P25 compliant, P25 CAP compliant, P25 compliant with the Statement of Requirements (P25 SOR)—what does it all mean?
P25 CAP, a voluntary program, allows suppliers to publicly attest to their products' compliance through P25 CAP testing at DHS-recognized laboratories. As proof, suppliers are required to submit Summary Test Report (STR) and Supplier’s Declaration of Compliance (SDOC) documents. These documents are available on the Approved (Grant-Eligible) Equipment page. It is this list, and only this list, which is referenced by several federal grant programs, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as allowable equipment to be purchased. The varying P25 labels can be confusing, and our guide on P25 terminology explains the program and how the terms apply.
To learn more about the value of P25 radios, watch these videos made by CISA's SAFECOM.
P25 CAP Quarterly Status Update Meeting - March 30, 2023
March 16, 2023 - DHS S&T will host its P25 CAP Quarterly Status Update Meeting on site in conjunction with the IWCE 2023 Conference and Expo. The in-person meeting will be held on Thursday, March 30, 2023, 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N235. If you are attending IWCE 2023, please join us to learn about the latest P25 CAP developments. You may also join the meeting remotely through this Teams link.
Public Comment Period Reminder - DRAFT P25 ISSI/CSSI Conformance Test Tool Validation Compliance Assessment Bulletin
January 27, 2023 - DHS S&T recently released its DRAFT P25 ISSI/CSSI Conformance Test Tool Validation Compliance Assessment Bulletin (CAB) for public comment. The purpose of this document is to clearly convey the procedures, requirements, and guidance used by S&T for approving and recognizing an Inter-subsystem interface / Console sub-system interface (ISSI/CSSI) Conformance Test Tool (ICCTT) for the conduct of P25 Compliance Assessment. If you have not received the DRAFT CAB and are interested in reviewing, please send an email to P25CAP@hq.dhs.gov. All comments should be sent via email to P25CAP@hq.dhs.gov by COB Tuesday, January 31, 2023.
P25 CAP Quarterly Status Update Meeting - August 2022
DHS S&T will host its P25 CAP Quarterly Status Update Meeting on site in conjunction with the APCO 2022 Conference and Expo. The in-person meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. at the Anaheim Convention Center, Room 210 D. If you are attending APCO 2022, please join us to learn about the latest P25 CAP developments.
P25 CAP at APCO 2022
DHS S&T will host a panel titled "P25 Compliance Assessment Program: How do you ensure Interoperability?" at the APCO 2022 Conference and Expo. The panel session will be held on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. at the Anaheim Convention Center, Room 208.
Testing Requirements CAB Being Finalized
January 11, 2022—P25 CAP is adjudicating the input we received for the Testing Requirements CAB during the public comment period. We will publish the final CAB on the P25 CAP Bulletins page, as well as a Comment Matrix that details how each comment was addressed.
The P25 CAP is a partnership of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate, SAFECOM, industry and the emergency response community. The initial program focus is on the Common Air Interface, which allows for over-the-air compatibility between radios and tower equipment. While P25 CAP testing is not currently available for ISSI/CSSI, DHS S&T is working with the Department of Interior to establish an ISSI/CSSI test lab and formalize test procedures to include as part of P25 CAP.
For more information on P25 CAP, watch the video and read the following overview documents listed below:
- The Project 25 Compliance Assessment Program (P25 CAP) establishes standards and compliance test protocols for ensuring the interoperability of the digital communications equipment emergency responders use. The P25 CAP video highlights the P25 CAP Advisory Panel’s efforts to review, evaluate and update the standards to keep pace with advances in digital communications.
- The P25 CAP Compliance: What Should it Mean to You? document provides definitions for common P25 terminology.
- The P25 CAP Fact Sheet describes how the P25 CAP works, the value of the program to public safety, and the program’s long-term-goals.
- The P25 CAP FAQs document addresses commonly asked questions about the program.
P25 CAP activities are supported by Congress.
The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 established the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC) within the S&T Directorate to carry out responsibilities and authorities relating to the SAFECOM Program. The DHS Appropriations Act of 2007 refined and expanded the authorities of OIC within S&T to: support the creation of national voluntary consensus standards for interoperable emergency communications; establish a comprehensive research, development, testing and evaluation program for improving interoperable emergency communications; and encourage more efficient use of existing resources, including equipment, to achieve interoperable emergency communications capabilities.