Category Archives: Tribal Programs

Bois Forte Tribal Reservation Broadband Profile 2024

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Tribal Area  (25/3)
2024		 (25/3)
2021		 (25/3) 2019
(100/20) 2024		 (100/20) 2021 (100/20) 2019
Bois Forte 100 65.36 20.12 100 0 0

Former Blandin Broadband Community, Bois Forte has done some stellar work in the last few years. In 2021, they were sitting at 65 percent access to broadband (100/20). A lot has happened since then.

In Oct 2022, Bois Forte received a $19.8 million grant from National Telecommunications and Information Administrations (NTIA) Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. (Read more.)

In March, 2024, Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board awarded Bois Forte $261,184 to construct a fiber-to-the-home buildout to bring high speed broadband to 442 homes in the Bois Forte Reservation. The project previously received a grant in 2019 and was nearing completion. The earlier grant was part match for a MN State broadband grant. Bois Forte has been working with cooperative, CTC Communications, on this network.

In August 2024, CTC talked about the Bois Forte project at a MN Broadband Task Force meeting.

Read more articles on Bois Forte.

EVENT Nov 14: Digital Equity for Indian Country

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An invitation from NDIA…

Digital equity is essential for Native Nations to build thriving communities. This can be achieved through affordable and reliable broadband services, access to suitable devices, and providing trusted training and support in digital skills to address their educational, health, economic, cultural, and social needs.

EJ John, J.D., a Senior Research Analyst at the American Indian Policy Institute, will provide insights on digital equity within the framework of Tribal sovereignty. He will cover the history of Tribal broadband, the significance of meaningful data, and the importance of essential partnerships within Tribal communities.

When: November 14th at 2pm ET
How to join: Register for the webinar here.

Minnesota is home to 7 exciting, planned or prospective Native Nation owned broadband networks

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The Institute of Local Self Reliance (ILSR) has been tracking Indigenous Broadband Networks in the US. They provide a great history and analysis of broadband in tribal areas. (The Blandin Foundation has supported Native networks in Minnesota.) ILSR tracks five active networks, one expected and one prospective in Minnesota:

Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
Network Name: Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
Status: Active
Technology: Fiber-to-the-Home
Website: https://www.goctc.com/boisforte/

The Bois Forte Band of Chippewa have been working on building a fiber-to-the-home network in conjunction with CTC Communications, a local cooperative, for a number of years. The partnership calls for CTC Communications to manage the operations of the network for a period of time before handing off management to the Tribe. The construction project has been fueled by grants first from the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Community, and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development before getting a significant infusion from the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. Communities like Nett Lake, Palmquist, and Indian Point were lit up first in 2023, and construction continues in Vermillion, Orr, and Pelican Lake among other areas on and surrounding the Bois Forte Band’s Tribal lands. When completed, the network will pass more than 3500 households and include nearly four hundred miles of fiber optic cable.

Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Network Name: Aaniin
Status: Active
Technology: Fiber-to-the-Home
Additional Services: Additional Services, Video Service
Website: http://www.aaniin.net/
Fond du Lac Communications, doing business under the name Aaniin, offers fiber-to-the-home service throughout the Tribal lands of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Plans for a network began in the mid 2000s and grew and evolved over time. After first considering a wireless solution, the Tribe built an Institutional network, then deployed hotspots to residents before finally winning a grant to build a fiber-to-the-home network. The build was supported by grants from the US Department of Agriculture’s Community Connect Program, Minnesota’s Border-to-Border broadband program, and HUD Indian Community Development Block Grants as well as a significant investment from the Tribal government. Network construction began in 2017 with the first subscribers coming online in 2019. The network currently serves about twelve hundred subscribers.

Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
Network Name: Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
Status: Expected
The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe won a Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program grant in early 2023 to build a hybrid fiber and fixed wireless network. The Tribe had been working for nearly two years on the plans of the network and has convened a broadband task force to guide the initiative. Planning and deployment of the network have begun, with environmental studies already underway.

Lower Sioux Indian Community
Network Name: Lower Sioux Indian Community
Status: Prospective
The Lower Sioux Indian Community received a Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program grant to install fiber-to-the-home on Tribal lands. Reporting suggests that the Tribe has partnered with a company to develop the project, but ownership over the network assets remains unclear.

