Broadband
PLPT Telecom Contact: Shoshauna Redner, IT Admin. Assistant
Phone: (775) 574-2450
Email: internet@plpt.nsn.us
On August 20, 2021, the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal Council approved the plan to move forward with implementing a broadband project for our communities. The main goal of this project is to install and provide access to broadband internet to over 300 homes on the Reservation. The majority of these homes are going to be in Sutcliffe and Nixon, since both communities have almost no internet options. There are some pockets in Wadsworth that will also be serviced, as well as plans to bring a solution to the homes along the Truckee River Corridor.
There have been four unsuccessful attempts over many years to get funding for this project. Three unsuccessful grants from the USDA and NTIA agencies, as well as an unsuccessful bid to use CARES Act money received last year. Funding for this project was made possible from the America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) received by the Tribe.
Since the start of the pandemic, the reliance on Internet has taken a major leap forward as a necessity for our community. Not just for our Tribal members that had to work from home, but perhaps more importantly for the education of our Children. Lack of complete access to reliable internet is a detriment to their ever-growing need for knowledge.
The Technology Department for the Tribe is very excited to finally get this project up and running. The beginning steps are already underway and we look forward to providing the community with future announcements on our progress for this significant project.
** Update for ARPA Broadband Project ** January 17, 2023
Council approved the contract with Digital Technology Solutions to begin installation of the fiber internet in Sutcliffe. This means that the timeline for signing entry agreements to connect your building in case you want internet now or later at no cost is about to begin. It is important that everyone who lives in Sutcliffe contacts Shoshauna at (775) 574-2450 and gets on the list.
Many have already done this, but over half of the residents in Sutcliffe have not. We will be putting out deadlines for this during the summer if you want the free building connection. There will be advantages if you sign up for internet early to save a significant amount of money. We will be sending more information on internet signup soon.
Pass this information on to everyone who lives in Sutcliffe and may not work for the tribe. The fiber internet will be available to all residents and businesses in Sutcliffe that have established power to their building. This includes the mobile home parks. There will be more news soon on the Nixon installation.
For more information on Internet Home and Businesses Connection information, please see here.
This document must be signed and returned to the Technology Department: PLPT Telecom Right of Entry Agreement
Signed Property Entry Agreements can be dropped off at the Tribal Office Building in Nixon or mailed to:
Technology Dept
PO Box 256
Nixon, NV 89424
For sign-up, please contact Shoshauna Redner at (775) 574-2450 or email at internet@plpt.nsn.us
Request for Proposal: ARPA Broadband Project Sutcliffe Fiber Installation
Posted January 31, 2023
TITLE: ARPA Broadband Project Sutcliffe Fiber Installation
See full PDF of RFP here: Sutcliffe Fiber Network Installation RFP
The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe (PLPT) is soliciting proposals from qualified companies to perform Fiber network expansion including Premise Installation. The tasks necessary for this process are outlined below.
Responses must include verifiable references, qualifications and prior experience relevant to the performance of the tasks. The response must specify the amount of compensation and a scheduled timeline including milestone completion dates assigned to each of the following categories. This project is being funded through the Federal Government’s ARPA Program. The selected candidate and any principle subcontractors must be willing to provide a notarized debarment clearance affidavit, a signed NDA and a W-9 form.
Project Description:
The PLPT tribe currently has a fiber broadband network connecting the towns of Wadsworth, Nixon and Sutcliffe NV with a POP in Reno NV. The Telecom Node Building in Sutcliffe will be the distribution hub for the Calix equipment.
The project will primarily implement aerial fiber installation methods with some underground fiber trenching needs. The Sutcliffe project will provide fiber to the homes and businesses in Sutcliffe. The buildout will be broadband to the premises. The planned design is currently in OSPInsight software.
During the proposal phase, prospective contractors may request the contact information for Silas Callahan, the DOWL Engineer assisting the Tribe with general Project Management responsibilities. Silas will authorize the access to the OSP Design software after an NDA is submitted and all questions by prospective contractors are respond to. Prospective bidders will also be provided with a BOM file, more detailed specifications, Requirements File and a KMZ file with the complete proposed design. The design and materials list are subject to change after contract approval for various reasons pertaining to material availability, design discrepancy etc. The proposal should take this into account and minimize the impact of these issues with general breakdown of costs.
If you have any questions on this RFP, please contact the PLPT Technology Director Greg Gardner at:
email: ggardner@plpt.nsn.us
Phone: 775-574-1000 ext 1117
Request for Proposal will expire February 28,2023 at 4:00 pm.
- Please mark sealed envelope with “ARPA Sutcliffe Fiber Installation”.
Please submit your sealed proposals to: the Tribal Secretary’s Office at P.O. Box 256, Nixon, NV 89424 or deliver to Tribal Secretary’s Office at 208 Capitol Hill, Nixon, NV.
Soft copies can also be sent by email to the PLPT Technology Director, Greg Gardner at: ggardner@plpt.nsn.us. All proposals received by the deadline are acceptable.
- Please put “ARPA Sutcliffe Fiber Installation” in the subject line.
