FirstNet Refocusing on Life as a Network
FirstNet, which is moving toward becoming a business, hired a chief customer officer, officials said during a series of board committee meetings Wednesday, with the full board to meet Thursday. Richard Reed, formerly director of state planning at FirstNet, got the post. The network recently closed out the application window for companies, or more likely groups of them, that will work with the authority on the network with a choice expected later this year (see 1605310058).
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FirstNet will need to change from focusing on the states, and getting state buy-in, to its customers, Reed said. FirstNet will have to “ensure we have the right staff, the right skill set” to monitor satisfaction with “the deployment, the devices, the pricing, the service and the accessories” offered by FirstNet, he said. The network will grow only if the right devices are available for first responders, Reed said.
The organization must keep an eye on what first responders will need in the future so "we stay ahead of that need,” Reed said. FirstNet needs to understand how government procurement works at every level, he said. “Really understanding how they buy, when they buy, what they buy and how much they spend.”
Of all the parts of FirstNet, the emphasis on building relationships with customers will be the biggest change after the network is launched, said Chairwoman Sue Swenson. The change is “going to be fairly dramatic,” she said.
Board member Teri Takai said states inevitably will have big questions as they look at whether to join. “How are you intending in what we’ll be sending to the governors to address the inevitable questions … around economic development, how will this impact this state?” she asked.
FirstNet is still deciding exactly what will go into the state plans, Reed said. “A lot of it is going to depend on the information that we receive from bidders,” he said. “We have every intention of messaging to the governors the value proposition.” That will include the economic effects, he said.
Chief Financial Officer Kim Farington told the board that the budget is in good shape. The authority had committed to spending $57.8 million for the current fiscal year as of May 31, compared with the $62.3 million expected. Expenses were $45.7 million, she said. The fiscal year runs Oct. 1-Sept. 30. FirstNet spent $24.4 million in FY 2015, said a report.
CEO Mike Poth said FirstNet will likely start making grants to pay for the clearance of incumbent systems from band 14 (758-769/788-799 MHz) in July (see 1601200066).
The Finance Committee agreed to a five-year lease of offices in Boulder, Colorado, for its technical HQ. FirstNet didn’t disclose the lease financial numbers. Swenson said the lease is a good deal, though prices are high in Boulder with its growing tech community. Swenson joked that marijuana also has become a huge industry there. “Maybe we should consider a new line of business,” she said. Swenson said FirstNet already has 38 staffers assigned to Boulder.