Title
CONTRACT K-1718-67: A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE OKLAHOMA OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY REGARDING GRANT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $680,873 RECEIVED FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO BE ASSIGNED TO THE OKLAHOMA STATE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (OSBI) TO CONTINUE SUPPORT OF THE STATEWIDE INFORMATION SHARING AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION PROJECTS.
Body
BACKGROUND: Generally, the United States Department of Homeland Security guidelines require 80% of grant funds to be awarded to local units of government. However, the State can retain a portion of those local funds if approved by a local agency for the benefit of local units of government. MOU’s have been utilized for the building of the Regional Response System, Interoperability, Information Sharing, and Citizen Preparedness with various local jurisdictions throughout the state, with previous City of Norman MOU’s being for the Information Sharing and Critical Infrastructure projects. If approved by the City of Norman, 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 a partner city 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 as the projects they support benefit all of the local agencies, not just a specific one. Through the grant cycle, however, some funds may be distributed to local units of government through individual sub awards. This MOU and similar MOUs from other partner units of local government, is required for the state’s grant application.
DISCUSSION: 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 the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI). Other local partners include the City of Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Stillwater.
The Norman Police Department employs a Crime Analyst which for years was funded through a sub-grant from the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security. With the reduction of grant funding nationwide, that position is now totally funded by 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.
OKOHS has designated $680,873 in Local FY 2017 Homeland Security Grant local funding for the sustainment of various information sharing initiatives to pay salaries, benefits and related costs including training of fusion center analysts and Critical Infrastructure/Key Resource positions. These expenditures will directly benefit the citizens of Norman as well as citizens throughout the entire state.
As in previous years, much of the information sharing systems costs are 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), a decreasing federal homeland security funding level makes continued funding of system sustainment impossible without the continued use of local homeland security funding.
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 $680,873 in grant funds to OSBI and OKOHS to fund continuing maintenance, expansion and support of information sharing, and critical infrastructure 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.