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Network Name: Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Status: Active
Technology: Fiber
Some time ago, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe installed a small fiber Institutional network, with the Tribe leasing bandwidth from a local ISP. Since 2021, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe has been exploring other options to bring better connectivity to the Reservation. A Tribally-owned entity, Mille Lacs Corporate Venture, began a partnership that year with cooperative Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC). In 2023, the Tribe was awarded a Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program grant to help support the construction of a Tribally-owned fiber-to-the-home network that will be operated by CTC.

Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community of Minnesota
Network Name: Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
Status: Active
Technology: Fiber-to-the-Home
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community began planning a fiber-to-the-home network in 2013 and started building the network two years later. The network now provides FTTH services to every resident of the community. The Tribe has also been instrumental in supporting community broadband initiatives elsewhere, providing grants to other Tribes working on building Internet infrastructure and partnering with the surrounding county to support mutually beneficial fiber build-outs.

Upper Sioux Community
Network Name: Upper Sioux Telecommunications
Status: Active
Technology: Fiber-to-the-Home
Website: https://www.uppersiouxcommunity-nsn.gov/telecommunications
The Upper Sioux Community finished building a fiber-to-the-home network to bring the Internet to the community in 2007. The project was completed in stages beginning in 2005 after the Tribe recognized the severe lack of reliable, high-speed Internet under an incumbent provider. The network is operated as USC Communications, which continues to offer Internet and other services to residents of the community.

 

Aspen Institute asks what it will take to advance rural digital equity

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The Aspen Institute published a case study on Making Broadband Work for Rural Communities and Native Nations. It’s a post-pandemic look at why and how we need to close the digital equity gap felt in native and rural communities.

They offer a 4-step process to helping close the gap…

Acknowledgment: The first step toward digital equity for rural regions and Native nations is a clear acknowledgment across governments and organizations that broadband is an essential utility that all communities and people need to be able to access. Acknowledging this reality means policymakers at multiple levels of government need to grapple with how to best provide, regulate, and sustain this public good for all community members.

Alignment: Misalignment among people, agencies, and organizations can create barriers to broadband deployment and use at all levels. For example, it makes sense for states and Native nations to align digital equity plans, but the recent timing of funding availability under the Digital Equity Act meant that states’ plans were finalized before Native nations were able to access funding for planning, leading to missed opportunities for alignment and cooperation.

Sustainability: The current market-based approach to broadband has not worked for the most remote rural communities and Native nations because they simply do not have enough density of customers to allow private ISPs to make a profit. Acknowledging that broadband is an essential utility, as described above, should allow governments and communities to shift their thinking to find ways to provide affordable, sustainable connectivity to people and businesses.

Learning: The many new broadband and digital inclusion projects currently underway provide fertile ground for learning about what works to bring effective connectivity to rural communities and Native nations—and leverage that connectivity to drive equitable rural prosperity. But without intentional efforts to learn from this experience—and the efforts centered on COVID-19 pandemic response—governments and practitioners may end up repeating mistakes or continuing efforts that need to shift.

OPPORTUNITY: Applications soon open for a New Initiative to Recognize Native Entities

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NDIA (National Digital Inclusion Alliance) reports…

Seven Star Communities is a new initiative to honor and celebrate Native nations accomplishing digital inclusion work. Native nations are a critical part of our network of digital inclusion practitioners here at NDIA. The Seven Star Communities program hopes to highlight outstanding work, and also provide an opportunity for Native nations to learn from each other.

The application for Seven Star Communities 2024 will open towards the end of August.

ILSR report: Native Nations and Federal Telecom Policy Failures – consent is key

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The Institute for Local Self Reliance has a new report (Native Nations and Federal Telecom Policy Failures) that tracks the history of how poor or nonexistent technology policies have hindered relationships between broadband providers and tribes and tribal nations…

As Tribes work in record numbers to close the significant digital divide across Indian Country, they need good policy that facilitates self-determined and sustainable solutions. To the contrary, RDOF became, for many, yet another lesson in the dangers of investing significant sums of federal money into new Internet networks on Tribal lands without regard to local knowledge or priorities, leaving Tribal governments to spend their own time and resources to fix broken processes.

While some recent federal broadband programs do require ISPs to secure Tribal consent prior to receiving funds, the FCC still has not adopted this approach. The problems outlined in this report reinforce the need for such a requirement. This report examines RDOF’s program design in the context of the FCC’s policies on Tribal nations, highlights the practical and fundamental concerns raised by some Tribes about the program, and considers the long-term reverberations it continues to have on broadband funding for Tribes. It concludes that the FCC should have stronger, more clear requirements for ISPs operating on Tribal Reservations.

