As the industry awaits an award of the potential $100 billion First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) request for proposals (RFP), FirstNet President TJ Kennedy said there’s a lot happening outside of the contract award this fall. Kennedy made the remarks during a National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) meeting Sept. 28.  As FirstNet moves forward in 2017, the FCC and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) have hit milestones to ensure information is provided in a clear manner for states’ opt-in or opt-out decisions about FirstNet. Numerous comments were submitted to the NTIA notice and request for comments about the State Alternative Plan Program (SAPP). The FCC’s notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on the state opt-out process has an Oct. 21 deadline for comments. FirstNet’s Kennedy Provides Update on State Plans, User Base