Application to DHCD Submitted through CAMS Pulaski County Serve Pulaski County Unserved Last Mile Broadband - Phase One Application ID: 64508312019091002 Application Status: Pending Program Name: Virginia Telecommunications Initiative 2020 Organization Name: Pulaski County Organization Address: 143 Third St, NW Pulaski, VA 24301-4900 Profile Manager Name: Jared Linkous Profile Manager Phone: (540) 980-7710 Profile Manager Email: [email protected] Project Name: Serve Pulaski County Unserved Last Mile Broadband - Phase One Project Contact Name: Jonathan Sweet Project Contact Phone: (540) 980-7710 Project Contact Email: [email protected] Project Location: 143 Third Street Pulaski, VA 24301-4900 Project Service Area: Pulaski County Total Requested Amount: $612,475.00 Required Annual Audit Status: Pending Review 9/4/2019 1:50:08 PM Pages: 1 of 17 Application to DHCD Submitted through CAMS Pulaski County Serve Pulaski County Unserved Last Mile Broadband - Phase One Budget Information: Cost/Activity Category DHCD Request Other Funding Total Telecommunications $612,475.00 $410,000.00 $1,022,475.00 Construction $342,900.00 $235,600.00 $578,500.00 Construction Related Soft Costs $122,049.00 $80,400.00 $202,449.00 Other: Equipment, Redundancy $147,526.00 $94,000.00 $241,526.00 Total: $612,475.00 $410,000.00 $1,022,475.00 Budget Narrative: The total cost of the last mile broadband shovel ready project is $1,022,475. The project includes network design, engineering, and configuration for a cost of $ 100,000; Network Operations Center with permitting, port, rack shelf, generator, point to point backhaul, mounts, laptop, fiber ports, supplies, and labor at a cost of $39,000; Peaks Knob tower point to point connections for line of sight for two new towers at a cost of $28,500; construction of Hiwasee tower at the Hiwasee Volunteer Fire Department with fence, permitting, generator, point to point backhaul, APs, Act-5, whitespace, antennas, light, mounts, NEMA box, and labor cost of $275,000; construction of Snowville tower at the Snowville Volunteer Fire Department with fence, permitting, generator, point to point backhaul, APs, Cat-5, whitespace, antennas, light, mounts, NEMA box, and labor at a cost of $275,000; redundancy equipment at a cost of $25,000; and relay and repeater and other at cost of $304,975. Pulaski County has committed $100,000 for Network Operations Center, point to point, and towers. The remaining portion of the other funding for construction, construction related soft costs, and other is being provided in the amount of $185,000 by All Points and $125,000 by Trificient. Questions and Responses: 1. Project Area Explain why and how the project area(s) was selected. Describe theproposed geographic area including specific boundaries of the project area (e.g. street names, local and regional boundaries, etc.). Attach a copy of the map of your project area(s). Label map: Attachment 1 –Project Area Map. Answer: Selection Process The proposed project area was selected as it meets VATI qualifications and criteria, benefits from existing County owned assets, represents an incremental expansion of local Internet service provider, and furthers implementing the County's Comprehensive Telecommunications Plan. In the last quarter of 2016, Pulaski County completed a Telecommunications Strategic Plan funded by VAPTI to assess needs, provide a gap analysis, and determine strategies for broadband deployment options in unserved areas of the County to take the next step to establish a partnership with interested existing service providers. In the Strategic Plan, 27 potential site locations were analyzed by County engaged consultants for wireless service options and narrowed down to six priority sites to recommend strategies for improvement. The Strategic Plan also designated priority areas of the County by identifying service gaps, areas without service or service was slow or unreliable, to define the unserved and underserved areas of Pulaski County. The Community Broadband Telecommunications Planning Study Final Report dated September 30, 2016 identifies the project area and 9/4/2019 1:50:08 PM Pages: 2 of 17 Application to DHCD Submitted through CAMS Pulaski County Serve Pulaski County Unserved Last Mile Broadband - Phase One need. Hiwasee and Snowville were among the six priority areas selected for target efforts due to low density and low service availability as referenced on page 15 of the report. The report also indicates on page 28, Figure ES-K that the area is outside the boundary of publicly provided incumbent service regions. Since the completion of the report, there has only been incremental service expansion. The report also notes that middle mile access is unavailable in the area and would remain so without public funding. Following the County's analysis of the six priority sites in the report, the County determined that the Hiwasee and Snowville areas will be the project area designated for the first phase of last mile broadband deployment to construct towers