NTIA and RUS Solicit Applications for Broadband Grants (posted on July 17, 2009)
On July 1, 2009, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) began soliciting applications for their respective stimulus-funded broadband initiatives. A total of $4.7 billion for broadband grants is available through NTIA’s Broadband Technology Program, while an additional $2.5 billion will be awarded by RUS’s Broadband Initiatives Program as grants and loans. Local governments, nonprofit organizations and private companies are all eligible to apply for funding from both programs, however at least 75% of any project funded under the RUS program must serve a rural area. Applications for both programs will be accepted from July 14, 2009 until August 14, 2009.
To read the Notice of Funding Availability for these programs, go to: http://broadbandusa.sc.egov.usda.gov/files/BB%20NOFA%20FINAL%2007092009.pdf
To access the online application portal, go to: http://broadbandusa.sc.egov.usda.gov/
NTIA Issues Limited ‘Buy American’ Waiver for BTOP (posted June 29, 2009)
On June 26, 2009, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that the Secretary of Commerce has waived the “Buy American” requirement for certain material purchased under its Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). The “Buy American” provision requires that all materials and equipment bought with stimulus funding be made in America. BTOP’s limited waiver will allow grantees to purchase foreign-made equipment that fall into the six selected categories without applying for a project-specific waiver. No grant solicitation has been released for this program.
To read the announcement and view a list of exempt equipment, go to: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/frnotices/2009/FR_BuyAmericanWaiver_090626.09.pdf
FCC Releases Rural Broadband Strategy (posted May 29, 2009)
On May 27, 2009, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released their Report on a Rural Broadband Strategy. The FCC’s report assesses the challenges of bringing broadband to rural areas, and offers solutions to these problems. This strategy will likely be used to construct the Rural Broadband Initiative funded by the stimulus.
To read the press release, go to: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-291014A1.pdf
To read the report, go to: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-291012A1.pdf
Series of Public Meetings on Broadband Initiative Scheduled (posted March 11, 2009)
On March 10, 2009, the Departments of Agriculture and Commerce and the Federal Communications Commission announced that they will hold a series of public meetings from March 16-24 to discuss the joint broadband initiative in the stimulus. Meetings will be held in Washington, DC, Las Vegas, NV, and Flagstaff, AZ and will also be available as webcasts.
To read the Federal Register announcement, go to:
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/frnotices/2009/FR_BTOP_RFI_090312.pdf
To make comments how this initiative should be implemented, go to:
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/broadbandgrants/form.cfm
NTIA Publishes Federal Register Notice on Broadband Grants (posted February 25, 2009)
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will begin holding meetings with interested parties on Monday, March 2, 2009 to discuss broadband grant opportunities included in the economic stimulus legislation. Broadband grant funding will be awarded to eligible entities on a competitive basis to assess, identify and track broadband service deployment in each State. Information about the Broadband Grant Programs will be made available at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/broadbandgrants.
To read the Federal Register notice on the NTIA meetings visit:
www.fergusongroup.us/documents/Stimulus_Updates/broadbandmeetings_090224.pdf
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