Where are the Notification Market Leaders?

We suspect that whenever the web gets active with buzz about the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), vendors with a solution to offer for the nation's notification challenges knock on the door of FEMA and DHS's Office of Science and Technology (DHS S&T). They likely are anxious to present their solution as the best way to solve the problem. What they may not understand is the fact that the federal government is not looking to buy a national notification solution.

What FEMA's IPAWS office and DHS S&T, along with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), are trying to do is create a framework so that, one day, there will be a truly integrated national alerting system - something much better than the current Emergency Alert System (EAS), restricted to television and radio broadcasts. Creating such a framework has become a long, drawn-out process...for both good and bad reasons.

Even though the feds aren't buying a solution, vendors can participate in development of the framework. Right now, the best way seems to be through an initiative by an organization called OASIS, Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards. Vendors can join OASIS and help create standards that will be established for the integrated federal alert system.

However, a list of committee members represents what we believe is little current market share in the US notification market. Where are the market leaders?

Denis Gusty represents the Department of Homeland Security Office of Science and Technology on the OASIS committee. (He's one of the ones on whose doors vendors often knock.) He told us that even though standards would perhaps limit market share leaders' ability to control the market, "...it's the only way". He said the problem is a simple mathematical one. After all, there's only one federal government and many, many other stakeholders. "The only thing we can do is develop standards that everyone can work from. It does take time, but in the long run, everyone gets what they need. It's a huge challenge, but one we have to accept", said Gusty.

Having spent a good bit of time with market leading vendors as a consultant and manager, I understand the reluctance to jump into the standards game. I've not wanted to go there myself. But, in this case, it makes sense. Although they may not be in the market for a national notification solution, FEMA and DHS can have a significant impact on the market for notification solutions...in part through the grant money they control. What if one day it takes adherence to new notification and alerting standards to obtain grant money for notification systems?

Hmm, I think I have just convinced myself to join OASIS. It would be nice to see more notification vendors, and emergency management professionals there.

All the best,
Rick