FirstNet board approves budget for 2017 fiscal year

FirstNet issued an objectives-based RFP that left considerable flexibility for bidders to offer different approaches to achieving the various tasks associated with providing broadband service to public-safety users. Given this, FirstNet’s operating budget could change, based on the roles that the winning contractor decides to assume.

Swenson noted that the FirstNet board may need to alter the budget, if changes are necessary.

“It’s not going to business as usual because of an expected award. I just want to validate that we may need to revisit this, depending on how things evolve as an organization. I think we indicated—as a committee and as a board—that we certainly would be willing to work with management on any adjustments that needed to be made as the year evolves.”

With the 2017 fiscal-year budget, FirstNet will have allocated most of the $7 billion dedicated to it by Congress to build and operate the nationwide network. However, the RFP stipulates that the contractor will make payments annually to FirstNet for the next 25 years—a minimum of $5.625 billion total during that period—to ensure that the organization has the funds necessary to be financially self-sustaining for the long term.