This is the first year that the PSIC grant program has been made available and each award recipient was required to cover more than one jurisdiction and be multi-disciplined. Applicants were selected through a competitive process involving submitting a Request for Proposal (RFP). Each agency receiving PSIC funds was required to meet and document a 20 percent statutory match requirement for each project during a period of 27 months.
The grants are made available from funds administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The PSIC Grant Program is a formula-based, matching grant program intended to enhance interoperable communications with respect to voice, data, and/or video signals. PSIC provides public safety agencies with the opportunity to achieve meaningful and measurable improvements to the state of public safety communications interoperability through the full and efficient use of all telecommunications resources.
Earlier this year when the PSIC grant program was announced, New York State was awarded $60 million, $34 million of which was awarded to the New York City urban area.
The following jurisdictions will receive PSIC grants:
Monroe County - $2,607,000
Wayne County - $1,629,519.20
Tompkins County - $68,000
Rockland County - $600,000
Orange County - $1,372,500
Ontario County - $448,560
Erie County - $1,612,439
Otsego County - $335,440
Allegany County - $1,700,475.96
City of Watertown - $901,600
The remaining $14 million of the federal grant is being utilized by the state to support interoperable communication initiatives. One of these initiatives includes six interoperable vehicles assigned to the State Emergency Management Office (SEMO).
