The OBD Office Hour served as a BEAD Application Information Session. OBD walked attendees through the application requirements and an overview will be given of the application process through a demo of the application portal. The session will be recorded and posted to this webpage.
First a few updates:
- Approved BEAD applicants has been released.
- MN BEAD Contractor Directory will be posted later this today. It’s a voluntary list. It’s not an exhaustive list. Not endorsements.
Also a quick look at the BEAD Contractor Directory Screenshots
The Minnesota BEAD Contractor Directory Form has been posted to the website and is open for those interested in being listed to complete. The first version of the directory will be posted 4/2/25 continue to be updated weekly moving forward.
But the bulk of the meeting was spent on the Portal Walk Through. I captured screenshots and questions. OBD will be posting the full video soon. The screenshots may seen (and be) repetitious as I was trying to capture moving moments.
Q: Do we need to upload a polygon?
Do not need to upload a polygon.
Q: PreAward Risk Assessment: Questions 40 and 41 do not have a character limit. Is this correct (other questions state a character limit)?
We will check on this and identify the limit.
Q: Can we submit wireless applications as well for Round 1? or is that only for round 2?
Fiber only for first round.
Under MN’s NTIA approved Initial Proposal Vol. 2, the first subgrantee selection round is for Priority (fiber) projects only. If you submit a non-fiber project in the first round, it will not be considered. OBD intends to update the list of BEAD eligible locations following the completion of the subgrantee selection round to remove those locations that have been preliminarily awarded to a subgrantee selected in the first subgrantee selection round. Therefore, it is unknown at this time, what locations will remain for inclusion in the second subgrantee selection round when fixed wireless providers will be able to submit an application.
Q: Jason, is the example you are showing data that is provided through the portal or example of data the ISP provides?
This data has been pre-populated. It’s the location data. Portal just needs to know technology-type. We need file for post-processing purposes. There are other files (speed/latency) that will be needed eventually.
Q: How does portal know which IDs to select?
It’s a single column list of fabric IDs.
Q: In the Other Supporting Documentation needed for upload bullet 2, Preliminarily awarded applicants must provide the following items certified by a Professional Engineer (PE) stating that the proposed network can deliver broadband service that meets the requisite performance requirements to all locations served by the project. Is this needed now in the application stage or upon award?
The PE certified design plan will be required upon notice of a preliminary award but can be submitted as part of the initial application as well.
Q: Do you have any documentation on reference funding?
Q: How do you find the MN Swift Vendor ID?
There’s info on how to sign up to get a vendor ID.
Q: Letter of Credit Commitment letter is at 25%, correct?
Need to check to make sure.
Q: What’s the ETA for the final guidance/ updates being made to the portal?
In the next week.
Q: Will MN’s BEAD application require “evidence of match” be uploaded with the round 1 application, in addition to the letter of commitment for a ILOC?
Yes. Letter of credit does not require evidence of provider match. Also it depends on what the match represents.
Q: I did not see Low Earth Satellite providers on the listing of prequalified providers. There are certainly some locations where wireline and fixed wireless are not financially reasonable in MN to serve. How will this impact the program in MN if low earth satellite providers are not prequalified?
We are waiting for guidance from NTIA. But they can get prequalified. And we can’t force anyone to serve unserved areas.
From the Chat
- Resources and portal access are available on the OBD BEAD webpage including newly uploaded resources like the Approved BEAD Applicants and the BEAD Project Management Plan.
- Please continue to submit BEAD FAQs through the online form, available here: https://forms.office.com/g/jE9EC1Zzpv
- Register for the next office hours, April 1 here