March 4th meeting minutes - Department of Management Services

							                          ARRA Broadband Strategy and Planning Meeting
                                        March 4, 2010
                              Department of Management Services (DMS)
                                   Division of Telecommunications
                                      Building 4030, Room 225A
                                               3:30 p.m.


Meeting attendees:

Charles Ghini, Director of Telecommunications, Department of Management Services
Greg Shafer, Public Utilities Supervisor, Florida Public Service Commission
Linda Fuchs, EOG
Mark Flynn, DOS
Tabitha Hunter, PSC
Dr. Christopher Sullivan, AHCA
M Bridget Merrill, Enterprise Florida
Bill Price, PM, DMS

Absent:
Judi Ring-DOS
Major Steven Williams-HSMV
David Faulkenberry-DMS

Other attendees on conference call

Meeting hand-outs:
   1. Meeting agenda
   2. Connect Florida, Monthly Status Report - 1

        ARRA = American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
        BDIA = Broadband Data Improvement Act
        BTOP = Broadband Technology Opportunities Program
        BIP = Broadband Initiative Program
        NTIA = National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Dept. of Commerce
        RUS = Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
        NOFA = Notice of Funding Availability
        FCC = Federal Communications Commission
        RACEC – Rural Area of Critical Economic Concern
Meeting summary (action items underlined):

   1. Introductory remarks

   2. The January 14, 2010 minutes can be found on our website.

           a. Minutes from January 14th were approved with no comment

   3. General recap on the status of Round 1 awards

           a. Linda Fuchs: There have been BTOP awards in Florida; North Florida Broadband received
               $30.1M, L3 received $2M, School Board of Miami Dade for adoption $3.5M, No PCC
               applications has been funded.

   4. Broadband mapping and planning projects update and discussion

           a. Bill Price: The mapping project is underway with progress being made. The Department
               has requested an extension of 1 month from the end of March to the end of April for a
               100% complete data set deliverable to NTIA. The website for the mapping project is up
               and can be found at www.connect-florida.org. At this time all broadband providers
               reached are cooperating. The broadband planning award is still in the planning stages
               with a Departmental RFQ released on the State Management Consulting Contract.

   5. BTOP Round 2 update and discussion

           a. The 3 RACECs, DMS and Connected Nation are filing a round 2 adoption application for
              the 28 RACEC counties. There is also a round 2 infrastructure application being
              developed by Florida LambdaRail in partnership with the education community. The
              South Central and Northwest RACECs are filing a joint infrastructure application as well.

   6. Any legislation being considering for this coming Legislative Session

           a. None that the group is aware of.

   7. FCC National Broadband Plan Discussion

           a. Mark Flynn: There are generalities released about the upcoming plan due out on March
              17th. There are big changes in the works for the E-Rate program as well as the Universal
              Service Fund. There is already controversy. Expectations are that there will be
              Universal Service Fund reform to expand eligible services, providers, and who is covered
              such as health care and public safety. Greg Shafer: The State has attempted to mirror
              the federal program with matching funds for lifeline services in the past. There is
              discussion about changing the USF fund from POTS service to broadband as well. MF:
              There is discussion of new congressional appropriations with the plan that may be in
              addition to the Universal Service Fund. GS: The plan will be followed by detailed rule
              making to establish details for plan execution and management. This may open up
              many USF issues that have remained unresolved for 7 years or more that will slow the
              process down. Charles Ghini: For E-Rate, Florida can be better positioned, E-Rate is a
              difficult and complex program. MF: Department of State Libraries filed comments on E-
                  Rate simplification with the American Libraries Association (ALA). There has been no
                  response from those comments from the FCC. Christopher Sullivan: AHCA made
                  suggestions as well on the FCC rural health care program. CG: I would propose that the
                  workgroup work together and provide the FCC with further comments on the plan.



    8. Question & Answer time for Audience participants

            a. There were none at this time.

    9. Next meeting announced

NOTE: For Work Group announcements and information click into Broadband Initiative at:
http://dms.myflorida.com/suncom/broadband_initiative_arra

Next Meeting:

April 1st, 2010