11/18/09

Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP)
Quarterly Program Status Report of November 16, 2009

“ Based on reviewer scores, applications that are considered the most highly qualified advance to "Step Two” “due diligence” review for further consideration.  In Step Two, applicants are asked to submit additional information, as appropriate.  Such information could include more detailed plans or supporting documentation to further substantiate the representations made in their application.  The supplemental information is reviewed and analyzed by NTIA staff with the support of engineering, business, and subject-matter experts provided by NTIA’s contractor, Booz Allen Hamilton, to evaluate the consistency of the applications with the supporting documents and ensure applications merit awards.   

Thereafter, the Director of BTOP (BTOP Director) will prepare and present a package of recommended grant awards.  The BTOP Director’s recommendations will take into account  selection factors established in the NOFA that include: reviewer scores; due diligence review; satisfaction of the program’s purpose; geographic distribution and diversity of populations served; the range of technologies; avoidance of redundancy; conflicts with initiatives of other federal agencies; avoidance of unjust enrichment; availability of funds; and the recommendations of states and tribal entities. 

The BTOP Director will present the recommendations to the Selecting Official, NTIA’s  Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information (Assistant Secretary).  The Assistant Secretary will select the applications for grant awards, taking into consideration the BTOP Director’s recommendations and the degree to which the application satisfies the selection factors and the program’s purposes and priorities.  Awards will be made on a rolling basis subject to the availability of funds.”

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11/13/09: Comment Sought on the Role of the Universal Service fund and Intercarrier Compensation in the National Broadband Plan - Comments Due December 7, 2009

EXPECTED DELAY IN ROUND 2 (posted 11/11/09)

The National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) and Rural Utilities Services' (RUS) broadband stimulus grant and loan programs under the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program are expected to  delay by at least a month the announcement of Round 1 grantees of broadband stimulus grants. "We're going to take a few more weeks here to get this right," said NTIA head Larry Strickling said recently. "I will not fund a bad application."

Winning application announcements may trickle out beginning in November but the entire Round 1 process will not be completed until December or even later. NTIA staff has told people that the second Notice of Available Funding (NOFA) would likely be issued in January with an application filing deadline of March, but this assumes NTIA gets the public notice on a revised NOFA out relatively soon. It is quite possible that issuance of the Round 2 NOFA might slip into February which might delay the Round 2 application deadline into April.

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11/10/09:  The NTIA and RUS today released the RFI (Request for Information) soliciting comment on how the second round of BTOP and BIP funds should be issued.  The RFI asks a lot of questions, including whether to target funding to anchor institutions.  It also asks whether or not it should increase the speed threshold.  

Comments are due two weeks after publication in the Federal Register.   (So, for example, if publication in the FR takes place next week, comments will be due the first week of December).

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11/10/09:  NTIA and RUS Consolidate Final Two Funding Rounds