Office of Grants and Training 
Preparedness Directorate 

U.S. Department of Homeland Security 
Washington, DC 20531 


G&T Information Bulletin 
No. 248 March 20, 2007 


TO: 
All State Administrative Agency Heads 

 All State Administrative Agency Points of Contact 

 All State Administrative Agency Grant Points of Contact 

All State Homeland Security Directors 

All Urban Area Core City/Core County and State Points of Contact 

FROM: 
Corey D. Gruber 
Acting Assistant Secretary 

SUBJECT: 
Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) Grant Program 

On February 16, 2007, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Grants and 
Training and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) signed a 
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will have DHS administer the Public Safety 
Interoperable Communications (PSIC) Grant Program. The PSIC Grant Program will provide 
funding to qualified States and Territories in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 to enable and enhance public 
safety agencies’ interoperable communications capabilities. This program is being implemented 
by DHS and NTIA in accordance with the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 and Call Home Act of 
2006. DHS is providing this information in anticipation of the release of grant guidance in the 
coming months and issuance of grant awards by September 30, 2007, pursuant to the Call Home 
Act of 2006. 

As directed by Congress and consistent with the MOU, NTIA through DHS will award 
approximately $960 million in grants to qualified States and Territories in FY 2007 to capitalize 
on the auction and reallocation of radio spectrum for use by public safety agencies. Key features 
of the PSIC Grant Program will include: 

• 
PSIC grants will be awarded no later than September 30, 2007 and the period of 
performance is 36 months; 
• 
Up to 5 percent of the total funds will be available at award to ensure that Statewide 
Communications Interoperability Plans include consideration of the PSIC Grant Program 
requirements; 
• 
Remaining funds will be contingent upon submission and peer review of a Statewide 
Interoperable Communications Plan (Statewide Plan) and investment justifications and 
federal approval of applications and investment justifications; 
• 
Funding can be used for the acquisition of, deployment of, or training for, the use of 
interoperable communications systems that use or enable interoperability with 

communications systems that support the 764–776 MHz and 794–806 MHz frequency 
bands as well as other available technologies to advance overall public safety 
interoperability, so long as those technologies will enable first responders to interoperate 
with the 700 MHz band in the future; and 

• 
PSIC includes a statutory not-less-than 20 percent match. 
All States and Territories may submit preliminary Statewide Plans by September 30, 2007 for a 
mid-term review, and the final plans are due by November 1, 2007. These dates are revised 
deadlines from what was previously identified in the FY 2007 Homeland Security Grant 
Program (HSGP) in order to more closely align with the September 30, 2007 PSIC Grant 
Program award date, as directed by the Call Home Act of 2006. 

The Statewide Planning Workshop for Public Safety Interoperable Communications will be held 
in Los Angeles, California on March 21-23, 2007. This important workshop will be hosted by 
the National Governors Association (NGA) and the National Public Safety Telecommunications 
Council (NPSTC), and will revolve around discussions and workshops dealing with the 
Statewide Plan guidelines. In a letter sent to all Governors on January 12, 2007, all State and 
Territories were encouraged to designate a five-member team including State and local 
practitioners and policy makers to participate. Additionally, DHS is creating a technical 
assistance program specifically designed to support the statewide planning process in order to 
assist States and Territories in developing their Statewide Plans by the November 1, 2007 
deadline. 

Should you need additional information or have further questions regarding the PSIC Grant 
Program, please contact your Preparedness Officer or the Centralized Scheduling and 
Information Desk (CSID) at 1-800-368-6498.