The Wayne County Commissioners, and the Wayne County Economic Development Corporation (WEDCO) Tech Committee are pleased to announce the Request for Proposal (RFP) for communitywide broadband is open for interested broadband providers. To request a copy of the Broadband RFP, interested providers should email Kelly Lewis, RFP facilitator, at Kelly@LewisStrategic.com. The RFP submission deadline is March 31, 2022. RFP purchasing options will be shared as early as April 15, 2022.
Providers that request the RFP will be invited to an RFP Briefing at 3:00 pm on Thursday March 3, 2022.
Reliable internet access and cell service in Wayne County have been a top priority of the Commissioners, and WEDCO. In January 2022, the Commissioners received a grant from the William H. Chatlos Charitable Gift Fund, to proactively help resolve technology challenges for Wayne County. The collaboration includes the Wayne County Community Foundation that will be acting as a fiscal passthrough.
To date, more than 1,600 households and 121-employers have responded to the broadband surveys.
Today, the second phase of Wayne County Broadband Project starts with the Commissioners releasing of a communitywide Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit all broadband and service providers to submit proposals to improve broadband options, availability, and pricing in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. The RFP also addresses Dead Cell Zones and seeks proposals from cell tower construction firms and providers to submit proposals to eliminate Dead Cell Zones and speed the deployment of 5G.
It's not too late for employers and residents to complete Wayne County Broadband Survey, posted here:
EMPLOYERS CLICK HERE: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J7YNG2S
HOUSEHOLDS CLICK HERE: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J7CQZBB
The Wayne County Broadband Project is designed to spur broadband options, create more broadband investment, and eliminate dead cell zones across the county. Affordable, fast broadband and cell service are critical to local economies, education, health care, tourism, agriculture, and the real estate market and to improve the quality of life of Wayne County resdient.
For more information about the RFP, or the surveys, please contact Kelly Lewis at Kelly@LewisStrategic.com.
Accelerate Wayne County Broadband
With more than 93% of 911 emergency calls coming from cell phones, securing excellent cell service is a public safety priority. Likewise, more than ever affordable and high-speed broadband is critical for employers, households, students, schools, tourism, agriculture, and real estate markets!
Companies seeking to relocate to Wayne County should contact: Mary Beth Wood, Executive Director, WEDCO, mbw@wedcorp.org, 32 Commercial Street, Suite 1, Honesdale, PA 18431, 570-253-2537
Gigabit & Dead Cell Zone Project - Goals and Objectives:
(1) Conduct countywide survey of broadband, cell service, and costs; (2) Develop/implement solutions to increase broadband availability to underserved locations; (3) Develop/implement solutions to reduce Employer and Household broadband Mbps costs by 50%; (4) Identify dead cell zones with no cell service, and develop/implement solutions ways to eliminate them; (5) Help more organizations offer WiFi hotspots where cell coverage is weak or obstructed; (6) Develop/implement solutions to position the County for 5G wireless investment; and, (7) Develop/implement solution strategies to position more densely populated areas for Gigabit City status.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
- Share this Release with your broadband and cell phone provider, asap!
- Share this Release on HOA Community pages, newsletters, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and social media groups!
- Invite us to speak on conference calls, meetings, virtual coffee groups, and other community activities!
- Share Project videos/news reports when they are released and shared.
- Share the Accelerate Wayne website link: https://www.waynetomorrow.com/343/Accelerate-Wayne
- Complete the Employer and Household surveys!
- Share the Employer and Household survey links with as many employers and households as possible:
EMPLOYERS CLICK HERE: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J7YNG2S
HOUSEHOLDS CLICK HERE: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J7CQZBB
For more information contact: Kelly Lewis: Kelly@LewisStrategic.com