In trying to build that model policy, the National Coordination Office for Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) has put out a call asking for public input regarding their report, Smart Cities and Communities Federal Strategic Plan: Exploring Innovation Together. The NITRD’s members include representatives from numerous federal agencies, including the departments of commerce, defense, energy and several others.
The goal of the plan, which is just the first step in developing the federal strategy, is to accelerate the development and implementation of new smart city discoveries that enable cities and communities to achieve local goals and address their most important challenges. Those breakthroughs will also be chronicled for other cities to follow the model. By creating a unified report about how and where to lay Internet-connected sensors or create ideal local policy on connected infrastructure, the final plan could rapidly increase the rate at which smart city projects are completed.
The central goals of the report include:
- accelerating smart city/community infrastructure development;
- creating an international model for smart city development;
- facilitating cross-sector collaboration and bridging existing silos;
- focusing on people-centered solutions that support job growth and economic competitiveness; and
- understanding local needs and goals.