It seems consent is key…

It doesn’t seem far-fetched to tie the release of the FCC’s November 2023 memo to the provider letter in the Pacific Northwest. With state BEAD challenges underway or on the horizon, RDOF recipients bumped up against the threat of competition and felt a renewed sense of urgency to secure consent. Companies could use undue pressure or selective information in an attempt to do so. If Tribes do not fully understand the leverage they hold, they may feel pressured to provide that consent or be unnecessarily warned off of competing for BEAD funds. The legacy of disingenuous outsiders taking advantage of Tribes does not seem to be consigned to history.

There remain a lot of moving parts in the broadband funding landscape – a lot of different state and federal funding programs with different rules and guidelines. For many years, the FCC has doled out the largest share of money, especially to rural areas, but the Commission’s policies on Tribal consultation have often resulted in broken promises, frustration, and bureaucratic hurdles for already time-strapped Tribes looking to close the digital divide on their lands. It is a heap of trouble that some Tribes are still actively trying to unwind. NTIA’s decision not to recognize enforceable commitments without Tribal consent can be a helpful corrective for Tribes who might otherwise be eligible for BEAD funding, though it looks like it may take another big effort to make it a reality.

For years strong public-private partnerships have been touted as essential to deploying broadband in rural areas. Trust and consent are essential to any relationship. Even parenting, I know a begrudged “I’ll clean my room,” will not yield the same result as a happy “I’ll clean my room for $10 or your birthday or to have friends over.” There’s begrudged consent and partnership and many shades in between.

 

Tribal Broadband Bootcamps bring connectivity, knowledge and skills

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Nice to see the Tribal Broadband Bootcamps from the Institute for Local Self Reliance get noticed by Finance and Commerce…

Ultimately, though, if broadband expansion is to succeed on tribal lands, it will happen because people understand how to make it work in their communities, and that’s where nuts-and-bolts training sessions like this come into play.

More than 1 in 5 homes on tribal lands lack access to adequate broadband, compared to fewer than one in 10 on non-tribal land in 2024, according to Federal Communications Commission data. But experts say the disparity is likely greater.

Tribal nations have struggled to connect to the web for a variety of reasons ranging from living in remote locations to lack of investment by internet service providers. The lack of service has hampered every aspect of 21st century life, from health care and education access to the ability to start a business and stay in touch with friends and family.

“A lot of tribal communities, they’re probably decades behind a lot of urban areas in terms of internet connectivity,” said E.J. John, a Navajo Nation member and policy analyst at the American Indian Policy Institute. “Connectivity rates are very low.”

With at least $3 billion specifically set aside for tribal nations, depending on how they fare competing for the biggest pot of federal money for broadband expansion, Rantanen said he has received a “flood” of interest in training and applying for grants.

The solution Rantanen and Mitchell came up with was the Tribal Broadband Bootcamp, a hands-on way to help people understand the technology through three-day sessions.

“We actually want people to see a fiber optic network in the ground that they can use tools to manipulate and troubleshoot,” said Mitchell, who runs broadband efforts for a nonprofit called the Institute of Local Self-Reliance.

Most previous bootcamps have taken place on tribal lands, but about a third of the sessions have been hosted on Rantanen’s ranch, which the founders affectionately call a “broadband playground.”

At the group’s 14th bootcamp in June, participants roamed the ranch on foot and by utility vehicles trailed by clouds of dust.

Federal report on State of federal Broadband programs in Minnesota

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The Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth (OICG) reports…

The ACCESS BROADBAND Act requires OICG to submit to relevant congressional committees and publish on its website an annual report that contains a description of OICG’s work for the previous year and the number of U.S. residents connected to broadband through federal broadband support programs and the Universal Service Fund Program.5 The OICG Annual Report describes the work of OICG, fulfilling the statutory requirement of the ACCESS BROADBAND Act.

Here is what they report for Minnesota…

Public Engagement

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development (MN OBD), the Association of Minnesota Counties, the League of Minnesota Cities, and the Minnesota Association of Townships co-hosted the Internet for All: Connecting One Minnesota Workshop in Prior Lake on January 25, 2023. Attendees included critical stakeholders, including local Tribal and government leaders, community anchor institutions, nonprofits and providers, all committed to furthering the border-to-border expansion of broadband across the state. The workshop provided an overview of available federal funding along with a focus on creative solutions to the broadband deployment challenges in rural Minnesota. There were over 360 attendees, with over 170 joining in-person and over 190 joining virtually.

