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BACKGROUND The ACFD and the fire service agencies in the cities of Alameda, Fremont, Livermore- Pleasanton, Newark, and Union City are Regional Partners (Partners) in providing fire and life-safety services throughout Alameda County (County). The Partners currently operate on different radio systems, which critically weaken the region's daily operations. Acting as the lead agency, the ACFD and its Partners co-developed a Regional Operations and Safety grant proposal, which was submitted to the Assistance to Firefighter's Grant (AFG) Program. The AFG is a federal grant program, which provides supplemental funding for projects that meet priorities established by the DHS. The proposal was successful in explaining how AFG funding will assist the Partners in meeting at least three of the DHS priorities: enhanced national capabilities; interoperability; and risk based prioritization. The DHS priorities will be met through the purchase of portable radio equipment that will improve the exchange of critical communications; the development of regional short and long term goals, activities, and standardized training programs consistent with California's State Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP); and by leveraging existing resources to strategically invest in continued enhancement of regional communications, such as the East Bay Regional Communication Systems (EBRCS). The City and Livermore are members of the EBRCS Consortium, which is comprised of ten East Bay counties that have agreed to leverage and pay a share of costs to build and sustain a multimillion dollar communications infrastructure. In support of the EBRCS project, the Consortium has made a commitment that each of its respective agencies will move toward equipment that is Project-25 (P25) compliant. The goal of P25 is to establish standards that allow radios to interoperate regardless of manufacturer, thus increasing the ability of fire, police and other emergency responders to disseminate and exchange information in the timeliest manner available. DISCUSSION Radio communications equipment has been budgeted, by both the City and Livermore, as part of the equipment replacement and upgrade requirements associated with the EBRCS project. The LPFD will need to replace and/or upgrade mobile and base radio equipment, including one hundred-twenty-four (124) portable radios. The grant will fund 80% of the portable radio communications equipment up to a cost of $1,036,996. The total project estimate is $1,052,168, which exceeds the AFG funding limit by $15,172. Each Partner will proportionately share any costs that exceed the grant funding limits, as well as the 20% grant matching fund requirement. The cost share for the forty-four (44) portable radios that will be purchased for the LPFD is 15% of the total equipment purchase; therefore, a grant match of $30,217 plus the LPFD share of expenses that exceed the grant fund limit, $2,210, will be equally shared by the City and Livermore. This purchase will satisfy 35% of the City's EBRCS portable radio need, for the LPFD, and reduce the overall cost share for portable radio purchases in support of that project by $60,434. Page 2 of 3