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2020 Special Session I

Budget Amendments - SB5015 (Committee Approved)

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STARS Procurement Report - Language Only (language only)

Item C-56 #1s

Item C-56 #1s

Public Safety and Homeland Security
Department of State Police

Language

Page 228, line 10, strike "Not set out." and insert:


Amendment drawn to Chapter 1289.


"A. This appropriation is the second and third of a four year allocation to implement an upgrade program for the Statewide Agencies Radio System (STARS) project. It may consist of, but is not limited to, land; mobile telecommunications equipment and towers; software; radio frequency rights and licenses; communications control buildings and facilities; related infrastructure; program management; and other project costs necessary, incidental or convenient to undertake, acquire, develop, construct, upgrade, and equip the integrated statewide shared land-mobile radio communications system for the Commonwealth.


B.1. It is the intent of the General Assembly that the Statewide Agencies Radio System (STARS) that is managed by the Department of State Police for the purpose of interoperable communications among law enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth during critical public safety events, be procured competitively and with non-proprietary technology, in order to maximize efficiency and participation among law enforcement users.


2. Notwithstanding Item C-56 of Chapter 1289, 2020 Acts of Assembly, or Items C-34.10 and C-34.20 of Chapter 854, 2019 Acts of Assembly, the Department of State Police shall not procure any major technology or hardware upgrades or replacements of the existing system until after the report directed in paragraph B.3. of this item is presented to the General Assembly and further authorization is made in an Appropriation Act.


3. The Department of State Police, in collaboration with the Chief Information Officer of the Virginia Information Technology Agency, shall submit a report to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees by December 18, 2020, which includes the following information: (i) An update on the status of all equipment owned by the Department and when it was purchased or replaced; (ii) A discussion of recent procurement efforts for replacement of the STARS system, which details the components based on standard “Project-25” (P-25) technology and any components which were bid based on non-standard (P-25) technology; (iii) An updated estimate on the total cost of upgrading the system based on P-25 technology, as well as an overview of annual operating expenses and FTEs and wage employees assigned to manage the system."



Explanation

(This amendment directs the Department of State Police to report on the procurement of a replacement for the Statewide Agencies Radio System. The amendment also prohibits further action on the existing procurement with funding that was authorized in Chapters 854 of the 2019 Acts of Assembly, and Chapter 1289 of the 2020 Acts of Assembly, until submission of the report required and further authorization is granted in a future Appropriation Act.)