Broadband Infrastructure Program
RFP Summary provided by the agency
The Broadband Infrastructure Program makes grants on a competitive basis to covered partnerships for covered broadband projects.
Covered Partnership: a partnership between a State, or one or more political subdivisions of a State; and a provider of fixed broadband service
Covered Broadband Project: a competitively and technologically neutral project for the deployment of fixed broadband service that provides qualifying broadband service in an eligible service area.
NTIA encourages municipalities, nonprofits, or cooperatives that own and/or operate broadband networks to participate in this program as part of a covered partnership. A covered partnership may include more than one provider of fixed broadband service as part of its application. Additionally, a provider of fixed broadband service may participate in more than one covered partnership. A provider of broadband service that is part of a covered partnership is not required to be designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier.
In awarding grants under this program, the Assistant Secretary will give priority to applications for covered broadband projects as follows, in decreasing order of priority:
- Covered broadband projects designed to provide broadband service to the greatest number of households in an eligible service area;
- Covered broadband projects designed to provide broadband service in an eligible service area that is wholly within any area other than: a county, city, or town that has a population of more than 50,000 inhabitants and the urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to a city or town of more than 50,000 inhabitants;
- Covered broadband projects that are the most cost-effective, prioritizing such projects in areas that are the most rural;
- Covered broadband projects designed to provide broadband service with a download speed of not less than 100 megabits per second and an upload speed of not less than 20 megabits per second; and
- Any other covered broadband project that meets the requirements of the NOFO.
NTIA is interested in ensuring that any broadband infrastructure deployed under this grant program will have the ability to evolve, sustain, and scale for future advanced services that will also be important to the U.S. economy. NTIA encourages the submission of project proposals that deploy future-proof infrastructure, e.g., fiber.
The Act requires covered partnerships to complete their covered broadband projects within one year of their receipt of grant funds. The Assistant Secretary, however, may extend the award period for broadband infrastructure construction projects if the covered partnership certifies that it has a plan for the use of the grant funds, the construction project is underway, or extenuating circumstances require an extension of time to allow the project to be completed.
What is the mission and focus of the program: research, social, economic or others?
Infrastructure
How do you submit to this opportunity?
Apply through grants.gov
Who are the target applicants: cities, universities, companies, small business, nonprofits, or others?
An applicant must be a covered partnership which may include more than one provider of fixed broadband service as part of its application. Additionally, a provider of fixed broadband service may participate in more than one covered partnership. A provider of broadband service that is part of a covered partnership is not required to be designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier. NTIA encourages municipalities, nonprofits, or cooperatives that own and/or operate broadband networks to participate in this program as part of a covered partnership.
