Well the article quotes the EMA director as saying:
I’m not 100 percent certain, but I believe that means that unless you are using our equipment you won’t be able to hear our communications,”
Without seeing the actual RFP, I would not count on encryption based on the statement made in the article alone as fact. The other TVRS users in Georgia are in the clear for the most part.
But then again, this IS rural north Gawga we are talking about....