[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 126 (Thursday, June 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42786-42787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-15368]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2016-0069]


Request for Information: Nationally Uniform 911 Data System

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. 
Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice; request for information.

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SUMMARY: The development of a nationally uniform 911 data system, 
containing uniform data elements for all Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) 
data, data associated with the operation of local and State 911 
systems, and Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema (or technical 
equivalent) that would enable the collection, analysis and sharing of 
standardized administrative data, operational data, cost data and all 
Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) data received, collected, processed, and 
transmitted during 911 calls; that would be developed and made 
available to all 911 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) and 911 
Authorities at the state and local levels. This nationally uniform 911 
data system, once developed, would provide essential information to 
assist strategic planning, governance decisions, and improvements to 
the 911 system and its operation at all levels of government. These 
data would also be useful to private sector companies providing support 
services to local and state 911 agencies.

DATES: It is requested that comments on this announcement be submitted 
by September 28, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments [identified by Docket No. NHTSA-
2016-0069] through one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management Facility, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West 
Building, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laurie Flaherty, National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Emergency Medical Services, 
(202) 366-2705, [email protected], located at the United States 
Department of Transportation; 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., NPD-400, Room 
W44-322, Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOT/NHTSA, on behalf of the National 911 
Program, is seeking comments from all sources (public, private, 
governmental, academic, professional, associations, public interest 
groups, and other interested parties) on the idea of establishing a 
nationally uniform data system, to document PSAP 911 call data and the 
data related to the operation of 911 systems at all levels of 
government within the 911 community. A nationally uniform 911 data 
system was identified as a need by the Federal Communication 
Commission's (FCC's) Task Force on Optimal PSAP Architecture (TFOPA), 
in its final report, released January 29, 2016: ``A National system 
enabling the collection and analysis of standardized administrative 
data, operational data, cost data and CAD data should be developed and 
made available to PSAPS and 911 Authorities, to provide essential 
information to substantiate planning decisions and improvements to 
assist in the migration towards NG911.'' Models for a nationally 
uniform data system exist in other disciplines, for example, the 
National Fire Operations Reporting System (N-FORS), http://911perform.org and the National EMS Information System (NEMSIS), http://nemsis.org. There are elements of these existing systems, in terms of 
their content and the processes used for their development, 
implementation, and operation, that could be adopted or adapted for use 
by the 911 community, in developing an analogous data system.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments and ideas on all 
aspects of the development, implementation and operation of a 
nationally uniform 911 data system from the broad 911 stakeholder 
community, including CAD vendors, CAD interface developers, PSAP 
managers, local and State 911 authorities and agencies, national

[[Page 42787]]

professional 911 associations, other Federal agencies, academia, public 
interest groups, and any other interested parties; and to request 
responses to specific questions provided below. This is neither a 
request for proposals nor an invitation for bids.

Background

    In January 2016, in partnership with the PSAP community, national 
professional 911 associations, all levels of government, and the 
private sector, the Task Force on Optimal PSAP Architecture (TFOPA) 
delivered its final report to the FCC. This document contains a 
collaborative vision for the future of optimal PSAPs and 911 systems in 
the United States. The document includes a section (5.9.2) entitled, 
``Findings and Considerations'' recommending that, ``a National system 
enabling the collection and analysis of standardized administrative 
data, operational data, cost data and CAD data should be developed and 
made available to PSAPS and 911 Authorities, to provide essential 
information to substantiate planning decisions and improvements to 
assist in the migration towards NG911.''
    This RFI request directly relates to this recommendation by seeking 
comment on specific potential components of a nationally uniform 911 
data system that would be implemented and operated to bridge this 
identified gap, and the process that would be used to develop, 
implement and operate this data system.
    Responses to the following questions are requested to help plan the 
development and creation of a nationally uniform 911 data system that 
would enable the collection and analysis of standardized PSAP data and 
operational 911 system data. Please provide references as appropriate.
    1. What significant changes have occurred in 911 and PSAP related 
data systems at the national, State and local levels during the last 
ten years?
    2. As a 911 stakeholder, how might the implementation of a 
nationally uniform 911 data system be most useful to you (i.e. 
planning, funding justification, strategic planning etc.)?
    3. What are the most critical issues facing current use and future 
interconnection of PSAP CAD systems that could be addressed in the 
development of the nationally uniform 911 data system? Please be as 
specific as possible.
    4. What CAD and/or PSAP and/or 911 system data do you presently 
collect and what additional data would be beneficial to assist with 
staffing, budgeting, testing, contract compliance, performance metrics, 
planning, governance, or quality improvement activities?
    5. What kind of data elements would you consider as essential data 
related to information handled by telecommunicators and by CAD systems, 
in receiving and processing 911 calls, and transmitting information to 
emergency responders? Please be as specific as possible in listing 
examples.
    6. What kind of data elements would you consider as essential data 
related to the administration and operation of a PSAP? Please be as 
specific as possible in listing examples.
    7. What kind of data elements would you consider as essential data 
related to the administration and operation of a local/state 911 
system? Please be as specific as possible in listing examples.
    8. How could a nationally uniform 911 data system enhance 
collaboration among CAD/Records Management Systems (RMS), 911 
authorities, the first responder community, and others?
    9. How could the proposed data system promote community 
preparedness and resilience?
    10. How could this proposed data system contribute to improved 
coordination at the local, regional, state and national levels?
    11. What are your suggestions for the process that should be used 
in developing, implementing and/or operating a nationally uniform 911 
data collection system? Please be as specific as possible.
    12. What specific agencies/organizations/entities are essential to 
involve, as part of a collaborative group that develops, implements, 
and/or operates this data system?
    13. In your opinion, what are the challenges that would have to be 
overcome, in implementing a nationally uniform 911 data system?
    14. In your opinion, how would the existence of a nationally 
uniform 911 data system be beneficial in implementing Next Generation 
911? Please be as specific as possible in providing examples.
    15. Do you have any additional comments regarding this subject?

    Issued on: June 23, 2016.
Jeffrey P. Michael,
Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2016-15368 Filed 6-29-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-59-P