The City of Pittsburgh moved one step closer last week in their plans to implement video surveillance technology throughout the Port of Pittsburgh and the rest of the city. On Friday, the city released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Phase I of their Port Security Project. This project is utilizing the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Port Security Grant Program as a stepping stone in securing the United State's second largest inland port.

The project, to be implemented in three phases, will include installation and relocation of video cameras, integration of video systems on an open architecture system, and a wireless communications platform for River Rescue support. The city has applied for and been awarded a DHS Infrastructure Protection Program Grant to install an enhanced port wide video data platform and extend video camera coverage to major bridges, arteries, and waterways around the Port. This project will also include gunshot detection technology as well as plate recognition technology.

INPUT estimates this will be a multi-million dollar project as the city has already invested a large amount of money into this initiative. Since this project has multiple phases, INPUT estimates that there will be a wide variety of opportunities for small business vendors to take part in this one-of-a-kind initiative.

This summer we all wince when we see how much it costs to buy a tank of gas for our own cars, just imagine if you had to fill up all the buses, fire trucks and police cars in town.

A hot topic during the Technology Summit portion of the 2008 National Association of Counties Conference held on July 11th in Kansas City, Missouri (and everywhere else as of late) was dealing with rising fuel costs. Faced with the combination of shirking tax revenues and rising gas prices, local leaders are in need of strategies to reduce to the amount of time county vehicles spend on the road. A market that has tremendous possibility for expansion is video conferencing technologies. Harris County Texas CIO Steven Jennings spoke of using video conferencing for a wide variety of functions including connecting telecommuters, promoting distance learning and court arraignments. One of the most interesting ideas he spoke of was creating "video inmate visitation centers", which serve the dual purpose of providing visitation privileges to inmates whose families may not of able to afford travel to remote prison locations, as well as reducing the potential for contraband to be smuggled into these facilities.

At a later seminar on Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS), Mr. Harris spoke of how Harris County has reduced the amount of driving that police officers must do by deploying mobile AFIS systems. Instead of transporting an uncooperative suspect back to the station for fingerprinting, officers can utilize mobile devices to collect prints in the field. He added that most suspects quickly decide to disclose their identities when they learn that an AFIS device is present.

Another topic that sparked quite a bit of discussion was how county officials plan to engage citizens aged 11-25, also known as the "Millennials". Being the only member of the summit who fell into this age range provided me with a unique perspective on the issue. I was quite impressed by the degree of importance that county officials placed on engaging members of my age group in the governing process. There is no "quick fix" to this issue, but the officials present illustrated their strong interest and desire to incorporate the technologies that "Millennials" use on a daily basis, into the governing process.

On July 2, the US Army held a ceremony to activate its Network Warfare Battalion. The goal is to centralize the Army's computer network operations into a provisional battalion ready to provide mission critical cyber support across the Army and DoD.

Considering the prevalence of cyber attacks and impact they could have on telecommunications, banking and finance, energy, transportation, human services, government, and military operations, the Army's efforts are welcome and necessary. However, the limited media coverage I've seen about the battalion skews towards a potential Army Network Warfare Battalion vs. Air Force Cyber Command smack down, with both trying to one-up the other to gain position as DoD's lead network warfare unit. One Network World article was titled "U.S. Army challenges USAF on network warfare"and began with the sentence, "The U.S. Air Force's Cyber Command might have some competition on its hands... ." Somehow, I think there will be enough work to go around and keep both organizations busy.

The issue is not who's going to be the DoD cyber master, but how well information sharing between the two will occur. It's no secret that there is a great deal of work to be done to strengthen information sharing (both technically and culturally) within the federal government. The Air Force Cyber Command head, General William Lord, had this to say about coordination with other military, intelligence, and government entities:

Right now, it's a loose confederation of people who know that this is important work for the nation, and have to find their lanes in the road. We know that DHS, DoJ and NSA have missions, just like DoD, but all are different. In this business, they have become closely related, so our relationships with one another are much better. Not that it was bad before, but in some cases it didn't have to be as close, but now it does, because of the nature of the speed at which these types of activities can occur. Our relationships are good, but nascent, with many. It's an eclectic crowd that has gotten much closer in the past few years.

Make no mistake, we are partners with the other sister services--the Army, Marines, Navy--as well as with DISA, NSA and Homeland Security to name a few. We're all in this together.

