Public-safety consortium issues RFP for 700 MHz advisor

A corporation hoping to serve as the national licensee for public safety’s broadband portion of the 700 MHz spectrum this week issued a request for proposals (RFPs) from applicants interested to serve as the entity’s agent/advisor.

Formed recently with the support of nine national public-safety organizations, the Public Safety Spectrum Trust is expected to a leading candidate to serve as the national public-safety licensee for the 12 MHz of spectrum that would be used in a proposed public-private partnership.

Criteria for proposals are detailed in the RFP, which can be found at the following Web link: http://www.iafc.org/PSSTrfp. Notification of intent to bid is required by July 20, and completed bids will be due by July 30.

“The 700 MHz spectrum represents a once-in-a lifetime opportunity for the public-safety community to gain the state-of-the-art communications tools we need to do our jobs effectively and safely,” Harlin McEwen, PSST president and chairman of the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s communications and technology committee, said in a statement. “Therefore, we are taking necessary steps to ensure that we are prepared to move the process along as efficiently as possible.”