FirstNet News
FirstNet announced today that it will extend the deadline for final proposals for the deployment of the nationwide public safety broadband network by two and a half weeks, from May 13 to May 31, 2016. The extension follows FirstNet’s review of multiple capability statements it received from potential offerors. FirstNet also released an additional clarifying amendment (Amendment 10) to the request for proposal (RFP). Additional information can be found on fbo.gov. To read the press release on FirstNet’s webpage, click: http://firstnet.gov/news/firstnet-extends-proposal-deadline-may-31.
User Advocacy finalized its preparations for the Spring 2016 state/territory single point of contact (SPOC) Meeting April 12-13 and PSAC Tribal Working Group (TWG) meeting April 14 in McLean, Virginia. The two primary goals of the Spring SPOC meeting will be to (1) provide clarity on the State plan development delivery process and expected timeline and (2) officially launch the Quality of Service, Priority and Preemption (QPP) Consultation Task Team (CTT). A number of other topics will be briefed and discussed over the two-day meeting. The TWG will meet on April 14 to set TWG priorities for the year ahead and receive feedback from delegates on improved functioning of the TWG. An email with the final agenda and logistical information for both meetings was distributed to registered attendees late last week.
SPOC 2016 Engagement Kick-Off Meetings continued last week in North Carolina. FirstNet has now completed meetings in 53 out of 56 states and territories. The State plan process continues to be a widely discussed topic at these meetings. This week, FirstNet will hold its SPOC Kick-Off Meeting with Louisiana at the Spring SPOC meeting in McLean, Virginia. Moving ahead, FirstNet will advance its 2016 Consultation baseline activities by participating in State governance body meetings and coordinating metropolitan area engagements to better prepare for executive consultation.
The Navajo Nation Telecommunication Regulatory Commission hosted FirstNet staff and state participants from Arizona and Utah last week for a tour of several Navajo communities and communications sites in Arizona and New Mexico, as well as a work session. The Commission meeting provided an opportunity to introduce the state SPOCs and the FirstNet team, as well as to discuss coverage objectives for the states in which the Navajo Nation lies, Navajo 9-1-1, teaming opportunities for tribal entities, the appointment of a Navajo delegate to the TWG, and planning for future engagements with the Navajo Nation. The overall event was a great opportunity to engage with one of the largest and most active tribes in the country.
Last week, FirstNet published four new entries on its blog: NIST, Partners Set Research Agenda for Protecting Firefighters from Harm, Tech Talk: Intro to FirstNet’s Device Approval Process, One Smartphone or Seven Radios: Insights From a Visit to the Seneca Nation and Tech Talk: Updated Vehicular Network System Vision. All blog posts can also be accessed through the FirstNet blog landing page at: http://firstnet.gov/newsroom/blog.
In addition to the aforementioned Spring SPOC meeting April 12-13 and TWG meeting April 14 in McLean, Virginia this week, FirstNet is speaking at the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Public meeting in Tafuna, American Samoa, and the Competitive Carriers Association Mobile Carriers Show 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. FirstNet is also hosting a Federal Open House in Washington, DC later this week.
News from the PSAC, States and Territories
The National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) held its Spring Meeting April 4-6 in Bethesda, Maryland to address EMS legislative and regulatory issues, NASEMSO project updates, the National EMS Education Standards project, and more. FirstNet Board member Kevin McGinnis, Brent Williams, and NASEMSO President and PSAC representative Paul Patrick gave presentations on FirstNet and new developments in EMS value propositions. These presentations outlined the upcoming CTT process and addressed how NASEMSO members could be more involved in their state processes.
The Texas Department of Public Safety hosted a two-day series of meetings with FirstNet leadership April 4-5 to demonstrate the importance of FirstNet to help support the mission protecting the U.S./Mexico border. The goal of the meetings was to provide firsthand experience and knowledge of how technology and broadband services could enhance operations along the border. This was accomplished through informational briefings and demonstrations of aviation, marine and other assets in the McAllen/Weslaco Region. The FirstNet team in attendance learned, through both briefings and demonstrations, of existing joint and independent capabilities implemented by the public safety agencies on the border, technological and operational challenges that exist today around interoperability, and potential methods to improve cooperation between agencies.
Also in Texas this week, FirstNet participated in the 2016 Texas Emergency Management Conference in San Antonio, which brought together numerous state emergency management officials and citizens to hold regional meetings and a series of workshops on a variety of disaster and emergency preparedness topics.
The PSAC Local Control task team held a conference call on Thursday April 7 to discuss planned and unplanned events. In this conversation, the task team members identified best practices for incorporating broadband communications into special event planning efforts, including what activities should involve coordination with FirstNet.
The PSAC will be represented at the SPOC meeting by Executive Committee members, Early Builder Working Group members, and TWG members.
Media Watch
*The information provided is copied as-is from the media outlet source and is not edited by FirstNet. Links to non-Federal Government websites do not constitute endorsement of any product, service, organization, company, information provider, or content. Clicking on non-Department of Commerce hyperlinks will direct you to websites that are not under the Government’s control.
The National Law Review 4/4: Another FirstNet Milestone: Telecommunications Law
http://www.natlawreview.com/article/another-firstnet-milestone-telecommunications-law
Another marker passed on the FirstNet roadmap last week as Capability Statements from bidders interested in building, operating and maintaining the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network were submitted [March] 31, 2016. Final bids are due in less than two months, on or before May 13, 2016. FirstNet has clarified that submission of a Capability Statement is not a prerequisite to submission of a bid. However, it is unlikely that any serious bidder would choose not to take advantage of the Capability Statement process, which is designed to provide feedback from FirstNet prior to the submission of a nationwide bid.
Mission Critical Communications 4/4: FirstNet Releases Device Certification Process
http://www.mccmag.com/News/NewsDetails/NewsID/14117
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) released information on its vision for approving wireless mobile devices to operate on the nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN). In the future, FirstNet will work with industry to develop device types and applications to meet public-safety use cases identified by public-safety users, said Kameron Behnam, FirstNet device test and certification manager in a blog. FirstNet devices and applications will undergo a variety of testing and certification in areas such as interference, operation, environmental factors and security.
FierceWirelessTech 4/5: FirstNet outlines its device approval process
http://www.fiercewireless.com/tech/story/firstnet-outlines-its-device-approval-process/2016-04-05
Mobile carriers routinely conduct mobile device approval processes to verify that a device meets certain technical specifications and works well with their networks, so it makes sense that the nation’s first Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) would do so as well.
FirstNet says it expects its device approval process will be very similar to that of the commercial mobile network operators – with an additional component known as FirstNet Carrier Acceptance.
Web and Social Media
FirstNet social media enjoyed steady traffic. Twitter gained 25 followers and is now at 3,448 followers, while LinkedIn has 1,437 followers. YouTube now has 249 subscribers.
Do you have something you want to feature in the weekly update, such as a conference date, personnel announcement, or news article showcasing the work of your organization? Please send it to Yancy Edwards at yancy.edwards.ctr@firstnet.gov for possible inclusion in an upcoming update.