Ideally, the Air Force and Army will make a concerted effort to tighten up the "loose confederation" of people finding "their lanes in the road" so that we don't find ourselves with a cyber gap big enough for our enemies to drive a truck through.

INPUT anticipates both of these projects to be highly competitive, not only because of the price tag associated with them, but because interoperable communications is a hot topic in the justice and public safety vertical and everyone is watching to see what happens.

Within the week, two states have made large strides in developing and constructing their interoperable communications systems. On Tuesday, July 8, the State of Missouri released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a statewide P25 compliant interoperable radio communications network. And, on Thursday, July 10, the State of Maryland released their RFP for a statewide public safety wireless communications system. Both projects encompass a wide variety of public safety agencies and have a hefty price tag associated with them. INPUT estimates that these two projects make up roughly $475 million in contract value combined. Here is a breakdown of each project:

Missouri Statewide P25 Interoperable Communications System

Overview- The State of Missouri is requesting proposals for the design, construction, and implementation of an integrated statewide interoperable radio communications network consisting of Project 25 VHF High-Band and 700/800 MHz trunked radio systems. These systems will be capable of providing 95 percent mobile radio coverage to state and local government public safety agencies, and certain non-governmental public service entities throughout the entire state.

Background- In the Fall of 2007, the state contracted with L. Robert Kimball & Associates to help evaluate the current system and make recommendations for a new interoperable communications system. The current system is well out-dated and in need of an upgrade. The state operates on a VHF analog radio system that encompasses a variety of different public safety agencies across the state.

Requirements:

• TIA-102 P25 compliant VHF/700/800 MHz Trunked voice and data radio network, radio consoles, control points, and last mile digital microwave connectivity
• Site development, shelters, towers, generators to support technology
• Non-fixed user voice radio equipment
• Interoperability equipment
• Statewide mobile radio coverage

L. Robert Kimball & Associates have estimated this project to cost upwards of $175 million over a ten year span. A pre-proposal conference will be held July 17, with proposals due September 18.

Maryland Statewide Pubic Safety Wireless Communication System

Overview- The State intends to purchase an integrated statewide public safety wireless communication system. The State will use this system as the primary radio communication system for State agencies. Local and municipal first responders may also use the system for primary radio communications. The system will provide voice and data interoperability among its primary users and other public safety agencies to support Day-to-Day, Mutual Aid, and Task Force operations. The system shall be highly reliable, fault tolerant, spectrally efficient, easily scalable, and meet the operational expectations for public safety first responders.

Background- The State and other units of local government own and operate wireless systems employing frequencies ranging from the VHF low band through the 800 MHz band for mobile communications and in the microwave radio frequency bands for point to point and/or point to multipoint communications. The State also owns, maintains, and operates multiple microwave and fiber optic backhaul transport systems. A variety of conventional and trunked voice radio technologies are used by the agencies, some of which are based on proprietary technology. RCC Consultants were hired to develop a proof of concept.

Requirements:

• A multi-agency land mobile radio (LMR) network accessible by state, local, or federal government entities to conduct public safety or public service communications
• Operate in the 700/800 MHz band on frequencies available to and licensed by the State of Maryland
• It shall provide a minimum of 97% reliability across 95% of the defined coverage areas which includes Maryland's land area, all jurisdictions and waterways
• The system elements shall be linked by a backbone network of multi-dimensional redundancy
• The system shall be a turn-key system with a firm list of itemized prices for all equipment, software, and services required by the specifications
• Compatibility with APCO Project 25 Phase 2 standards

INPUT estimates, based on funding, that this project could reach upwards of $300 million. The maximum contract term is 15 years. A pre-proposal conference will be held July 24, with proposals due October 8, 2008.

INPUT anticipates both of these projects to be highly competitive, not only because of the price tag associated with them, but because interoperable communications is a hot topic in the justice and public safety vertical and everyone is watching to see what happens. Both of these states have positioned themselves to be able to provide their public safety officials with the tools and equipment needed to ensure the safety of their citizens.

Next Generation 9-1-1 is implemented in select cities across the nation, hoping to transform the way we utilize wireless emergency communication.

On June 16th, 2008, five cities across the United States began testing the first stages of the "Next Generation 9-1-1" (NG9-1-1) system, a Department of Transportation project funded by the Intelligent Transportation Joint Program Office. Selected from over 50 applicants, the Public Safety Answering Points or PSAPs, located in Rochester, NY; Seattle, WA; St. Paul, MN; Bozeman, MT; and Fort Wayne, IN will be essential in collecting data related to the feasibility of successful nationwide implementation.

