Following the past eighteen months of nationwide initial consultation, FirstNet plans to increase information sharing, expand its coordination of efforts and enhance dialogue with stakeholders. FirstNet’s promise of an aggressive approach in achieving milestones is reflected in its outreach and consultation goals for 2016, which are:

• Expanding outreach and education with state, territorial, tribal, local, and public safety entities
• Obtaining input to inform State Plans and network deployment plans
• Preparing key state decision makers for their plan’s delivery and network deployment

During the first half of 2016, FirstNet hopes to participate in a governance meeting in the District with the Statewide Interoperability Executive Council (SIEC) and/or Interoperability Communications Committee (ICC). The FirstNet Regional III Lead will coordinate with the District SPOC. By offering updates, including on the FirstNet RFP, FirstNet hopes to continue building relationships and discussing opportunities or barriers to implementation with the District’s public safety and executive leadership and subject matter experts.

One new approach for FirstNet has been to form Consultation Task Teams (CTT) for specific issues, including prioritization and preemption of users on the network, defining and prioritizing public safety grade hardening requirements, and band 14 device design: FirstNet is asking SPOCs to form state level CTTs to review these and future topics. Regional webinars will be scheduled to coordinate efforts.

In the latter part of 2016, FirstNet proposes a two-three hour consultation meeting with key executives and public safety officials to brief on FirstNet updates in advance of issuing the draft state network plan in 2017. Updates will include acquisition, value proposition and business modeling, state plan framework, and the roadmap to state plan development.

FirstNet believes its upcoming activities will maximize state input.  The FirstNet Regional Lead will be the primary contact.  Region III, which includes the District, is represented by Lori Stone, who previously served in Maryland as the Acting SPOC and the Statewide Broadband Coordinator. .

District tasks related to consultation in 2016 include:

• Reviewing and updating the District’s 2016 outreach and education strategy
• Providing feedback on the FirstNet State Engagement Strategy
• Identifying subject matter experts willing to participat in CTTs
• Identifying additional audiences and individuals to reach during FirstNet outreach events
• Identifying District organized events where FirstNet attendees would be beneficial

Overall, as FirstNet wishes future consultation to touch on serious and practical issues, the goals for 2016 will be achieved by continued information sharing, mutual understanding of the consultation process, participation from the state-specific CTTs, and complementary and collaborative efforts between FirstNet and the states.