Digital Equity Regional Events…

From August 29 through September 27, 2023, MN OBD hosted digital opportunity listening sessions in 16 cities and two online sessions. The state hosted this series of digital opportunity listening sessions to convene digital opportunity supporters, solicit feedback on their Digital Opportunity (Equity) draft, plan and hear about Minnesotans’ digital opportunity ideas, concerns, experiences and solutions.

Amplifying Investments

U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, U.S. Representative Angie Craig (MN-2), and Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan held an Investing in America press conference to announce the Minnesota Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program allocation.

Connecting Communities through Technology, Training, and Certifications

NTIA’s Connecting Minority Communities (CMC) Pilot Program awarded a grant to Red Lake Nation College (RLNC). The project upgraded on-site Internet service and security, upgraded laptop and desktop computers, increased learning software options at RLNC and provided digital devices and broadband service plans for RLNC students to enable access on- and off-campus. The project also provided professional development and capacity building opportunities for RLNC IT staff, cybersecurity training for RLNC faculty, staff and students and drone training and certification for community members, including a youth drone camp.

Out of the adult participants, 16 became certified pilots after taking the drone pilot certification exam, one of which was hired by RLNC’s Tribal Engineering Department as their new Drone Specialist. Shortly after the program was completed, the drones (and newly certified specialists) were used to find a missing person who was lost in the woods.

They also listed tribal areas in Minnesota that will benefit from the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program:

  • Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (Six Component reservations: Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake); Fond du Lac Band; Grand Portage Band; Leech Lake Band; Mille Lacs Band; White Earth Band)
  • White Earth Band of Minnesota Chippewa Tribe
  • Lower Sioux Indian Community in the State of Minnesota

Deadline extended for Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program to March 22, 2024

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Red Lake Nation News reports…

Tribes and Native entities have been given more time to submit applications for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, a national initiative to improve high-speed internet access on Native lands.

Eligible tribal and Native entities have until March 22 to apply for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced on Monday. Applications can be submitted online, via email or through the postal system.

“The deadline extensions are intended to provide potential applicants with more time to develop competitive project proposals and project consortia,” the NTIA said in a news release. “Eligible Entities that previously submitted applications may submit revised applications (entire application must be resubmitted) on or before the new submission deadline.”

https://indianz.com/News/2024/01/22/deadline-extended-for-tribal-broadband-connectivity-program/

OPPORTUNITY: FCC looking for nominations to Native Nations Communications Task Force

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The FCC put out a call…

FCC EXTENDS CURRENT NATIVE NATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TASK FORCE AND SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR TRIBAL GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES TO SERVE ON RENEWED TASK FORCE BEGINNING IN 2024The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) has long recognized that it shares a unique trust relationship with Tribal Nations.[1]  It is this unique government-to-government relationship that guides the Commission in its dealings with Tribal Nations and in the Commission’s efforts to promote Tribal self-sufficiency and economic development.  As part of these endeavors and its efforts to ensure that the concerns of Tribal governments are considered in all relevant Commission proceedings, the Commission created the Native Nations Communications Task Force (Task Force).  Since it was created in 2011, the Task Force has been composed of elected Tribal leaders from federally-recognized Tribes or their designated employees with authority to act on their behalf and senior Commission staff.[2]  The Task Force is an important source of information, expertise, and guidance to the Commission.  The Task Force’s mission is to consult with Commission staff and make recommendations on communications-related issues that affect Tribal stakeholders.[3]
Extension of Current Term
By this Public Notice, we first announce an extension of the term of the current Task Force until the end of 2023.  The current term, which was set to expire on October 24, 2023, will now expire on December 31, 2023.  This extension will provide additional time to the Task Force to complete its task.
Applications for Renewed Task Force in 2024
Second, we seek applications for membership to serve on a renewed Task Force to start at the beginning of 2024.  Applications should be submitted in accordance with the procedures outlined below.  As described below, incumbent Task Force members may recommit to the Task Force rather than submit a new nomination.[4]  The Commission intends to establish the renewed Task Force term for a period of three years, with an expected start date of January 1, 2024.
Applications for Task Force membership must be received by the FCC no later than November 30, 2023.

