Alexandria, Va. – The Association for Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International timely submitted comments that were due Friday, June 15 to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in response to the Agency’s Request for Information (RFI) on the development of the state and local implementation grant program.

Pursuant to the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, NTIA is charged with implementing the grant program to assist state and local governments in planning for a single, nationwide interoperable public safety broadband network (PSBN). NTIA intends to use the input from the comments received on the RFI to inform the development of programmatic requirements to govern the state and local planning grants program. NTIA must establish requirements for this program not later than August 22, 2012.

With its considerable experience and expertise concerning public safety communications, APCO seized on the opportunity afforded by NTIA to help shape this important grant program designed to assist state, regional, tribal, and local jurisdictions with identifying, planning, and implementing the most efficient and effective means to use and integrate the infrastructure, equipment, and other architecture associated with the nationwide PSBN to satisfy the wireless and data services needs of their jurisdictions.

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About APCO International™ (www.apcointl.org)

APCO International is the world’s largest organization of public safety communications professionals.  It serves the needs of public safety communications practitioners worldwide – and the welfare of the general public as a whole – by providing complete expertise, professional development, technical assistance, advocacy and outreach.

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