From the Office of Broadband Development…

Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates

• BEAD updates
• OBD weekly office hours registration
•  Available online, OBD and Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) webinar
• Join the OBD team, apply to open positions today

BEAD updates

The BEAD Pre-Qualification process began in Minnesota on January 27 and will close at midnight on February 27. Registration information and guides on using the portal are available on the OBD BEAD webpage. As a reminder, any Internet Service Provider (ISP) potentially interested in participating in any of the anticipated 3 rounds of BEAD (exact dates to be determined for rounds 11a-c) must complete the BEAD Pre-Qualification Process.  

 Additionally, on the BEAD Pre-Qualifcation process:  

• If you have any technical questions on using the BEAD Grantor Portal, please email mnhelpdesk@ready.net.
• View a demo of the Bead Grantor Portal from the January 28 BEAD office hours.  
• Participants need to fill out the “Organization Profile” before completing the Pre-Qualification. While some of the information is prepopulated, you will need to check for completeness, and edit your information if needed.

The BEAD FAQs were updated on February 10 and are available as PDFs on OBD’s webpage. Please plan to submit all questions on the BEAD Pre-Qualification process to deed.broadband@state.mn.us by February 20 to ensure answers are posted ahead of when the Pre-Qualification portal closes at midnight on February 27.  

OBD weekly office hours registration

Register now for weekly office hours to hear updates on the federal BEAD program in MN, the BEAD prequalification process, and answer questions on the registration portal. Office hours are Tuesdays at 11am and run through April 1. Registration is open for the sessions below:

• February 18, register here 
• February 25, register here 
• March 4, register here 
• March 11, register here 
• March 18, register here 
• March 25, register here 
• April 1, register here 

Please email deed.broadband@state.mn.us with questions on the webinar or office hours.

Available online, OBD and Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) webinar

If you weren’t able to attend the OBD and DLI webinar yesterday, February 11, that has been recorded and made available on the OBD Webinars and Recorded Events webpage.  

The webinar provided updates on the new Safety-qualified Underground Telecommunications Installer Program from DLI’s Sean O’Neil (Director of Licensing & Enforcement, Construction Codes and Licensing Division) and Don Sivigny (Supervisor/Education, Rules, Codes, and Grants programs).

For questions on the program, please contact Don Sivigny at 651-284-5874 or don.sivigny@state.mn.us. 

Join the OBD team, apply to open positions today

Two positions are open to apply and join the OBD team:  

• Apply by February 14, 2025 for the Broadband Environmental/Land Use Coordinator. Information on the position and the application are available here: State Program Administrator Coordinator – Broadband Environmental/Land Use Coordinator – Job ID 83472 
• Apply by Tuesday February 18 for the Infrastructure Grants Supervisor. More information on the position and the application are available here: Planning Grants Administrator – Infrastructure Grants Supervisor – Job ID 83832.