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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: February 6, 2018 <br />SUBJECT: Broadband Initiatives and Event Timeline <br />DEPARTMENT: Information Technologies <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />1 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 7 -b <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Jim Northrup, Chief Information Officer, <br />245 -2280 <br />PURPOSE: To receive an update on the County's current broadband initiatives and receive a <br />timeline of relevant events. <br />BACKGROUND: Since 2014, Orange County Information Technologies (IT) has been tasked <br />with working toward improving broadband technology for Orange County residents. Many of the <br />tasks below were accomplished through collaboration with residents, business partners, State <br />and local representatives, government agencies, and towns. <br />• The largest current initiative currently underway is the $500,000 Broadband Incentive <br />Request for Proposals (RFP) whereby the County is soliciting Internet Service Providers <br />(ISPs) for proposals on how to improve broadband in both unserved and underserved <br />areas in Orange County. This Request for Proposal was released in January of 2018. <br />The intention is to find a vendor that can improve broadband speed and services in the <br />rural areas of the county. <br />• A larger initiative in terms of dollars, but at this time only tangentially related to <br />broadband, is the County's Fiber Project Phase 1. Currently, the County is partnering <br />with the Town of Hillsborough in order to reduce costs for both parties. The County and <br />Town are currently in the process of vendor section after successfully releasing an RFP <br />in November of 2018. Phase 1 is currently funded in Fiscal Year 2017 -18, and Phases 2 <br />& 3 are planned in upcoming fiscal years. Once complete, this project will connect <br />County buildings from Cedar Grove to Carrboro and have fiber running east -west along <br />the Highway 70 corridor connecting from the Efland Cheeks Community Center to points <br />close to the Durham County line. The excess dark fiber will be available to other <br />organizations and individuals outside of Orange County Government for both broadband <br />and economic development purposes. <br />• Orange County Chief Information Officer (CIO) Jim Northrup has attended and presented <br />at multiple community meetings. Most recently, Orange County IT presented at the <br />