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Chief Administrative Office recommending the Board approve and authorize the Purchasing Agent, or designee, to execute Amendment 2 to contract 248 with NEO Fiber, Inc., doing business as NeoConnect, to extend the contract term to December 31, 2018, with no change in the contract amount, for the Broadband Needs Assessment and Feasibility Study for El Dorado County.
FUNDING: Federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) Grant (50%) and General Fund (50%).
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The contract with NeoConnect for the provision of a Broadband Feasibility Study was executed on September 20, 2017 with a one year term. The consultant is continuing their research and Broadband Ad Hoc Committee meetings have been scheduled throughout August 2018, with the expectation that NeoConnect will provide a presentation to the Board along with their final findings and recommendation in mid-September 2018. An extension of the contract term to December 31, 2018 will allow for completion of final work within the current scope of the contract as well as financial close out and completion of reporting/reimbursement requirements to the EDA. Available funding from the EDA has already been extended to December 31, 2018.
Project Background
On September 1, 2015, following a presentation on the state of Broadband infrastructure in the County, the Board established a Broadband Technical Advisory Committee to work on broadband issues and appointed two Board members to that Ad Hoc Committee (Legistar 15-1020).
On January 12, 2016, the Board adopted Resolution 013-2016, approving the submittal of an application for an Economic Development Agency (EDA) Planning Program and Local Technical Assistance Program Grant for the purposes of completing a Broadband feasibility study (Legistar 16-0006, version 1).
On September 27, 2016 the Board authorized acceptance of a $75,000 grant award from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) Planning Program and Local Technical Assi...
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