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Report regarding a resolution authorizing the acceptance of $266,185 in grant funding from California Public Utilities Commission for Local Agency Technical Assistance for the development of a Broadband Master Plan and Fiber Optic Design Project, and amending the Information Technology Department’s Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Operating Budget via Budget Amendment 23.036. (Tony Barrera, Director of Information Technology)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the acceptance of $266,185 in grant funding from the California Public Utilities Commission for Local Agency Technical Assistance (LATA) in the development of a Broadband Master Plan and Fiber Optic Design Project and amend Information Technology Department’s Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Operating Budget via Budget Amendment 23.036.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The City of South San Francisco’s (“City”) Information Technology Department has been awarded $266,185 from the California Public Utilities Commission for LATA to develop a Broadband Master Plan and Fiber Optic Design Project documents which will be used for future construction and installation. The Broadband Master Plan will provide the City a 10-year plan to improve City connectivity between facilities, prepare for Smart City initiatives, and assist in creating Public Private Partnerships with local carriers. In addition to the Master Plan, the grant funds will also be used to create construction documents to install fiber optic strands in City-owned conduits. The City conduits extend from the Corporation Yard to the Westborough Area, and will be used to connect City facilities and traffic cabinets, as well as support high speed broadband connections with symmetrical 100Mb download and upload speeds. The City also intends to use the fiber optic strands to expand the public Wi-Fi network in the Westborough area to help bridge the digital divide, and lease the strands to carriers as an incentive for them to build and expand their networks.
The City must submit a consent form binding the organization to the terms of the grant, and a Government Agency Taxpayer Identification form. The forms must be submitted by December 23, 2022.
FISCAL IMPACT
The original funding source for the Fiber Design Project were allocated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds in the amount of $149,660. ARPA funds will now be reassigned to the unallocated ARPA account. The LATA Grant funds will be used to amend Information Technology Department’s current FY 22-23 Operating Budget per Budget Amendment 23.036.
RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC PLAN
Grant funding to develop a Broadband Master Plan and Fiber Optic Design documents is an action item in the city’s Strategic Plan under Priority #2: Quality of Life.
CONCLUSION
The City has received grant funding to develop a Broadband Master Plan and Fiber Optic design documents, an essential component that will lay the foundation to expand Broadband strategically throughout the City. It is recommended that the City Council accept $266,185 in grant funding and amend the Information Technology Department’s FY 22-23 Operating Budget via Budget Amendment 23.036.