Section 549.60  Dig Once Committee

DCEO Office of Broadband will establish a Dig Once Committee comprised of the ICC, IDOT, and ISTHA, and DCEO as original members. ISTHA and IDOT will be required to share and provide notice for their capital build projects. Additional voluntary Committee membership will be opened for entities who seek to participate in joint builds and proactive installation. Such entities may include Broadband Providers, utilities, units of local government, community anchor institutions, and other entities, as applicable. All Committee activities, including coordination among Committee members or with entities appearing before the Committee, shall be strictly voluntary for additional Committee members beyond the original governmental agency representatives. The Committee will:

a)                  Serve as a body where the Committee members can discuss coordination of future projects;

b)                  Provide a clear communication channel for Committee members;

c)                  Hold Committee meetings on a regular basis, no less than quarterly. Committee meetings may be held via teleconferencing platform and/or in-person and will comply with the Open Meetings Act;

d)         Maintain a database and maps of publicly owned broadband infrastructure, such as fiber and conduit, for Committee planning purposes;

e)         Facilitate planning discussions to identify opportunities for and to carry out joint builds and proactive installation including designing and managing an expression of interest process from members;

f)         Facilitate sufficient advance notice to Committee members of state agency relocation needs and support associated relocations through the joint build process, if applicable;

g)         Provide template guidance and parameters for joint build agreements for use by state agencies and providers participating in joint builds. Parameters will include construction specifications and timelines, roles and responsibilities, cost sharing approach and framework, safety considerations, and other construction standards and commitments. These parameters will be informed by Committee members' expertise and input, but agreements are subject to negotiation between the parties participating in the joint build;

h)         Facilitate on-going education and best practices around existing JULIE, 811, and other excavation safety requirements.