Patrick Mallon - LA-RICS

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Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications

System

California Contract Cities Association32nd ANNUAL FALL SEMINAR

October 6, 2012

© Copyright 2012, LA-RICS Authority. All Rights Reserved.

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Overview

• Emergency Communications Needs• Program History

– Legislative Impacts

• Spectrum Studies• LMR System Issues• LTE System Issues• Current Procurements• Questions?


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Need For Interoperability

• 10,000,000 residents occupying 4000 square miles• Risk to high profile attractions and critical infrastructure

• Multi-jurisdictional responses to small and large scale events

• 81 public safety agencies provide 34,000 first responders • 17,000 secondary responders• Multiple localized public safety communications systems• Lack of communications across jurisdictional lines compromises response effectiveness


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Project History

January 2009 Joint Powers Authority formedApril 2010 Request For Proposals (RFP) releasedMay 2010 LA-RICS received FCC Waiver to establish 700MHz

Interoperable Public Safety Broadband Network and a $154.6 million BTOP grant.

July 2011 LA-RICS cancels procurement – California Public Contracts Code

October 2011 Assembly Bill 946 (Lowenthal) Enabled LA-RICS to proceedwith a turn-key procurement

November 2011 New Request for Proposals released for single LTE and LMR contract


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Project History (cont.)

January 2012 Proposals received in response to dual LTE/LMR procurement

Feb. 2012 Congress passed the Middle Class Tax Relief and Jobs Initiative of 2012 (H.R. 3630)

April 2012 LA-RICS placed procurement on hold to further analyze impacts resulting from H.R. 3630

August 2012 LA-RICS Board of Directors voted to cancel RFP and issue two separate RFPs for LMR and LTE

Sept. 2012 Assembly Bill 1486 (Lara) enacted allowing limited CEQA exemption

October 2012 New RFP for LMR will be releasedDec. 2012 New RFP for LTE will be released


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H.R. 3630

• In Feb, 2012, Congress passed the Middle Class Tax Relief and Jobs Initiative of 2012

• Provides for use of the D-Block for public safety• NTIA established FirstNet to oversee national Public Safety

Broadband Network (PSBN)• Requires that T-Band spectrum be returned by 2021 and

vacated by 2023– Eleven major metropolitan areas affected:

o Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Pittsburg, Washington, DC, Miami, Dallas

• H.R. 3630 provides for funding and spectrum assistance in moving public safety communications off T-Band – But not until 2021


A. B. 1486

• A.B. 1486 – Authored by Assembly Member Ricardo Lara• Provides LA-RICS a limited CEQA exemption until 2017

• Project Site Criteria– Located on police, Sheriff or fire station sites– Existing publicly owned transmitter site– Cannot be located in environmentally sensitive areas

» Wetlands» Riparian areas» Habitat of significant value» Historical Significance

– Monopoles shall not exceed 70 feet– LMR towers shall not exceed 180 feet

• Does not exempt project from NEPA

clearance

7© Copyright 2012, LA-RICS Authority. All Rights Reserved.

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• H. R. 3630 introduced considerable risk to a T-Band only deployment– Per FCC: Build at your own risk

• 700/800 MHz Option Evaluation– Lack of available spectrum prohibited deployment

• Consideration was given for using existing available spectrum in the 700 MHz spectrum and gradual migration off T-Band

• Hybrid Feasibility Study conducted in May-Jun 2012– Minimum of 70 Channels needed in 700 MHz spectrum– Minimum of 160 Channels needed in T-Band spectrum

Spectrum Feasibility Studies


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LMR System Description

• There are 109 LMR tower sites available for the LMR network– May incorporate some of 255 LTE monopoles for fill in– Actual site count will be determined by Telecommunications System

Contractor’s final design

• Coverage footprint the same for 700 MHz and T-Band• Single P25 controller used for both spectrums

– Users talk from one spectrum to the other seamlessly

• Dual spectrum will allow use of existing equipment and migration over 9 years• Radio-to-radio communication is supported within the same spectrum


Secondary Responders

• Secondary Responder needs became a strong consideration

• Unnecessary costs incurred in maintaining independent systems

• JPA Board determined to support all agencies due to common responses to major incidents

• T-Band under the Hybrid concept will be designed to accommodate all first and second responders

• Second Responders in 700/800 MHz systems or

may participate via STRS or CWIRS


Broadband (LTE) Issues

• NTIA suspended approval of use of funds for LTE equipment pending direction from FirstNet

• Avoidance of “stranded investment”• Allowed to proceed with “Infrastructure” deployment• Approval to complete system at discretion of FirstNet Board

• Spectrum leased to LA-RICS in 2010 has been withdrawn• Broadband spectrum now licensed to FirstNet• Must apply to FirstNet for spectrum lease

• If approved, NTIA can release “suspension”

to allow purchase and installation of

LTE equipment• BTOP funds sufficient to complete

local broadband system


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• Per the direction of the JPA Board of Directors, LA-RICS will issue two new RFPs, one for a LMR system and one for the LTE broadband system– LMR: The Authority will release a new RFP for a hybrid LMR network and

infrastructure build-out• Five year program

– Phase 1 – System Design– Phase 2 – Site Construction– Phase 3 – Supply Telecommunications System– Phase 4 – System Implementation– Phase 5 – System Maintenance

– LTE: The Authority will release a new RFP for LTE infrastructure and backhaul components and for equipment in a following phase

• Three year program– Phase 1 – Infrastructure– Phase 2 – LTE Equipment Procurement & Installation

Current Procurements


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Questions?

Bill FujiokaCounty of Los Angeles Chief Executive Officer

[email protected]

Pat MallonExecutive Director

[email protected]

2525 Corporate Place, Suite 200Monterey Park, CA 91754

(323) 881-8291

www.la-rics.org


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Patrick Mallon - LA-RICS