The same 9-1-1 technology has been around for decades, with the 40th birthday of the first 9-1-1 call being celebrated earlier this year. While this technology has received minor facelifts to reflect major technology breakthroughs, this initiative would completely overhaul wireless emergency communication across the country. Current 9-1-1 technology is primarily compatible with only voice media. The NG9-1-1 system aims to facilitate the transfer of data and video media as well, reflecting the evolution of communication as a whole. The system also makes advances in the transmission of data related to an emergency through technologies such as advanced Automatic Crash Notification (ACN) and call locators for wireless and voice-over internet protocol (IP) based calls. IP based technology is positioned to be at the core of the future of NG9-1-1.

Continuing until November 2008, this initial test of the NG9-1-1 system will illustrate what lies ahead for U.S. call centers in the next 10 years. While the price tag for this entire transition could reach upwards of $60 billion according to a Booz Allen Hamilton representative, interoperability and long-term viability are the keys to its value. Currently, INPUT is tracking more than 20 opportunities related to consolidated, enhanced, or Next Generation 9-1-1 systems across the country. Successful completion, evaluation, and implementation of more test projects could mean more opportunities to build a public safety communication foundation flexible enough to survive in our ever-increasingly mobile society.

The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently closed applications for the CEDAP which enables state and local government to apply for commercial equipment, training and assistance. The CEDAP is not a grant program; however it provides new technology and equipment to states that do not have the necessary funding of their own. A typical grant program, like the Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) grant, provides funding for interoperable communcations to various agencies across the country, giving them the ability to purchase the equipment on their own. The CEDAP does not provide any funding, it merely allows lesser funded agencies the ability to obtain new technologies and equipment, without the need to purchase them on their own.

The CEDAP has been providing equipment for localities since the 2005 fiscal year, valued at approximately $105 million. This year, however, the value of the equipment will decline sharply, from $40 million in FY07 to $20 in FY08. The decline in the nations Federal, state and local funding may be the culprit for the drop off in the CEDAP funding value.

While the decline in funding for this program may mean that vendors will not be called upon to provide their equipment, it may also mean that the newer technologies being provided are more costly and offer a greater value to the agencies.

Unlike some of the other DHS grant programs, the CEDAP is highly competitive and yields more than twice the number of applicants as available awards. Due to the drop in obtainable equipment, the competitiveness of the program will likely increase, leaving many localities without the equipment they had hoped to implement. It may be necessary for larger vendors to provide grant assistance to these agencies to enable them to apply to other grants, such as the PSIC and COPS grant programs. States and local agencies with old technologies will want to upgrade, it is just a matter of where they will get the funding necessary.

On June 30, 2008, the Connecticut Department of Information Technology (DOIT) released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for consulting services to help plan for the design and implementation of the Connecticut Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS). This RFP is part of a larger project coming out of the CT DOIT for the implementation of a Criminal Justice Information System. DOIT is also in the process of hiring an Executive Director to oversee the implementation and project direction.

The CJIS project was created under the State Criminal Justice Reform, Public Act 08-1, Sections 39 & 40. Section 39 created the CJIS Governing Board, which is comprised of criminal justice agencies. The Governing Board is co-chaired by the Lieutenant Governor and the Deputy Chief Court Administrator. The CJIS Governing Board also includes representatives from the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branches, as well as a variety of municipal law enforcement agencies. Overall, the Board is concerned with justice information supportive of law enforcement and court functions involving apprehension, adjudication, incarceration, and supervision.

The goal of the CJIS Governing Board, stated in Section 40, is to create and implement a comprehensive, state-wide information technology system to facilitate the immediate, seamless, and comprehensive sharing of information between all state agencies, departments, boards, commissions, and organized local police departments. The system will be a central tracking and information database, central electronic document repository, and possess centralized analytical tools. The system will integrate with current information, electronic monitoring units, global positioning, and offender registries.

More information can be found on INPUT's Opportunity Report for this project.

Coming on the heels of the new REAL ID Requirements, the Department of Homeland Security has announced the fiscal year 2008 REAL ID grants which total $79 million. Many states were scrambling to request extensions for the new requirements and these grants will provide states with some of the funding necessary to move towards REAL ID Compliance.

