Washington - Dec 15, 2008 - The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking to define its future contracting approach for providing implementation support services for the Integrated Public Alert and Warning Program (IPAWS). In Executive Order 13407, titled Public Alert and Warning System, dated June 26, 2006, the DHS was directed to ensure that under all conditions the president of the United States can alert and warn the American people. FEMA is implementing projects to modernize and integrate the existing Emergency Alert System and National Alert and Warning System programs to provide a national-level all-hazards warning system. Collectively these systems will constitute the IPAWS program.

The intent of IPAWS is to utilize current national-level warning systems, support state, territory, tribal and local warning needs, and integrate new technologies, standards, partnerships, and policies to improve public warning over all media, to all people, at all times, in all situations. Planned projects to be implemented over the next five years include investments in communications infrastructure across the United States. Efforts to support these activities may require collection and analysis of information on legacy alert and warning systems, engineering and specialized technical services, acquisition of hardware and software, site design and construction, installation, testing, integration, delivery and operations and maintenance support. FEMA will use the information received through the request for information to define the appropriate contractual mechanism for acquisition of IPAWS implementation services.

FEMA Seeks answers to these points for a flexible, cost-effective IPAWS implementation: