By Joseph Phelan, Grants Development Consultant (Broadband, Transportation and Utilities)
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) continues to approve final plans under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. This process began in late 2021 when the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law. 56 states and territories have been allocated $42.45 billion to expand internet access through planning, infrastructure deployment, and adoption.
The process for each state to make use of these funds has included multiple rounds of draft plans, public comment periods, and public challenge efforts to get to where things stand right now.
As a precursor, BEAD volume I proposals included information about existing broadband funding offered by the state or territory, how the entity will handle the challenge process, and how they define community anchor institutions. Every state and territory has had their volume I proposals approved at time of writing.
BEAD volume II proposals explain how the entity will deploy their allocated funds for implementation.
Louisiana’s broadband office, ConnectLA, was the first to receive approval to fully implement their BEAD implementation plan in December 2023. Since then, volume II plans have been approved for 16 more broadband office , which means we’re inching closer and closer to deployment nationwide
With Louisiana claiming the honor of being the first state to have its volume II plan approved, it’s appropriate to explain where that state is in their BEAD roll-out process, six months in.
Starting in early July, ConnectLA ran what was known as the “ pre-qualification window”, allowing any eligible prospective subgrantee within the state of Louisiana to register in their portal and begin compiling and uploading the various required documentation for the application pre-qualification process. Eligible subgrantees within Louisiana include institutions of higher learning, nonprofit organizations, cooperatives, public or private utilities, public utility districts, public-private partnerships, private companies, local governments, tribal organizations, and for-profit organizations.
ConnectLA’s pre-qualification application specifically consists of nine sections:
Prospective applicants had to submit their information by July 14. After the pre-qualification window closed, ConnectLA began its review process, which is expected to last until August 14, 2024. At that point, any prospective organization that met the required criteria to participate in the program will be notified (beginning as early as Summer 2024 through to Fall and Winter 2024).
It is anticipated that other States and Territories will follow a similar approach to Louisiana, which means there’s plenty to learn from how Louisiana’s pre-qualification process. Once a State or Territory’s volume II plans are approved by the NTIA, they will have up to one year to subaward to eligible applicants. Be sure to monitor your state or territory’s broadband site for the most up-to-date information. Consider signing up for news alerts to learn even faster.