Office of Broadband Development Updates: Task Force Meeting notes

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From the Office of Broadband Development…

Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates

  • BEAD updates + resources
  • Updates from NTIA on available funds for Tribal Nations
  • Digital Opportunity Update
  • Governor’s Task Force on Broadband, October meeting recap

BEAD updates + resources

Recent updates and resources for the federal BEAD program in Minnesota include:

  • Minnesota’s BEAD Initial Proposal Volume 2 was officially approved by NTIA on October 3, 2024 which starts the 365-day shot clock for the submission of Minnesota’s Final Proposal by October 3, 2025.
  • The BEAD Challenge process has concluded with OBD completing the adjudication phase. The data is now being reviewed for accuracy and formatted per NTIA guidelines before being submitted to NTIA for approval. OBD anticipates submitting the final list of BEAD eligible locations by late November/early December 2024.
  • OBD is also working to establish a Grants Management System for the BEAD program. When that system is available, a prequalification process will be established where interested applicants can submit specified documentation to support their financial, managerial, technical and operational capacity to participate in the BEAD program as a subgrantee. OBD hopes to implement the prequalification process by January 2025.
  • Upon NTIA’s approval of the final list of BEAD eligible locations (NTIA’s timeline is unknown but anticipated by March 2025), OBD will issue a Request for Proposal for the BEAD grant application rounds. The first round (11a) will be focused on fiber projects and applicants will be able to select their own project area. For BEAD subgrantee selection rounds 2 and 3 (Rounds 11b and 11c), NTIA is requiring that OBD establish the project areas for which an application can be submitted. Rounds 11b and 11c will also include consideration of alternative technologies (coax, fixed wireless, satellite) per NTIA’s requirements.
  • To meet the deadline for submission of the Final Proposal by October 3, 2025, including meeting with NTIA, notifying the provisionally selected subgrantees 14 days after that meeting, and then a 30 day public comment period, the three rounds of subgrantee selection are anticipated to occur between March and early August 2025.
  • The BEAD FAQ was updated 10/16 and is available online here, as well as a downloadable PDF.

Updates from NTIA on available funds for Tribal Nations

NTIA opened the application window for the Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program for Native Entities on September 25, accepting applications from eligible tribes and other Native entities through February 7, 2025. Visit NTIA’s website to review the Notice of Funding Opportunity and locate other applicant resources. NTIA will also host webinars to provide application guidance. Links to register are available below:

Digital Opportunity Updates

The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) has opened applications for local government units to be recognized as Digital Inclusion Trailblazers. Digital Inclusion Trailblazers are municipal, county, or regional governments that are paving the way and providing excellent models for digitally inclusive communities, demonstrating how local governments can support their own digital inclusion ecosystems. Each year, NDIA honors Trailblazers at its Net Inclusion conference.

Applications are due November 1. See NDIA’s website for more information.

Governor’s Task Force on Broadband, October meeting recap

The Governor’s Task Force met at the DEED Headquarters in St. Paul, MN on Monday October 21, 2024. The Task Force heard from presenter Connected Nation on mapping updates in Minnesota, and more on the processes of the BEAD Challenge. The Office of Broadband Development also provided general, as well as BEAD and Digital Opportunity Updates. Task Force subgroups (Affordability & Digital Equity; Economic Opportunity & Work Force Development; and Mapping, Policy, & Funding) moved forward with crafting a draft and recommendations for the annual report, due in December.

More information on this and past meetings can be found on the Broadband Task Force webpage.

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