NS - Grant - Ratification of Application for Interoperable Communications Technology Grant

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The counties seek COPS funding to enable the purchase of equipment that will enhance the mutual aid capabilities within and between the counties. The general scope of the improvements needed is as follows: Durham County: Provide 800 MHz mobile and portable radios for the Sheriff's Department to allow interoperability with all other Public Safety agencies in Durham County and adjacent counties. Provide upgrade of existing consoles to provide for dispatching and interoperable patching via direct interconnection to the Durham 800 MHz franked radio system utilizing microwave radio links for maximum reliability. Total expenditure is $2,645,000. Orange County: Provide a modem radio dispatch console system consisting of seven console dispatch positions which will allow patching between the various agencies within the county and with units from neighboring counties who respond to calls for mutual aid, as well as provide interoperabilitybefween the 9-1-1 Center and incoming units. Provide a number of portable radio units, capable of operation on the various 800 MHz systems in the area, for use by First Responders. Total expenditure is $1,348,930. Chatham County: not participating. Person County: not participating. Although two of the counties are unable to participate due to budget restraints, this grant will make it possible for the participating counties to improve interoperability with them via console patching between the incompatible systems. Scope of work in this COPS project: 1. Award of grant anticipated September, 2005 2. Procurement and purchasing process begins October 1, 2005 3. Equipment delivered by January 31, 2006. 4. Installation of equipment completed by May 30, 2006. 5. Training users on use of equipment begins June 1, 2006. 6. User training completed by July 30, 2006. 7. Review and evaluation of project conducted in August 2006. 8. Project completed and reported by end of September 2006. The combination of this COPS funding, and the recent availability of the State of North Carolina 800 MHz network of local VIPER System radio sites in the various counties provides an ideal opportunity for the public safety agencies serving the Durham, NC MSA to greatly improve the ability for first responders to react to both everyday and large scale events. Utilizing the technology provided by this grant, local agencies will also acquire the ability to interoperate with agencies of State Government. The 800 MHz radios will enable direct, real time communications between individuals of the various local and state agencies. In addition, the grant will provide for additional interoperability between otherwise incompatible systems by way of console patching. This capability will be used to enhance interoperability with those counties in the MSA who are not duectly participating in the grant. All radio equipment proposed in this request is capable of operating in a P25 Common Air Interface (CAI) mode, insuring interoperability and future use on P25 systems. This console equipment would be based on an appropriate system azchitecture that would utilize the latest communications technology and would be ANSUTIA/EIAA-102 Phase 1 (P25) compliant and have the capability of upgrades to incorporate future technologies, such as 700 MHz. The system will have the capability of being backwards compatible with legacy radio systems to allow robust interoperability with all surrounding jurisdictions' radio systems within the Durham MSA. Each of these counties will have the capability of interfacing with Durham and Orange County users through the patching feature present in the new consoles. C. Implementation Plan