Subject:
Title
Application to receive E911 trust fund monies from the State of Florida for VESTA Firewalls for Next Generation 9-1-1 Core Services.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval and execution by the County Administrator of the attached application certifying that monies received from the State of Florida will be used to upgrade the Vesta 9-1-1 Call Handling equipment firewalls required to accommodate the upgrade of the existing 9-1-1 call routing and delivery network to Next Generation 9-1-1 Core Services to meet state and national requirements.
• New firewalls are required to allow the existing Vesta 9-1-1 Call Handling equipment to accommodate the upgrade of the current 9-1-1 call routing network.
• This change will allow Pinellas County to be compliant with state requirements to implement the upgraded 9-1-1 call routing network technology by FY27.
• The new network will improve the accuracy of 911 call routing and delivery, disaster recovery, redundancy, operational flexibility, and interoperability with neighboring counties.
• State E911 grant funds exist to assist in funding these costs.
• This grant request will fund the one-time purchase of equipment and first-year maintenance and support for the installation of required firewalls.
• State of Florida requires application to be submitted no later than June 14, 2024.
• This grant was not anticipated for FY24 will need a budget amendment.
• Grant funds of $90,187.03, shall be provided on a cost reimbursement basis if the application is approved by the State of Florida E911 Board. No matching funds are associated with this grant.
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Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
2.1 Provide planning, coordination, prevention, and protective services to ensure a safe
and secure community
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and Our Customers
5.1 Maximize partner relationships and public outreach
5.3 Ensure effective and efficient delivery of county services and support
Summary:
The State Grant Program is provided to assist Florida counties with the provision of enhanced 911 systems including the network used to deliver 9-1-1 calls to designated public safety answering points (PSAPs) such as this Next Generation 9-1-1 Core Services network and the call handling equipment such as the current Vesta system. The E911 Board assists eligible counties through the E911 State Grant Program using E911 trust fund monies.
The application requires approval and signature from the County Administrator.
Background/Explanation:
The Pinellas County Regional 911 Center acts as the steward of all 911 Fee funding for Pinellas County including the five secondary PSAPs.
Grant monies received will be used for the purchase, implementation, and first year maintenance and support fees for upgraded firewalls required for the existing Vesta 9-1-1 Call Handling Equipment to accommodate Next Generation Core Services network to support routing and delivery of 9-1-1 calls. This will contribute to satisfying the requirement of network technology required by the state for 9-1-1 networks and increase the accuracy of caller location delivery, support interoperability, improve redundancy and disaster recovery, increase operational flexibility, and improve the opportunity for measuring performance.
Fiscal Impact:
Grant funds of $90,187.03, shall be provided on a cost reimbursement basis if the application is approved by the State of Florida E911 Board. No matching funds are associated with this grant. This grant was not anticipated during the development of the FY24 Adopted Budget. Therefore, if approved, a budget amendment will be required to recognize and appropriate the funds into the Emergency Communications E911 System Fund.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the County Administrator to sign this agreement is granted under Code Section 2-62 (a)(1).
Staff Member Responsible:
Judith Weshinskey-Price, Director, Regional 911 Division
James Fogarty, Bureau Director, Safety and Emergency Services
Partners:
State of Florida, E911 Board
Attachments:
E911 State Grant Application for Call Routing Firewalls
OMB Intent To Apply Accepted-9-1-1 State Grant Program-ID584