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Volume 3 Issue 1January 1999

Satellite RFA Released

Charles Mawson
Telecommunications Analyst, CCCCO

On September 30, 1998, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) released an RFA (#98-0211) for building the system-wide California Community Colleges Satellite Network. Applications are to be returned by March 1, 1999.

The California Community Colleges Satellite Network (CCCSAT) is a five-year $8.5 million effort that will integrate with other distance education initiatives that have been funded by the Chancellor’s Office. It will also interface with similar services and resources in the other segments of public education in California, particularly the California State University system and the K-12 system, as well as with other related public and private resources.

The CCCCO is requesting applications for construction of a CCCSAT Broadcast Center to be operational by June of the year 2000. CCCSAT will serve as the satellite uplink and network control center for the video network serving the community colleges and their educational markets.

This project will fund construction of a satellite uplink facility giving all California community colleges the ability to transmit their courses to every corner of the state and around the world. Additionally, CCCSAT will consist of digital downlinks to each community college.

Procedures and activities for the project:

1. Provide the physical plant and facility that will house the Broadcast Center.
   
   
2. Manage on-site construction of the satellite uplink and control center.
   
   
3. Provide on-going technical operations for the Broadcast Center.
   
   
4. Provide on-going marketing and business support for programming to ensure success of the network.
   
   
5. Provide a standard package of satellite telecommunications infrastructure support systems and services, including a connection to 4CNet, videoconferencing equipment, and satellite analog and digital dual-band (Ku/C) downlink equipment. This task includes the maintenance functions for the operation of these systems.
   
   
6. Establish an Advisory Committee and/or network to advise the Broadcast Center on operations and programming.
   
   
7. Subject to input from or concurrence by the Advisory Committee, additional members, subcommittees, functions, activities or experts, necessary to fulfill grant objectives may be funded out of this grant.
   
   
8. Develop a Maintenance and Self-Support Plan. Grantee must prepare a final report that can guide policy development and replication of program content, delivery, administration, etc. It must include a plan whereby the services provided to the colleges under the terms of the grant can continue to be available on a cost-recovery basis. The plan should provide:

a) A detailed budget, based upon careful analysis of expenditures for the course of the grant, and an analysis of on-going administrative, equipment, and operational needs,

b) analysis of revenue sources, proposed fee structure and estimate of revenues to be gained,

c) marketing plan targeting the preferred revenue sources,

d) recommendations regarding optimal management of such a distributed system, including possible policies or laws.

A copy of the RFA as well as a list of Frequently Asked Questions can be found at http://www.cccco.edu/ESED/.

Any questions regarding the CCC satellite program should be directed to Charles Mawson at 916-327-5902 or e-mail at cmawson@cc1.cccco.edu.