ORTCC - Work Plan

Note: This is a Work Plan that outlines the Council's process for developing substantive proposals in accord with its legislative mission. The Council expects to revise the Work Plan as it moves forward.

I. Organizational Activities (Meeting One)
A. Establish committee structure
1. Select Chair
2. Decide on Committee ground rules
a. Set operational structure (Roberts Rules, etc.)
b. Develop working terminology understandings
(i.e. telecommunications equals includes wire, fiber, and                wireless mediums)
c. Develop working procedural understandings
3. Decide on initial meeting schedule and places
4. Decide on Communications Strategy
a. With stakeholders
b. With Legislature, with Governor's office, with State agencies
c. With media and the public
d. With others
B. Explore methods for expanded membership and expanded          participation
1. Additional Consortia
2. Private Providers (LECs; Cable; wireless; .)
3. Others (Utilities; PUC; ..)
C. Review Directions from Legislature, Discuss views of how to          progress

"[ORTCC] shall study alternative approaches to providing coordinated statewide, regional and local telecommunications services, including providing services to unserved or underserved areas of the state."
"[ORTCC] shall study the manner in which telecommunications investments can be coordinated to facilitate partnerships between the public sector and the private sector and between state and local governments."
"[ORTCC] shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the JLCIMT."

II. Information Gathering and Sharing
A. Review and discuss history
1. The ORTCC formulation
2. Prior efforts at statewide coordination
B. Share regional updates
1. Past and ongoing successes
2. Near term activities
3. Long range issues
C. Review and discuss state and regional activities including:

Legislative programs: SB 622; state incentives, state financial assistance

Private Provider initiatives

NoaNet

La Grande and Eastern Oregon

SOEN

Fiber Consortia

Federal Programs

Public-private partnerships

III. Information Generation/Compilation
A. Mapping of public and private services and facilities presently available or in development
B. Development of comprehensive picture of service availability
C. Gap identification
1. Physical infrastructure
2. Connections to Infrastructure
3. Information gaps (where people do not understand what services are available)
D. Viewing success stories
E. Barrier identification
1. Where pricing is a barrier
2. Regulations that limit development
3. Lack of appropriate information
4. Need for training/marketing
F. Need Identification (what services are most needed)
1. New Industries
2. Existing Industries
3. Governmental
4. Citizens

IV. Information Assimilation
A. Regional discussions
B. Review of potential tools available to accomplish change
1. Existing and new tax structures/incentives
2. Existing and expanded bonding power
3. Existing and expanded state programs such as SB 622; SOEN
4. Existing and new regulatory authority and activities
C. Review of possible tactics
1. Legislative
2. Regulatory
3. Modifications of agency policies
4. Executive Orders

V. Policy Initiative Development
A. Issues identified
B. Issues researched and discussed
C. Prioritized needs

VI. Proposed Legislation
Consider proposed legislation prior to pre-session filing; December 15