Specifications include, but are not limited to: Broadband is now considered essential infrastructure for the 21st century. Schools, offices, retail and governments all rely on online platforms, offering people significant time savings and a digital avenue for economic prosperity. However, broadband is still far from a universal service across the State. Within the SCAG region alone, approximately 15 percent of all households do not have access to adequate internet speeds or no internet access. These households are disproportionately located in underserved urban communities and rural communities. Access to universal subscription is attributed to range of factors. Broadband is still considered to be relatively expensive, and studies regularly show prices as a significant barrier to broadband adoption. Many also lack digital skills – significantly 52% of adults are “relatively hesitant” when it comes to new technologies and digital skills, meaning they have low levels of digital skills or limited trust in the internet. Finally, there are still physical infrastructural gaps that provide another significant barrier for adoption. On February 2, 2021, SCAG’s Regional Council adopted Resolution No. 21-629-2, which pledges SCAG to assist in bridging the digital divide in underserved communities. One of the mandates set forth by the resolution directs staff to develop solutions and strategies to assist in expedited and streamlined deployment of broadband technology. As such, SCAG is seeking a consultant which can assist in providing general strategic services with respect to broadband. The selected Consultant (henceforth known as “Consultant”) shall have experience with permit streamlining (as it relates to broadband), expertise with various public/private partnership models, broadband deployment and P3 models understanding of digital literacy and equity issues and shall be familiar with demographic and other socioeconomic patterns within the SCAG region. Further, broadband plays a pivotal role in transportation planning. It provides an alternative/digital means of transportation via telework, telehealth, e-commerce, etc. Based on previous studies, broadband can serve as an effective tool to reduce VMT impacts. Strategic services would also evaluate “dig-smart/dig-once” policies, which advocates for installation of conduit during roadway improvements. Further, strategic services would allow the consultant to provide tele-everything/broadband assumptions for the upcoming 2024 Connect SoCal Plan (Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy [RTP/SCS]), which in nature is a transportation planning document. As such, the Consultant shall understand transportation planning and its role in reducing VMT and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), familiarity with Caltrans policies with respect to trenching along right of ways (ROW), an understanding of off and on-model strategies as it relates to the 2024 Connect SoCal Plan.
