1. Interoperable Communications Technical Assistance Program
ICTAP Program
Interoperable Communications Technical Assistance Program
Tactical Interoperable Communications Plan
August 18, 2005

2. ICTAP Mission
The mission of the Interoperable Communications Technical Assistance Program (ICTAP) is to provide free technical assistance to enhance interoperable communications between local, State, and Federal emergency responders and public safety officials to cities and States that have received grants from the Department of Homeland Security.

3. ICTAP Goals
Enhance Public Safety Interoperability with regard to WMD terrorism threats
Provide capability for individuals and agencies to communicate with whom they need to whenever, and wherever required.
Leverage existing Federal, State and local on-going efforts whenever possible.
To provide end-to-end planning, system design, implementation and follow-up services.

4. Current ICTAP Sites

5. ICTAP Services Facilitation of strategic plans
Development of interagency work processes
Development of representative working groups
Regional strategic coordination for multiple UA’s and/or States
Coordination of urban area and national policy issues
Policy
Services

6. Needs Analysis Services
ICTAP Services
Inventory existing interoperable communications equipment, procedures, and capabilities
Map interoperable communications capabilities and methods
Conduct a communications gap analysis
Model current & proposed interoperable communications capability performance
Develop IC tabletop exercises
Needs Analysis Services

7. ICTAP Services
Draft updates to operating procedures and communications plans
Conduct coverage analyses
Evaluate communications sites
Evaluate interoperable communications technologies
Conduct system feasibility studies
Evaluate procurement documents
Coordinate host site agreements
Solutions Services

8. Implementation & Interoperability Services
ICTAP Services
Develop Tactical Interoperability Communications Plans
Document SOPs, MOUs, MOAs
Provide engineering advice and best practices
Develop test and training scenarios
Conduct tabletop exercises
Coordinate NIMS training
Implementation & Interoperability Services

9. ICTAP Team
Office of State & Local Government Coordination and Preparedness (SLGCP)
Urban Area Security Initiative
ICTAP program oversight
Lafayette Group & SEARCH
Planning & Operational Support
Program management support for ODP
Local government / public safety coordination
U.S. Navy (SSC-SD)
Engineering Support
Engineering/Technical support
Technical design and Implementation
Invertix Corporation
Programmatic Support
Strategic Planning

10. Tactical Interoperable Communications Plan (TICP)
All UASI sites (as well as designated jurisdictions within states that do not have a UASI) are required to develop a Tactical Interoperable Communications Plan
FY 2005 Grant Guidance

11. Tactical Interoperability
Must be rapidly deployable at any time (24/7)
Should be fully operational within an hour of an incident occurring.
Requires oversight by trained Communications Unit Leaders, as defined within the NIMS, to support equipment deployment.
May be provided through the use of common equipment (common channels, cached radios or shared systems) or a gateway between dissimilar systems and/or radio frequency bands;
Should always be in support of long-term interoperability by building upon or accelerating long-term strategies and efforts.

12. Tactical Plan Requirements
Plan must achieve tactical interoperable communications across all jurisdictions in the urban area.
ODP will release specific guidance on the tactical interoperable communications requirement in the National Planning Guidance this month. (April 1, 2005)
Grantees will have twelve months from the release of the guidance to develop the tactical interoperable communications plan. (May 1, 2006)
Grantees will have one year following the submission of the tactical interoperable communications plan to validate the plan as part of the cycle of multi-jurisdictional exercise activities required for the IED scenario. (May 1, 2007)

13. TICP Plan. Guidance and Template
Developing a Tactical Interoperable
Communications Plan and Validation
TICP Plan. Guidance and Template
Released
April 1, 2005
Site’s
Submit
TCIP
May 1, 2005
Tabletop
(Operational)
Exercise
Live IED
Exercise
Validation
May 1, 2007
Document TICP
12 months
Validate TICP
12 months
TICP Milestones

14. Plan Components Site Overview Governance Structure
Interoperable Equipment
Equipment Policies and Procedures
Incident Communications Resource Plan
Communications Unit Leader Training