Get details on how to nominate someone.

EVENT Oct 16: Nuts, Bolts, and Cables: Opportunities in Tribal Broadband

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From the Minneapolis Federal Reserve…

We invite you to join us October 16 for a conversation about the research on tribal broadband and opportunities for tribes to improve their communities’ Internet access. This is the third event in the Center for Indian Country Development’s (CICD’s) 2023 webinar series: Cultivating Native Economies in the 21st Century. The series provides tribal leaders, policymakers, and practitioners with information they can use to strengthen and expand Indian Country economic prosperity.

Internet access connects communities to economic opportunity and vital services. Research from CICD has found that tribal areas have inadequate access to high-speed Internet, known as broadband. Today, new funding and partnership possibilities are opening opportunities for tribes to improve their communities’ digital infrastructure. Seizing these opportunities requires accurate, comprehensive data on the state of broadband across Indian Country.

Our October 16 webinar will feature research on the tribal digital divide and information on modern broadband policies and programs. Tribal broadband practitioners and federal policymakers will discuss data challenges as well as opportunities for tribal governments to advance their service networks. Presenters and panelists will also explore the connection between tribes’ ability to make decisions about their digital infrastructure and tribal sovereignty. Participants will have the opportunity to share questions as part of a live question-and-answer session.

The event is held in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and the American Indian Policy Institute at Arizona State University.

We hope you’ll be part of this important conversation.

Speakers include:

  • Geoffrey Blackwell (Muscogee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Omaha), National Congress of American Indians
  • Valerie Fast Horse (Coeur d’Alene Tribe), Coeur d’Alene Tribe
  • Casey Lozar (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes), CICD, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
  • Traci Morris (Chickasaw), American Indian Policy Institute, Arizona State University
  • Matthew Rantanen (Cree), Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association and Tribal Digital Village
  • Steven Shepelwich, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
  • H Trostle (Cherokee Nation), CICD, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
  • Danae Wilson (Nez Perce), White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

EVENT DETAILS

Virtual video event

Register now!

 

OPPORTUNITY: State funding available for assistive technology for older folks and folks with disabilities

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Unrelated to the broadband world, I was lucky enough to volunteer for a Native American Elder Picnic in Minneapolis last week. There were booths set up to promote different opportunities; one of the booths was LiveLife Therapy Solutions. They were talking to folks about assistive technology available to make it easier for elders (and others) to stay in their homes longer. These services can be made available through state funding. Learn more in the video:

It seems like these tools could be a good entry point for older folks and folks with disabilities to start using technology.

The event was also an opportunity for me to talk with folks who aren’t big technology users. I spoke to one gentleman who has an email address but only accesses it when he’s in the library. He’s in Anoka County. He has the skills to use broadband but lack of device and cost that are his barriers.

I also learned that bingo is a hot seller to elders. That might be helpful to folks looking to get elders in the room for any technology related programming. Or turning devices into bingo prizes might be a way to get them to people who need them.

NTIA opens second round of funding for Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program up to $980 million

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The NTIA reports on a second round of funding for tribal communities…

The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) is a $3 billion program, from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, to support Tribal governments bringing high-speed Internet to Tribal lands, including telehealth, distance learning, affordability, and digital inclusion initiatives. The program seeks to improve quality of life, spur economic development, and create opportunities for remote employment, online entrepreneurship, remote learning, and telehealth by expanding broadband access and by providing digital training and inclusion programs to Native American communities.

This second round of funding from the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program will make approximately $980 million available on Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian lands for deployment of Internet infrastructure, affordability programs, telehealth and distance learning initiatives.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity page includes information for Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program eligible applicants. Here, you will find sample budget materials, application guidance, webinar schedules and other materials to help strengthen your application.

You can find full details about this program in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Download the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

FCC gives tribal libraries greater access to E-Rate funding

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The FCC announces…

The Federal Communications Commission today adopted an order providing Tribal libraries and other E-Rate participants enhanced access to funding so they can obtain affordable, high-speed broadband services and equipment to connect students and library patrons with online learning opportunities.

More details…

With the Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted today, the Commission makes changes to provide Tribal communities and other E-Rate participants with greater access to the E-Rate program.  Specific updates to the E-Rate program rules include:

  • Granting E-Rate eligibility to Tribal College and University libraries that serve as public libraries in their communities.