See full PDF of RFP here: Sutcliffe Fiber Network Installation RFP
THE TRIBE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ANY AND ALL BIDS. Preference in selection process is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act (Title 25, U.S. Code, Section 472 and 473). However, the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified candidates will be considered in accordance with the provisions of Section 703 (I) of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, amended in 1991.
** Update for ARPA Broadband Project ** January 17, 2023
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Project: The tribe’s attorneys finally signed off on the license agreement for the fiber networking equipment that will be both in the home and in the telecom buildings for each community. That equipment is being shipped. We are waiting on the attorney review and council approval for the property entry agreement and the service agreement.
Sutcliffe: We have finished the fiber network design and pole engineering for Sutcliffe. We are preparing the RFP for construction in Sutcliffe. Ideally, we want to have a contract by the end of March. The construction in Sutcliffe should go fairly quickly and we hope to begin home connections by late summer.
Nixon: We have begun the fiber network design and pole engineering for Nixon. This should be completed by the end of March. Then we will begin the process for construction bids.
Wadsworth: The budget for the ARPA broadband funding is for Nixon and Sutcliffe. Due to non-compete restrictions on federal programs, we cannot compete with ATT and Charter with fiber installation using federal funds. Our intention is to have some money in the budget to offset costs for those in Wadsworth with no ATT or Charter option. We will have more information on this once the construction installation for Nixon is known. We are working on alternatives to eventually provide an option for all residents in the Wadsworth area.
Marble Bluff: The route to Marble Bluff was approved by council and we anticipate being able to sign up the two cell companies and Washoe County for service. This revenue stream is important in that it will help subsidize the residential internet service costs. It also includes the route to Gerlach on the PLPT fiber network. The residential and business customers will also be added to this route into Reno for internet service.
Internet Service Costs: We are looking at providing two levels of service for residents (non-commercial):
- $55 per month – 200 Mbps up/down (12-month agreement required and auto billing).
- $110 per month – 1 Gbps up/down (12-month agreement required and auto billing).
- Home Equipment – Free, including home wireless network with cloud support.
- Installation – Free.
We will also be providing some initial free service. There will be more information on this later.
NOTICE: Signed Entry Permits for Phase 1 – home connection will be required to be on file.
Please read the attachment on the description on the home connection for phase 1 and 2 (See Gallery Below). The attachment of the fiber to your property is phase 1. This is a free installation and never a monthly charge. This requires the signing of the property entry permit. If you are already on the contact list, then you have nothing to do until we contact you with the approved agreement for signature. If you are not on the contact list, you must contact us before the deadline of May 31, 2023, or you will not be able to get internet later without a charge for installation. Hooking up the home could be costly.
Additional Information
Those who have already provided contact information will soon be receiving emails with the approved property entry agreements to sign. We will also be visiting the neighborhood with signs and paperwork in an effort to get more people to sign up. Spread the word. If you are on the contact list, you will receive emails from PLPT Telecom (the tribe’s telecommunication department).
We will also be providing more information on how you can get rid of your satellite TV and get internet and TV/Movie streaming services at a significant savings. Almost everyone should be able to get high speed internet, their favorite television channels for less than they are paying for Dish or Directv.
Past Updates:
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** 03/04/2022 **
Request for Proposals Announcement
The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe is posting an RFP seeking candidates for a design contract for the Fiber Design Phase I. This will include the towns of Nixon and Sutcliffe NV. Contact information is included in the RFP if you have any questions. The deadline for submitting proposals is 3/31/2022.
Request for Proposal
TITLE: ARPA Broadband Project Fiber Design Phase 1
The PLPT tribe currently has a fiber broadband network that connects the towns of Wadsworth, Nixon and Sutcliffe NV with a POP in Reno NV. The project will implement primarily aerial fiber with some underground fiber. The Phase I project will provide fiber to the homes and businesses in Sutcliffe and Nixon. Each town’s current fiber infrastructure has underground fiber with network node buildings already in operation. The buildout will be broadband to the premises. The scope of the premise connections is approximately 200 connections in Sutcliffe and 200 connections in Nixon. Each node building will distribute broadband to the customers with a dedicated Calix Axos E7-2 fiber switcher. Due to the lack of splicing designs on this network, part of the project is identifying the splicing design that exists which will also take into account the infrastructure route in Wadsworth. Based upon route design documents it is estimated that there are 68 splice vaults on the network. General route maps are available upon request. A fiber route design document will be available to the selected candidate.
Date Posted: 03/04/2022
Deadline: 03/31/2022
(See Full RFP Here): Fiber Design Phase 1 03042022
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** 11/22/2021**
The Technology Department currently has an Administrative Assistant Position open to help get the Broadband rolled out. Visit the pyramidlakehumanresources.org for the full job description. The Tribal Council approved 2 positions: Information Technician I and II. Look for these positions to be posted in a couple weeks on the HR website. The Tribal Council approved the purchase on the Calix Broadband distribution system. This management system is capable of bringing high internet speeds over fiber to homes and businesses. FarrWest Engineering in Reno, NV has been awarded the Project Management contract for the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe’s ARPA Broadband Fiber Project. We look forward to their expertise in assisting the tribe with this fiber project.