BRAZOS VALLEY WIDE AREA COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

1. BRAZOS VALLEY WIDE AREA COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM Ben Roper Director of Information Technology City of College Station Lloyd A. Waugh Senior Account Manager Motorola Solutions

2. Early 2006 Learned about the Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) grant • $ 1 billion, 80/20 cost share • To promote interoperability, P-25, and 700 MHz • Large enough “to do things that couldn’t be done otherwise” • Deadline for awards: September 30, 2007

3. Early 2006 Analyzed local situation • 2 systems near end of life • Users showed interest • Technology “leapfrogging” hampered operations

4. Mid 2006 • Requested/received “ROM” from Motorola 5 site, 20 channel infrastructure: $ 11.9 million • Requested estimate from consultant: $ 60,000 • Sounded out any strong opposition • Developed strategy • Get user support • Get a “champion”

5. October 2006 Meeting with Brazos County public safety users (mostly Assistant Chiefs) • Received unanimous support for moving ahead Presented to Intergovernmental Committee • Assigned to “Joint EOC” subcommittee for presentation to governing bodies • Found our “champions”

6. December 20, 2006 Awareness presentation given to Council of Government’s Homeland Security Advisory Committee (7 counties) • Invitation extended to neighboring entities • Brenham and Washington County were interested

7. January – March, 2007 • Concept presentations from “champions” to 3 City Councils and 2 Commissioner’s Courts • College Station volunteers to be lead for consultant and study • Interlocal agreement for study is drafted and approved • Governing bodies sign interlocal agreement to fund conceptual study

8. March – August 2007 Consultants perform study • Kickoff meeting with all entities to identify common issues • Site visits • Individual entity interviews • Verify information • Review conceptual design

9. Distribution of Radio Field Units – All Users

10. July 18, 2007 PSIC grant details announced • $ 1 billion will be divided by 56 states/territories • Texas will receive $ 65 million • $ 33.4 million will be available after state and UASI allocations are made • State must file State Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP) by December • Grant awards must be consistent with SCIP • Reality: $ 33.4 million/24 COGS = $ 1.4 million

11. August 24, 2007 Receive final consultant’s report • To “do it right”: $ 26.6 million • Infrastructure: $ 16 million • Subscribers: $ 10.6 million • Cost reduction options: • Join neighboring regional system • Postpone outlying sites • Re-use newest dispatch consoles • Replace microwave backhaul with T-1/fiber

12. BVWACS – Original concept

13. Sept – Dec, 2007 • Trim infrastructure cost to $ 7.7 million • Obtain “go ahead” from governing bodies • Consult with SAA, Texas Radio Coalition • Trim final infrastructure cost to $ 2.8 million • Prepare 1st draft of Partnership Agreement • Notified that PSIC Grant approved ($2,877,725)

14. 2009 - 2010 • Site surveys, tower inspections • Equipment installation, configuration and testing • First users (non-Public Safety) on the system in Oct – Nov 2010 • Public Safety users started transition in late 2010, into early 2011

15. Major Site Equipment • GTR 8000 Base Station Repeater (6-pack) • S2500 Multiprotocol WAN Router • ASTRO 25 Site Repeaters • Site Controller • 6-port Combiner • DS42883H01T Tower Top Amp • DSCC80612 Omni Antenna • ~ $230,000 per site

16. Organization and Governance

17. Inter-Local Agreement (ILA) • Term of Agreement • Based on Austin/Travis County Agreement • Initial term plus automatically renews for 4 consecutive 12 month terms • Purpose - establish an organizational and management structure for the construction, implementation, ongoing administration, operation, and maintenance of the BVWACS by the Parties

18. Governing Board • Set policy • Direct and approve the operating policies and procedures of the Operating Board • Adopt budget • Other appropriate tasks. • Consist of one member from each of the BVWACS Parties

19. Operating Board • Oversee management and technical ops • One member of each of BVWACS parties with alternate • Meet at least quarterly • Submit draft budget for to the Governing Board by February 1 of each year • Review and approve operating policies and procedures • Regularly review BVWACS evaluation factors

20. Staffing and Operations • Managing Entity – Designated by Governing Board (BVCOG first ME) • Managing Entity provides Systems Manager • Duties include managing the construction, acquisition, implementation, operation and maintenance of the BVWACS • Governing Board may approve other employees

21. Budget • Governing Board approves annually • Operating budget cost allocated based on participation levels, determined by # subscriber units • Each Entity must appropriate funds in their budget process • Capital budget has 5 year planning period • Managing Party issues quarterly assessments to BVWACS parties

22. Policy Points • Simple majority needed for motion to pass, except: • Issues coming before the Governing Board that require a higher voting threshold (5 of 6). • amendments to the Agreement • budget adoption • adding new party to the Agreement • changing the Participation Level in Exhibit A • dissolution • distribution of assets upon dissolution • withdrawing party, amount of notice and allocation of costs (4 of 5) • withdrawal of managing party

23. Bryan Brazos County College Station TAMU Brenham Washington County Other BVCOG Counties Regional Radio Communications Project Participants Austin/Travis County RRS Harris County RRS

24. Partnering with HCRRS • Save $2.4M for Master Site • Greater Buying Power • Technical Expertise • Shared infrastructure Cost

25. Current Status • System fully operational • Equipment for the 7 sites and 3 dispatch locations installed as part of this project • One tower significantly enhanced construction • PSIC implementation requirements all met.

26. The Good, The Bad & The Ugly • Good • Partnerships work • System works • Motorola worked with partners • Bad • Partnerships are hard • Some control lost – Place your destiny in others hands • Ugly – there isn’t any

27. Motorola

28. Partnerships- Team Effort • Motorola Solutions Direct/ Indirect Team • Motorola Solutions MR- Texas Communications • Harris County • H-GAC • BVCOG • BVWACS entities • City of College Station • Texas A&M University • City of Bryan • Brazos County • Washington County • City of Brenham

29. Procurement Method • H-GAC Purchasing Contract • Pre-built equipment to lock in the pricing • Project payment milestones • Subscriber radios separate from PSIC grant for phased approach • Two purchase orders • BVCOG • TAMU

30. Infrastructure Equipment Provided • Eight 7.4 upgraded to 7.7 Six Packs (GTR 8000) • 3 MCC 7500 dispatch locations • 1 Gold Elite dispatch location up grade • Supporting equipment for each of the 7 tower locations

31. Challenges • Rebanding • Finding cost reduction measures • Delivery locations to ease installation and inventory procedures • Upgrade from 7.4 to 7.7 • Lack of project management • Enforcement of timelines • Warranty start up

32. Questions?