15. TICP Template

16. Governance Structure UAWG Operational Working Group:
Responsible for determining operational and training requirements
Technical Working Group:
Responsible for identifying existing interoperable equipment and methods
Reviewing existing SOPs and apply as appropriate to anticipated incidents.
Developing formal written guidelines and checklists (SOPs), preferably by type of incident (including each element of CBRNE);
Ensuring that SOPs and checklists follow ICS/NIMS standards.
Coordinating agency participating in NIMS Communication Unit Leader training.
Coordinating with Technical Working Group as appropriate to include technical guidelines and checklists into written plans.
Evaluating alternative solutions to address unmet needs for communications interoperability during potential incident types.
Reviewing potential solutions with the Operational Working Group to identify the most appropriate ones for anticipated types of incidents
Prepare solution recommendations and budgets for adoption by the Governance Group.

17. TICP Governance Structure
Recommended Components
TICP Full Committee
(Governance Group)
Operational
Working Group
Technical
UAWG
(or equivalent)
Review and
Sign Off Authority
Coordinate and
Draft Plan
Develop Incident Comms Plan based on IED Scenario
Compile Equipment
Information
Develop Equipment Policies & Procedures
Coordinate Training Plan

18. TICP Templates

19. Collect Interoperable Equipment
Collect pertinent information on interoperable equipment
Cached Radios
Gateways
Shared Channels
Shared Systems
ICTAP will meet with agency POCs to collect information
Following TICP submission, data will be entered into CASM and can be updated / expanded through the web-based ICTAP Data Collection Tool

20. Data Collection Forms for TICP
Consistent with TICP Template
MS Word Form document
Insert directly into TICP
Pull-down menus
Form for each Category:
Swap Radios
Shared Channel
Gateway
Shared System
Instructions & Guidance in separate pdf file
Help on each field by pressing F1
ICTAP has created forms to assist Urban Areas in collecting relevant information on Interoperable Communications Equipment

21. TICP Template
Section 4. Policies & Procedures for Interoperable Equipment
For each category of Equipment, document, as appropriate:
Technology Overview
Rules of Use
Interoperable Communications Request
Procedures
Equipment Activation
Equipment Deactivation
Problem ID and Resolution

22. Equipment Policies & Procedures
Will be documented / developed for all interoperable equipment in the UASI
Policies will address operational aspects such as:
Rules of Use
Interoperable Communications Request
Equipment Activation
Equipment Deactivation
Problem ID and Resolution
ICTAP will facilitate meetings to
develop policies and provide examples
from other agencies.

23. TICP Templates

24. Incident Communications Resource Plan
Detail what method or specific interoperability resources will be used for multi-agency communications during an incident
Plan will address communications for the following specific sections as defined by ICS
Incident Command Staff
Operations Section
Planning Section
Logistics Section
ICTAP will facilitate meetings to
develop plan based on analysis
of equipment lists and policies/
procedures.

25. Incident Communications Plan
Incident Communications Plan – ICS 205
Specific to an incident or scenario
Geographically
Scope – number of jurisdictions and disciplines
Scale – number of responders
Part of the Incident Action Plan (ICS 201, etc.)
Identifies resources, functional assignments, and technical parameters

26. Incident Communications Plan
Graphically,
it might be represented like this ….
Command 1 Talk Group
Intercity Gateway
Law Intercity
Fire
Red

27. Communications Unit Leader Training
Training Curriculum is being developed by the NIMS Integration Center in cooperation with SAFECOM and ODP
For the TICP, Section 6 should include the POC information for those individuals who will receive Communications Unit Leader training once the curriculum is completed.

28. Discussion Governance: Is operational viewpoint represented?
Participants: What disciplines / agencies?
Equipment: Already collected? Proposed Process?
Policies & Procedures: Already in place?
Other: ????

29. Discussion Governance: Is operational viewpoint represented?
Participants: What disciplines / agencies?
Equipment: Already collected? Proposed Process?
Policies & Procedures: Already in place?
Other: ????