FirstNet board approves release of draft RFP, ‘public-safety entity’ definition proceeding
One other aspect of the draft RFP is that FirstNet is seeking input on its proposed operational architecture, which currently includes 636 technical and operational functions, according to Kennedy. For each function, respondents are asked to identify whether they believe it should be the responsibility of FirstNet, public safety or the contract partner.
At the moment, FirstNet has proposed that it would be responsible for about 10% of the functions, Kennedy said. FirstNet hopes to learn whether other functions should be included and whether its initial proposed responsibility assignments are appropriate.
Kennedy stressed that FirstNet hopes to get input on these functions not only from potential offerers, but also from states and public safety.
“It is a point in time for FirstNet to share as much information as possible about what we’ve been working on, and much of this is not final—it really is open for consultation and open for industry and offerers to give us feedback,” Kennedy said. “This will allow us to either confirm a number of the elements we have or to make some adjustments before we get to a final RFP.”
In other action, the board approved a public notice regarding the definition of a “public-safety entity” that can be considered for priority access to the FirstNet system—a follow-up proceeding to a public notice last year that sought input on the same topic.
A key difference in this public notice is that the FirstNet preliminary legal interpretation would allow only certain groups or individuals within a non-traditional public-safety entity—for instance, utility, government or transportation entity—to be eligible for priority access on the network, as opposed to everyone in the organization, according to FirstNet Acting Chief Counsel Jason Karp.
A copy of the public-notice text is available on the FirstNet website at this link. Comments will be due 30 days after the item is published in the Federal Register and will be made public.