The Board proposes the rule amendment to delete unnecessary language and to add new language to clarify procedures for applying for and receiving rural county grants and to modify Form 1A, “E911 Rural County Grant Application (revised 7/1/2011)”.

 

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES
E911 Board

RULE NO.: RULE TITLE:
60FF1-5.002: Rural County Grants

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The Board proposes the rule amendment to delete unnecessary language and to add new language to clarify procedures for applying for and receiving rural county grants and to modify Form 1A, “E911 Rural County Grant Application (revised 7/1/2011)”.

SUMMARY: The rule amendment will delete unnecessary language and to add new language to clarify procedures for applying for and receiving rural county grants and to modify Form 1A, “E911 Rural County Grant Application (revised 7/1/2011)”.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COST: The Board determined that a Statement of Estimated Regulatory Cost (SERC) was not necessary.  The Board has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business, or likely increase regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within 1 year after implementation of the rule.  These rule amendments will not require ratification by the Legislature.

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding the statement of estimated costs, or to provide a proposal for a lower regulatory cost alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 365.172(6)(a)11. FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 365.172(2)(g), 365.172(9)(a), (b), (c), 365.173(2)(g) FS.

IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE NEXT AVAILABLE FLORIDA ADMINISTRATIVE WEEKLY.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Ryan Butler, Special Support Manager, E911 Board, 4030 Esplanade Way, Suite 160, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0950

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

60FF1-5.002 Rural County Grants.

The E911 Rural County Grant program is a semi-annual grant program provided for the purpose of assisting rural counties, as defined by Section 365.172(3)(y), F.S., with the installation and maintenance of an Enhanced 911 (E911) system.

(1) Eligibility. Any Board of County Commissioners in the State of Florida, with a county population of fewer than 75,000 is eligible to apply.

(2) Definitions.

(a) “Enhanced 911” (E911) A telephone system which includes network switching, data base and Public Safety Answering Point premise elements capable of providing automatic location identification data, selective routing, selective transfer, fixed transfer, and a call back number.

(b) “E911 Maintenance” The preventative, routine and emergency maintenance required by the State E911 Plan, in order to maintain the E911 System in operable working condition.

(c) “E911 System” The Public Safety Answering Point equipment, in accordance with the State E911 Plan, including 911 call routing, processing, mapping and call answering communications equipment.

(d) “Government Accounting Standards Board” (GASB) The independent organization that establishes and improves standards of accounting and financial reporting for U.S. state and local governments.

(e) “Next Generation 911” (NG-911) The designation for an advanced 911 emergency communications system or service that provides a communications service subscriber with 911 service and, in addition, directs 911 emergency requests for assistance to appropriate public safety answering points based on the geographical location from which the request originated, or as otherwise provided in the State E911 Plan under Section 365.171, F.S., and that provides for automatic number identification and automatic location identification features and emergency data information through managed IP-based networks.

(f) “Public Safety Answering Point” (PSAP) A public safety agency answering point that receives incoming 911 calls for dispatching of appropriate public safety agencies to respond to the 911 calls.

(3)(2) General conditions.

(a) Each rural county applying for rural county grant funds shall complete and submit W Form 1A, “Application for the E911 Rural County Grant Program,” effective 1/1/2011, which is incorporated herein by reference and which may be obtained from the E911 Board office at the following address: https://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-00410 or

State of Florida E911 Board

ATTN: Administrative Assistant

4050 Esplanade Way

Building 4030 – Suite 160

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0950

The applicant must provide one original of the pages for Application Form items 1 through 14 and the associated quotes. for Tthe grant application package must be postmarked or delivered on or before April 1 or October 1 of each year, dependent on the spring or fall application period.

(b) through (c) No change.

(d) Grant applications totaling $35,000.00 or more must be accompanied by at least three written substantiated competitive quotes from different vendors. The E911 Board will compare the three quotes to any existing state contract in order to determine appropriate funding. Any county that has made a good faith effort to obtain at least three competitive quotes and has not been able to obtain the quotes can request E911 Board review based on substantiated proof of request for quotes or posting of the request with documentation of the limited responses.

(e) Sole source funding will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Justification for sole source funding shall be provided with the application. Sole source funding will be approved if provided in accordance with Chapter 287, F.S., or with provision of a letter from the county’s purchasing department that the project is a sole source procurement based on the county’s purchasing requirements, which shall should be provided with this grant application.

(f) Priorities for awarding of grants will be determined by the E911 Board. Grant priorities may be adjusted by the Board and published with the grant application package three (3) months prior to the application submission date. The grant priority list is available as an addendum with the grant application at the start of each grant cycle at the address shown in paragraph (3)(2)(a) above.

(g) through (i) No change.

(j) Grant funding shall be limited to eligible equipment maintenance and warranty costs for a primary PSAP and one other PSAP per county; either a primary, a secondary or a backup.

(k)(j) No change.

(l) Grant funding for customer premise equipment shall be limited to eligible expenditures for a primary PSAP only.

(m) Any county that requires Board of County Commissioner approval of the grant program funding, prior to commencement of the project, shall notify the E911 Board in Application Form item #10.  Grant funds for approved grant applications will be held until the county provides written notification to the E911 Board of the Board of County Commissioners approval of the project prior to the funds being disbursed from the E911 Trust Fund.

(o)(k) Grantee counties must submit quarterly reports to the E911 Board, summarizing the expenditures and activities of the grant funds. The reports are due 30 days after the end of the reporting period, which ends March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31. Updated Grant Budget/Expenditure, Quarter Report Forms, Request for Change Forms, and Final Report Forms and associated information In lieu of submitting a signed quarterly Grant Budget/Expenditure and Quarterly Report Form, the updated form should can be e-mailed to: E911 [e-mail] the Board’s administrative/technical staff. The quarterly and final reports will be considered late if not received by the Board Staff prior to the next scheduled Board Meeting after the due date.

(p)(l) At project completion, a final report shall be submitted based on the same reporting periods described in paragraph (3)(a) above. The County shall determine the final completion date based on the final payment date or the initiation date of the warranty period. Final supporting documentation including copies of all expenditures and corresponding invoices shall be submitted within 90 days of the final report.

(m) through (q) renumbered (q) through (u) No change.

(4)(3) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 365.172(6)(a)11. FS. Law implemented 365.173(2)(g), 365.172(9)(a), (b), (c) FS. History–New 12-7-08, Amended 10-19-09, 4-15-10, 10-27-10, Formerly 60FF-5.002, Amended 7-17-11,_________.

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: E911 Board

NAME AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: E911 Board

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: June 16, 2011

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAW: September 16, 2011