FAQs & decision support
Self-service answers to the questions that fill Advisor inboxes
Categorized FAQs plus the buy-now-or-wait path. Smart search (⌘K) also surfaces guides and documents.
Decision wizard: buy CPE now or wait?
Interactive path
Step 1 — Eligibility
How long since your last TD-284 system acceptance?
New to this role
I just became the PSAP manager / 9-1-1 contact. Where do I start?
Introduce yourself to your assigned CA 9-1-1 Branch Advisor (name, title, email, phone, agency, PSAP code). Find the last TD-284 acceptance date and any open TD-288 / allotment letters. Bookmark live Chapter III and the Cal OES forms page. Skim the glossary. Do not invent funding amounts, TK#s, or residual lists — official dollars come from Branch letters.
What does the State fund vs. what does my agency pay?
Typically State (SETNA): CPE on a ~5-year cycle; approved residual tied to replacement; network/NG on a separate track; ATA training; other pre-approved reimbursable 9-1-1 expenses. Typically local: staffing, facility, most furniture outside residual scope, maintenance after the funded window, anything not on an approved list. Allotment is a gift card with a fixed balance and a store list. TD-288 is spend approval. TD-284 is the delivery receipt that starts payment and residual clocks.
What is the equipment funding path in plain order?
1) Eligibility (~5 years from last TD-284). 2) Advance Notification. 3) Official allotment letter (not an estimator). 4) MPA vendor + SOW/quote review. 5) TD-288 Commitment to Fund. 6) Install → TD-284 acceptance. 7) Residual and/or TD-290 if the agency paid first. Network/NG9-1-1 is a different track — do not mix it with CPE allotment questions.
First 30 days checklist?
Advisor introduction sent and acknowledged. Last TD-284 date located (or requested). Open TD-288 / residual / ATA status known. County Coordinator and finance/AP contacts identified. Chapter III + current forms bookmarked. No purchase started without knowing direct (MPA) vs reimbursement.
Timing & eligibility
Are we eligible for a CPE replacement?
Generally 5 years from last TD-284 acceptance. Under 5 years: full replacement usually not available (exceptions: certified upgrade, damage cases, Branch review). Confirm the date with your Advisor — do not invent one.
When is Advanced Notification due?
What are RFP 26-16743 key dates?
Released April 27, 2026. Estimated award/execution ~August 7 and start ~August 14, 2026 (solicitation estimates). Confirm live Branch announcements. Term: 4 years base + two 3-year options (up to 10 years).
We are in year 6 or 7. Refresh or extend maintenance?
Extended maintenance may be Branch-fundable year-to-year with pre-approval (historically 30-day cancel during extended years). Refresh is often recommended to unlock residual opportunity and technology currency (i3 / cloud options). Decide before the current maint term ends.
Our CPE was damaged. Do we wait for year 5?
Do not force-fit standard five-year chatter. Gather facts (what failed, when, insurance, photos) and escalate for policy treatment. Damage/disaster is a different path from a planned refresh.
Funding
How much funding will we get?
Can we use CPE residual for training?
No. Annual Training Allotment (ATA) is a separate pot with its own pre-approval and claim path. Mixing ATA into CPE residual is a common bounce.
Contracts
Do we still use 2020 MPA price sheets?
Not for new purchases once the new MPA is the active vehicle. Historical sheets are archive-only. Mid-stream TD-288 packages generally finish under the issued commitment unless Branch directs a conversion.
Cloud or on-premise?
Both under the new SOW. You may not deploy both at one PSAP. Attend multi-vendor demos; Advisors stay brand-neutral. Cloud vs on-prem is an operational decision inside approved options — funding constraints still apply.
How fast must the system be installed?
New CPE SOW target: ready for acceptance testing within 180 days of TD-288 unless mutually revised. Site mods (power/HVAC/NG demarc) are typically a PSAP cost and the usual reason clocks slip.
We have a TD-288 under the old MPA. Do we convert?
Default: finish the open project. Conversion needs a Branch-approved transition memo, not Advisor improvisation. Work the install, TD-284, and residual window you already have.
NG9-1-1
Is network funding the same as CPE?
No. CPE is the call-handling system (workstations, controllers, or cloud call handling) on the CPE MPA with Fixed Allotment + residuals. Network is how calls and NG data reach the PSAP (ESInet / NGCS / routing) on separate agreements. Changing one does not fund the other — but cutovers must be coordinated so 9-1-1 doesn’t drop.
Vendors
Who can we buy from?
Only contractors on the active CPE MPA (or currently authorized vehicle) that have been lab-validated per Branch rules. After RFP 26-16743 award, use that authorized list — not a historical 2020 vendor sheet. MPA prices are maximums; multiple offers can improve value.
The vendor wants a PO now. Can we start?
Not on the direct path. TD-288 is takeoff clearance. You can shop, demo, and draft SOW language. You cannot authorize purchase and installation until the Commitment to Fund is in hand.
Forms & claims
What is TD-288?
Commitment to Fund — Branch approval of amount/items with a tracking number. Required before authorized spend on the direct path. Remind staff: authorize the contractor only after TD-288.
What is TD-284?
System Acceptance — enables payment and starts residual timing clocks. File it the day it lands and set 90-day / 12-month reminders.
What is TD-290?
Reimbursement claim when the PSAP paid the vendor for pre-approved items. Attach TD-288, invoices, and proof of payment. Claimed amount must not exceed the TD-288 or what was actually paid.
Our claim was approved, but money went to the general fund. How do we get it to the PSAP?
The CA 9-1-1 Branch pays the public agency named on the claim. It does not post to your internal budget lines. Local finance controls where the warrant is coded. Prefer direct funding (vendor → State) when Chapter III allows it. Ask finance for a SETNA recovery revenue object and a restore rule. Your Advisor helps with claim completeness; internal routing is a finance / AP conversation.
Residuals
What is residual funding?
If complete system cost is less than allotment, the remainder may fund approved residual items. Residual = Allotment − complete system cost. Only items on the current Service/Equipment Approval List, used in the 9-1-1 center, that directly support 9-1-1 traffic. Clocks typically run from TD-284: quotes/POs ~90 days; invoices/claims ~12 months.
Can residuals buy furniture or headsets?
Often yes if on the current approved list and used in the 9-1-1 call-taking work area. Furniture needs layout diagrams. A fridge, lobby TV, or general office chairs: no. Vendor enthusiasm is not the list.