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CONTRACT NO. K-1213-179: A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE OKLAHOMA OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY REGARDING GRANT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $175,000 RECEIVED FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO BE ASSIGNED TO THE OKLAHOMA STATE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (OSBI) TO CONTINUE SUPPORT OF INFORMATION SHARING AND EXCHANGE SYSTEMS.
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BACKGROUND: In most instances, the United States Department of Homeland Security guidelines require 80% of grant funds to be awarded to local units of government. If approved by the City of Norman and the other Oklahoma partner local units of government of Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Stillwater, a portion of the funds may be retained by the State if those funds are to be used for the benefit of local units of government. In order to accomplish this, the State must obtain an agreement with all partner cities through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as part of the state's application for the grant. The City of Norman or other partner local units of government will not receive funds from this grant now but could be offered a portion as sub-grantees later in the year if the state grant application is approved. This MOU, and similar MOUs from the other partner units of local government, is required for the state's grant application.
DESCRIPTION: The City of Norman is an important partner in the State of Oklahoma's Fusion Center. The Fusion Center is a central repository of law enforcement sensitive information that is housed and managed by OSBI. Other local partners include the City of Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Stillwater.
The Norman Police Department employs a fusion center analyst using funding provided in a direct grant from the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security (OKOHS) to the City of Norman. In addition, Norman PD is actively involved in the Oklahoma Automated Secure Information Sharing System (OASIS) and the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Information Exchange (OKLeX). These initiatives provide state and local law enforcement professionals with important tools to facilitate better communication and timely access to critical data.
The OKOHS has designated $175,000 in Local FY 2012 FEMA/DHS grant funding for the sustainment of various information sharing initiatives to pay salaries, benefits and related costs including training of five fusion center analysts and one Critical Infrastructure/Key Resource position. These expenditures will directly benefit the citizens of Norman as well as citizens throughout the entire state.
While much of the prior year information sharing systems cost has been paid using "State" homeland security funding (in addition to OSBI's significant direct and indirect investment in these programs using OSBI's State of Oklahoma budgeted funding), an ever decreasing federal homeland security funding level makes continued funding of system sustainment impossible without the use of local homeland security funding.
The OKOHS respectfully requests that this MOU be approved so they can continue to provide resources that will benefit the entire State. This MOU will assign $175,000 in grant funds to OSBI and OKOHS to fund continuing maintenance, expansion and support of information sharing initiatives, including but not limited to the Fusion Center, OASIS and OKLeX. The OSBI will be responsible for grant accounting and reporting.
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that this MOU be signed and returned to the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security.