Finance & Management Committee
December 13, 2022
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Edward D. Reiskin FROM: Tony Batalla
City Administrator Director, IT Department
SUBJECT: CPUC LATA Grant Acceptance 2022 DATE: November 7, 2022
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To Accept And Appropriate Grant Funds In An Amount Of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) From The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Local Agency Technical Assistance Program To Fully Reimburse The City’s Costs Of A Last -Mile Broadband Connectivity Planning & Design Project For The Period Of November 2, 2022 To December 31, 2024.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Information Technology (IT) staff recommends that the Council approve of a resolution authorizing acceptance and appropriation of a $500,000.00 grant from the CPUC to fully reimburse the cost of a Last-Mile Broadband Connectivity Planning & Design Project. By accepting the grant, the City of Oakland commits to (1) update the 2019 Fiber Optic Master Plan and develop a Wireless Overlay Plan, (2) work with Last-Mile service providers to develop a Rooftop and Fiber Master License Agreements for utilizing City-owned infrastructure in public- private partnerships, (3) conduct a needs assessment to understand gaps in last-mile connectivity with a focus on Multi-Tenant Environments (MTEs); and (4) plan and design last- mile broadband infrastructure projects for priority underserved areas.
REASON FOR URGENCY
According to the grant award letter received by the City and submitted as an attachment to this report, dated November 2, 2022, the City must submit acceptance documents to the CPUC by the end of the 2022 calendar year, otherwise the award is void.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
The Local Agency Technical Assistance grants support tribes and local agencies in their efforts to expand broadband service to unserved and underserved Californians. Established by the CPUC according to Senate Bill 156, the program has a $50 million budget for grants including a $5 million set-aside for tribes. Technical assistance funding is for planning work that will facilitate high-speed broadband infrastructure projects. Eligible local agencies include any local Dec 7, 2022
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: CPUC LATA Grant Acceptance 2022
Date: November 7, 2022 Page 2
Finance & Management Committee
December 13, 2022
government agency authorized to provide broadband service in California. Individual agencies can be awarded up to a maximum of $500,000.00.
Funds will reimburse pre-construction expenses to provide broadband connections to unserved and underserved areas. Examples of expenses that may be reimbursed, include: consultant or staff time for environmental studies, network design, engineering studies, needs assessments, and broadband strategic plans.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
With Local Agency Technical Assistance funds, the City of Oakland will work with Kimley Horn Planning & Design Engineering consultants to plan and design projects to deploy and leverage fiber optic and wireless infrastructure to provide affordable, highspeed internet access to un/underserved areas of Oakland.
The project will build upon the City’s ongoing initiatives to improve equitable access to and adoption of highspeed broadband, including efforts to bring together the Oakland Unified School District, Oakland Housing Authority, and other key stakeholders to assess needs and address barriers to highspeed broadband access. These stakeholders are eager to develop plans to help secure funds from the unprecedented amount of broadband funding becoming available for fiber deployment projects.
To maximize this opportunity for the benefit of Oakland residents, Oakland needs to (1) establish a clear plan for leveraging existing city facilities and assets to increase connectivity and (2) develop a suite of construction-ready last-mile projects prioritized according to data and community input.
Phase 1 will focus on planning and development of high-priority fiber projects to connect City- owned facilities to resilient, carrier-grade broadband infrastructure in underserved areas. The project team will:
• Update the 2019 Fiber Optic Master Plan and develop an updated Fiber Project List; • Expand the scope of the Fiber Optic Master Plan to include a Wireless Element for the feasibility of constructing a fixed wireless, gigabit speed backhaul system to support last- mile connections to City facilities and institutions where residents, students, seniors, and other underserved residents can access highspeed internet; • Develop a Fiber Network Maintenance Plan for existing and new fiber assets; and • Draft a Rooftop Master License Agreement for licensing City-owned assets to wireless broadband providers in public-private partnerships.
Phase 2 will focus on the planning and design of last-mile broadband deployment projects to establish high-speed access for underserved residential areas and Multi-Tenant Environments (primarily apartment buildings). The project team will:
• Host workshops with community groups and City departments to inform a community vision for last-mile connectivity;
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: CPUC LATA Grant Acceptance 2022
Date: November 7, 2022 Page 3
Finance & Management Committee
December 13, 2022
• Conduct a needs assessment to analyze gaps in residential broadband service, including reviewing FCC coverage maps and California Interactive Broadband Maps for accuracy, surveying buildings, and studying the internal wiring of MTEs and initiating and executing “challenges” pursuant to Federal and State guidelines; • Execute agreements with partners to provide affordable, high speed last mile residential Internet service; and
• Design & construction plans for fiber optics projects throughout the City, as determined by the Master Plan.
Increasing access to and adoption of affordable residential Internet service directly supports the Citywide goals of Responsive, Trustworthy Government and Vibrant, Sustainable Infrastructure and, more broadly, has many other benefits, including community safety, wellbeing, and engagement.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this resolution will authorize the City of Oakland to accept and appropriate grant funds from the CPUC to fully reimburse the costs of the project submitted to the CPUC program and described within this report in an amount not to exceed $500,000.00.
Grant funds will be accepted and appropriated to a grant fund to be determined (TBD), Administrative Services Organization (46111), in a project to be determined (TBD), Technology Management Program (IP62).
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
The City can issue a press release to announce this award and begin the process of planning for multiple public workshops and meetings to develop the community-based broadband equity plan. Expanding affordable broadband access and adoption is of great interest to all Oaklanders.
COORDINATION
This report and legislation have been reviewed by the Office of the City Attorney, the Controller’s Bureau, and City Administrator’s Office.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: Access to affordable residential broadband increases microeconomic development by empowering residents to have more access to the economy and workforce development, including entrepreneurship, expanded job opportunities, recruitment, job training, networking, and many other benefits.
Environmental: Broadband networks and residential Internet service play an important role in the transition to cleaner economy by supporting technologies that reduce carbon emissions and save consumers money, including: smart thermostats, heat pumps, electric water heaters, and other appliances that connect to the home’s Internet service.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: CPUC LATA Grant Acceptance 2022
Date: November 7, 2022 Page 4
Finance & Management Committee
December 13, 2022
Race & Equity: Access to affordable residential broadband service in areas of East and West Oakland will address the social issues associated with the “Digital Divide,” which disproportionately impact Black, Brown, and immigrant communities in Oakland.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To Accept And Appropriate Grant Funds In An Amount Of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) From The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Local Agency Technical Assistance Program To Fully Reimburse The City’s Costs Of A Last-Mile Broadband Connectivity Planning & Design Project For The Period Of November 2, 2022 To December 31, 2024.
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For questions regarding this report, please contact Tony Batalla, Information Technology Director at 510-238-3319.
Respectfully submitted,
TONY BATALLA
Director, Information Technology Department
Attachment (1):
A. Grant Award Letter, dated 11/2/2022