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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: March 2, 2010 <br />i <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. q- - j <br />SUBJECT: USDA Ruraf Utilities Service Broadband Initiatives Program for Rural <br />Broadband Service Extension. <br />DEPARTMENTS: Planning & Inspections, PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />Manager's Office, <br />Emergency Services, <br />Information Technologies, <br />Economic Development, and <br />Asset Management & Purchasing <br />Services <br />ATTACHMENTS: INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />1. Broadband Initiatives Program Grant Craig Benedict, Planning, 245-2592 <br />Application Bulleted Outline Wi{lie Best, Asst. County Manager, 245-2308 <br />2. Draft Memorandum of Understanding with Gwen Harvey, Asst. County Manager, 245- <br />American Tower, Inc. 2307 <br />3. Map of Tower Sites for Inclusion into the Frank Montes de Oca, Emergency Services <br />Master Telecommunications Plan for the 245-6140 <br />BIP Grant Application Purposes Todd Jones, Information Technologies, 245- <br />2285 <br />Brad Broadwell, Economic Development, <br />245-2327 <br />Pam Jones, Asset Management & <br />Purchasing Services, 245-2652 <br />PURPOSE: To authorize the County to apply for federal American Recovery & <br />Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus funds through the USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS) <br />Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) to fund the extension of broadband service into the <br />un-served, rural portions of Orange County. <br />BACKGROUND: At the June 16, 2009 meeting, the BOCC directed the appropriate <br />County departments to prepare a Request for Proposal (RFP). Following this directive, <br />staff members from the affected departments met and developed an RFP. The RFP was <br />sent to all known tower providers doing business in the county and other private groups <br />who had expressed interest in the project. Asset Management & Purchasing Services <br />issued the RFP in September 2009. American Tower, Inc., the only responsible and <br />responsive bid, provided its proposal on October 13, 2009. <br />After a December 2, 2009 interview with American Tower, Inc., County staff members <br />began discussions with American Tower, Inc. to develop a Memorandum of <br />Understanding (MOU) to partner with Orange County to address County wireless <br />telecommunication needs. Part of this partnership is the assistance with applications for <br />