There was much resistance from many states regarding the new REAL ID requirements, specifically with the funding issues that would arise. These newly allocated grants will alleviate some of the burden on the States in the updating and upgrading of their drivers license system. The grants will fund specific statewide initiatives including, but not limited to: physical security of the license, upgrading facility security, as well as modernizing document imaging and storage.

With the REAL ID requirements in place, states were able to develop plans and determine the funding required for various portions of the new guidelines. These newly allocated grantswere based on each individual state plan and their needs. Several states received additional funding which would be used for pilot programs and a nationwide hub. The state of Missouri received nearly $18 million to develop a verification hub that will be used to confirm documentation against other states' databases. Additionally, Florida, Indiana, Wisconsin and Nevada received additional funding to test and implement Missouri's hub.

The significant funding being provided to states for their REAL ID requirements and drivers' license upgrades may increase state's motivation to move towards REAL ID compliance. As states become more willing to comply with the proposed guidelines, DHS will be more likely to provide additional funding in the future. Each state will have different needs and requirements and it is important for vendors to understand state's needs (and match it to their grants) and provides them with the necessary technology accordingly.

REAL ID Demonstration Awards, by State

On June 16, 2008, the New York State, Department of Criminal Justice Services, released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Statewide Automated Biometric Identification System (SABIS). The goal of the new SABIS system is to replace the existing Statewide Automated Fingerprint Identification System (SAFIS), which is contracted through Sagem Morpho Inc.

DCJS released a Request for Information (RFI) in December of 2006 for information on replacing the current SAFIS which is used, in conjunction with other systems, to process ten print identification and latent print identification transactions. DCJS also requested information on additional biometrics to be used in a multimodal (palm, facial recognition, etc.) system. Interoperability with international, federal, state, and local automated biometric identification systems is a large requirement for the new SABIS.

DCJS envisions that the new SABIS will include, but not be limited to, such features as:

• Superior encoding and matching accuracy;
• Faster, more real time identification processing;
• Automated quality assurance checks that can operate efficiently with or without human intervention;
• Tailored and flexible workflows to meet the mission critical and changing business needs of DCJS, and to reduce dependency on the vendor for workflow changes;
• Palm Latent to palm print and palm print to palm latent processing;
• No single point of failure;
• A statistical reporting system; and
• A scalable design to allow for future growth and addition of other biometric identification systems.

INPUT estimates this project to potentially reach a value of $24 million. The FY 2009 State budget included $24 million of funding for fingerprint identification and technology. INPUT expects this contract to be highly competitive among many large identity solution companies, such as Sagem Morpho, L-1 Identity Solutions, NEC, and Cogent Systems. Proposals for this project are due August 15, 2008.

On June 10 the Senate unanimously passed the Local Preparedness Acquisition Act, now only the signature of the President separates States and Locals from use of Schedule 84, right? Well, locals from all but 11 states will gain access and state agencies from 26 states will have varying degrees of access based on their individual state's policies.

The General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule 84 offers products and services for the purposes of law enforcement, fire fighting, security products and services, and emergency/disaster response. Federal sales totals for Schedule 84 in FY2007 exceeded $2.23 Billion. State and Local use of GSA's Schedule 70 contracts has seen considerable growth since 2003, ending FY2007 at more than $360 million. Most of Schedule 70's state and local traction is at the local level. Public Safety and homeland security are owned by the locals and therefore it can be expected that the opening of Schedule 84 to state and local buyers will attract attention.

There are many potential strategies for state and local use of federal purchasing vehicles such as GSA's schedules. Florida is allowing its statewide term contracts to expire and replacing them with Schedule 70 contracts. California uses Schedule 70 products and prices as a starting point for it's own California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS). Despite these and other examples, both sides are moving in baby steps towards capitalization of administrative and financial efficiencies. State and local folks always enjoy bringing up the question of why won't the federal government allow it's buyers to utilize state and local contracts? Putting all notions aside, the obvious potential lies in opening more schedules and other federal vehicles to the state and local market.

So far we have seen GSA's schedules introduced to the state and local market one at a time and many years between. Granted, it was to be expected that state and local's would take their time warming up to the idea of using federal vehicles. Now that Schedule 70 has paved the way, and Schedule 84 seems eminent, it would be nice to think that GSA's quiver will be increasingly available to state and local buyers.