Agenda - 03-02-2006-5f - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 2, 2006 Action Agenda //,� Item No. .5-7 SUBJECT: Accept COPS Interoperable Communications Technology Grant Program Award DEPARTMENT: Emergency Management PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Grant Notification .lack Ball, 919 -968 -2050 Grant Award List Grant Contract with City of Durham (under separate cover) PURPOSE: To accept a regional grant award in the amount of $1,014,870 from the United States Department of Justice, and to commit matching funds in the amount of $338,290 for the purchase interoperable communications console equipment for the 9 -1 -1 Center and for portable 800 MHz radios. BACKGROUND: The United States Department of .Justice COPS office received up to $90 million during FY2005 to award technology grants to enhance interoperable communications throughout the United States. This highly competitive grant program was offered to specific Metropolitan Statistical Areas by invitation only. In July 2005, the City of Durham was invited by the Department of Justice to submit an application on behalf of the Durham Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes the counties of Durham, Orange, Person, and Chatham. The application was due July 15, 2005. Person and Chatham counties chose not to participate in the application, Orange County joined the Durham application and the Board of Commissioners ratified the County's portion of the joint application on August 16, 2005, where it agreed to provide the 25% matching funds for the project. Orange County and the City of Durham were notified that they received this very competitive grant award on September 16, 2005, as one of only twenty -six awardees out of 138 potential applicants nationally, including Greensboro and Raleigh. The grant project partnership between Orange County and the City of Durham is for 800 MHz compatible radio equipment to further the interoperability between the two jurisdictions. The total project submitted to the Department of Justice was $3,998,320. Orange County's share of the project budget equaled $1,353,160, which will purchase (7) seven interoperable radio consoles for the 9 -1 -1 Center, and (30) thirty portable radios for emergency responders. The grant requires a match of 25 %, resulting in a grant breakdown for Orange County to equal $1,014,870 in federal grant funds, and $ 338,290 in matching local funds. The City of Durham will administer the grant on behalf of both Orange and Durham.