits to the development of the nationwide, interoperable public safety broadband network."  These agencies must seek the NTIA's approval to lift the partial suspension of their BTOP funding.

Resolutions 18 and 19 authorized FirstNet's Acting General Manager Craig Farril and Acting User Advocacy Officer Jeff Johnson to hire no more than ten employees on a term and/or permanent basis before the next scheduled Board meeting, and set up procedures for obtaining unanimous written consent to conduct business in between scheduled Board meetings.

In response to the many complaints about a lack of outreach and communication with the Public Safety community, Johnson made a presentation on current and future Stakeholder Outreach efforts.  Upcoming outreach efforts include meetings, speaking engagements, a "listening tour," and additional tools targeting BTOP recipients first, followed by the PSAC members, State and Regional Working Groups, key professional associations, and potential early "opt-in" users.  A press conference held after the meeting was also an indication that the Board members are making an effort to appease the Public Safety community's desire to provide valuable input and hear back on ongoing actions.  Johnson's stance was that up until this point, the information was not available to share, and that the User Advocacy vein of FirstNet had to first be put into place before any feedback could be gathered.  Meetings with Board members are still difficult to set up, but it is the hope of Public Safety that this will change going forward.

Stephen Fletcher's presentation on State and Local Implementation Grant Program reiterated specifications set out by Congress and provided a timeline for the grant program.  Part of this funding was provided to set up each state's single point of contract for FirstNet.  Although each state must apply for its own grant, states would do well to pool resources with regard to the NPSBN, particularly in regions with states that have interests in common.  The Mid-Atlantic Consortium for Interoperable Nationwide Advanced Communications (MACINAC) includes Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia, all of which are concerned with more densely populated geographies.  Coastal, Plains, Midwest, and Southern states should be looking at MACINAC as a great model for resource-sharing partnerships and consortiums.

For more information visit the meeting documents page on the NTIA's website. 

NTIA Gives Public Safety $121.5 Million in State and Local Implementation Grants

The NTIA announced the availability of $121.5 million in grants to assist with FirstNet planning yesterday.  The State and Local Implementation Grant Program (SLIGP) will provide funds for all 56 states and territories to support planning, consultation, education, outreach activities, and gathering of information on infrastructure and equipment to be used for the FirstNet Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN).  States and territories will collaborate with regional, tribal, and local jurisdictions through planning activities. 

The amount made available is $13.5 million less than the $135 million promised at the APCO conference last year, which was based on the maximum amount authorized under Public Law 112-96 (Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012). Funds will be distributed evenly in two phases.  The first will establish a governance structure with a single point of contact for FirstNet, as well as identify potential users and conducting outreach activities.  The second phase will focus on gathering information to enable the state to effectively collaborate with FirstNet.  States receiving grants must complete certain planning requirements within the three year period of performance.  These requirements, described in the Frequently Asked Questions page for the grant program on the NTIA's website include:

1. Establishing a governance structure to consult with FirstNet.
2. Developing procedures to ensure local and tribal representation.
3. Conducting education and outreach for relevant stakeholders that will be involved in the NPSBN.
4. Identifying potential public safety users for the NPSBN.
5. Developing a standard Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the grantee state to facilitate the sharing of infrastructure with FirstNet.
6. Developing staffing plans to involve local and tribal stakeholders in future data collection in consultation with FirstNet.
7. Preparing a comprehensive plan as part of the Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP), or a similar, complementary plan which describes the public safety needs for FirstNet to address, as well as relevant milestones. 

Grant applications are available on Grants.gov and the NTIA's website.  The deadline is March 19, 2013, and the NTIA expects to award the grants by July 15, 2013.