  • Creating an exemption to the competitive bidding requirements for libraries seeking E-Rate support for category two services that total a pre-discount price of $3,600 or less per library per funding year.  Category two services are the internal connections needed for broadband connectivity within schools.  This step can help simplify the application process.

  • Increasing the maximum category two discount rate to 90% and the category two funding floor to $55,000 for Tribal libraries.  This step can raise the amount of funding for category two services that are reimbursable through the E-Rate program.

  • Providing guidance on cost allocation issues experienced by applicants.

  • Adopting a formal definition of “Tribal” within the E-Rate program to better identify Tribal applicants seeking E-Rate funding.

  • Amending the Commission’s E-Rate program rules to add a Tribal community representative to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) Board of Directors.

  • Directing USAC to provide increased outreach and training to Tribal applicants.

  • Seeking comment on ways to further simplify the E-Rate program for all applicants.

GAO has 15 recommendations for NTIA’s Tribal broadband programs

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Fierce Telecom reports…

A government watchdog warned the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) isn’t doing enough to measure the success of its Tribal broadband programs as the agency continues to dole out funding for broadband upgrades across the 56 million acres of Indian Reservation lands. …

Yet while the NTIA continues to dole out funding through the TBCP and the Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP), the agency isn’t doing enough to ensure the successful performance of these programs, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released earlier this year. The report described NTIA’s program management of TBCP and BIP as “generally consistent with recommended practices for awarding grants.” But the GAO took issue with the NTIA’s claims of providing “reliable” and “affordable” connectivity without defining those terms — thereby making them not effectively quantifiable.

These findings prompted a list of 15 recommendations for better performance monitoring and program implementation success. The recommendations would effectively create a dedicated NTIA administrator to establish program goals and measurements within the TBCP and BIP, define and measure “reliable” and “affordable” connectivity, and monitor fraud risk within the program. The status of these recommendations currently remains open, and the GAO intends to provide updates to the responses taken by the NTIA as it becomes available.

From the GAO report here are the 15 recommendations:

  1. For TBCP, the Administrator of NTIA should establish performance goals and measures for all of the program’s purposes—funding broadband use and adoption projects as well as funding broadband infrastructure deployment projects. (Recommendation 1)
  2. For TBCP, the Administrator of NTIA should ensure the performance goal is quantifiable and measurable by defining broadband reliability and affordability. (Recommendation 2)
  3. For TBCP, the Administrator of NTIA should designate a dedicated entity to lead fraud risk management activities for the program. (Recommendation 3)
  4. For TBCP, the Administrator of NTIA should ensure that the dedicated entity identifies inherent fraud risks in the program. (Recommendation 4)
  5. For TBCP, the Administrator of NTIA should ensure that the dedicated entity assesses the likelihood and impact of inherent fraud risks in the program. (Recommendation 5)
  6. For TBCP, the Administrator of NTIA should ensure that the dedicated entity determines fraud risk tolerance for the program. (Recommendation 6)
  7. For TBCP, the Administrator of NTIA should ensure that the dedicated entity examines the suitability of existing antifraud controls in the program and prioritizes residual fraud risks. (Recommendation 7)
  8. For TBCP, the Administrator of NTIA should ensure that the dedicated entity documents the fraud risk profile for the program. (Recommendation 8)
  9. For BIP, the Administrator of NTIA should ensure the performance goal is quantifiable and measurable by defining broadband affordability. (Recommendation 9)
  10. For BIP, the Administrator of NTIA should designate a dedicated entity to lead fraud risk management activities for the program. (Recommendation 10)
  11. For BIP, the Administrator of NTIA should ensure that the dedicated entity identifies inherent fraud risks in the program. (Recommendation 11)
  12. For BIP, the Administrator of NTIA should ensure that the dedicated entity assesses the likelihood and impact of inherent fraud risks in the program. (Recommendation 12)
  13. For BIP, the Administrator of NTIA should ensure that the dedicated entity determines fraud risk tolerance for the program. (Recommendation 13)
  14. For BIP, the Administrator of NTIA should ensure that the dedicated entity examines the suitability of existing antifraud controls in the program and prioritizes residual fraud risks. (Recommendation 14)
  15. For BIP, the Administrator of NTIA should ensure that the dedicated entity documents the fraud risk profile for the program. (Recommendation 15)