at Hiwasee Volunteer Fire Department and Snowville Volunteer Fire Department with line of sight to Peaks Knob tower to provide Internet access and improve public safety first responder communications to community and address community anchor institution needs for broadband service as well as the needs of more than 6,000 residents, and 3,100 building units in this three mile radius area. The County and its partner, All Points evaluated the project area and are committed to completing the project in 12 months. Description of Geographic Area The proposed geographic area is known as Hiwasee and Snowville as indicated in the public notice. The area lies in the southeastern and southwestern portion of Pulaski County off of Interstate 81 in designated growth and development areas, encompassing Routes 100 to the West, 693 to the South, 794, 787, and 619 to the East, and Route 11 to the North. The area includes Hiwasee south of Interstate 81 north of Draper near the intersection of Lowerman Ferry Road and Chestnut Ridge Road along Beamer Hollow Road and in the Miller Lane/Jennings Road/Old Mill Road intersections known as the Pea Creek region. The project area also incudes the southeast quadrant of the County at the Shelburne Road and Burma Road area along Simpkinstown Road/Greenhouse Road/Gum Log Road area. County demographic and survey data has been based on Census tract reporting. The road descriptions generally follow Census Tract 511552105 border. Propagation used is to relatively more densely populated sections closer to the river and away from the County's border. In addition, during the public notice period, the project's infrastructure was densified and targeted to increase take rate and serviceability. The map of the project area is attached and labeled Attachment 1 - Project Area Map. 2. Describe your outreach efforts to identify existing providers in the selected project area. Provide a detailed explanation of how this information was compiled and the source(s). Provide a map and list of all existing providers (fixed and wireless) and speeds offered within the project area. Label Map: Attachment 2 – Existing Provider Map; label documentation: Attachment 3 – Documentation on CAF Funding Area. Answer: Outreach Effort to Existing Providers Pulaski County contacted and included existing providers in its community broadband telecommunications strategic planning project keeping all existing providers informed of its efforts for this project. In issuing and soliciting three Requests for Proposals over more than a 20-month period, interested service providers responded to partner with the County to provide phase one last mile broadband deployment. Other wireless broadband service providers in or near the three mile radius proposed project area are Comcast and Verizon. While Comcast provides DSL and cable modem services near the project area, Comcast has verbally acknowledged that the project is not in an area Comcast plans for improvements. Verizon provides DSL and cable modem services in a small area of the project with no plans for improvements. Comcast and Verizon offer limited DSL and cable modem services that do not adequately address the need for bandwidth by residents, businesses, and community anchor institutions located in the project area nor to meet public safety communication needs. All providers in the proposed service area are shown on the FCC National Broadband map. The map shows every census tract has multiple providers. What the map does not show is how many customers each provider services in each census tract. The map does not show the speeds and consistency of connection. The compilation of services offered are misleading as the County has patiently worked with existing service providers over the years and inquiring when they plan to extend service in their footprint. Service provider answers have ranged from "never" to "do not have any plans at this time" or will comment when review grant application public comment period. The County has received no comments from existing service providers. All Points, the County's partner provides service to a nearby area 9/4/2019 1:50:08 PM Pages: 3 of 17 Application to DHCD Submitted through CAMS Pulaski County Serve Pulaski County Unserved Last Mile Broadband - Phase One offering 25Mpbs/5Mpbs service in area that can see Peaks Knob and are interested in expanding coverage. Other existing service providers when contacted by the County would not provide information on their coverage and/or future expansion plans. As a result of the County's Request for Proposals issued this year, All Points proposal was accepted as the County's ISP partner to expand in the project area and to serve as co-applicant. The maps detailing existing providers information within the project area are attached and labeled as Attachment 2 - Existing Provider Map and Attachment 3 - Documentation on CAF Funding Area. The County acknowledges that Virginia Everywhere, LLC (dba All Points Broadband) is listed as providing 15Mpbs/4Mpbs.