Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), provides federal funding to states and territories for grants to utilize for high speed Internet deployment, mapping, and adoption projects. Each state, D.C., and P.R. will receive an initial allocation of $100 million—and $100 million will be divided equally among the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. States, territories, D.C., and P.R., may leverage initial planning funds to submit a 5-year action plan, which shall be informed by collaboration with local and regional entities. The remaining funding will be distributed based on a formula that considers the number of unserved and high-cost locations in the state, based on the maps to be published by the FCC in 2022. The program aims to close the access gap for unserved areas (those below 25/3 Mbps), underserved areas (those below 100/20 Mbps), and community anchor institutions (1/1 Gbps).
TBD
Formula
Initial
Letters of Intent are due by 7/18/2022; Initial Planning Funds Application Due 8/15/2022; Additional date for additional materials to be announced.
Total Amount:$42.45 billion
Amount Available Towards Broadband (if specified): $42.45 billion
Yes. In general, a 25% match is required.
The IIJA expressly provides that for the BEAD Program matching funds may come from a federal regional commission or authority and from funds that were provided to an eligible entity or a subgrantee for the purpose of deploying broadband service under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Public Law 116-127; 134 Stat. 178); the CARES Act (Public Law 116-136; 134 Stat. 281), the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260; 134 Stat. 1182); or the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2; 135 Stat. 4), to the extent permitted by those laws.
Funded Networks must provide at least 100/20 Mbps service.
Eligible entities authorized to apply for grants under the BEAD Program include any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. If a State or Territory fails to submit a covered application (i.e., a Letter of Intent, Initial Proposal, or Final Proposal) by the applicable deadline or any subsequent resubmission deadlines if revisions are needed, a political subdivision or consortium of political subdivisions of the eligible entity may submit the applicable type of covered application in place of the State or Territory.
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Evan Feinman, BEAD Program
BEAD@ntia.gov
As a part of the BEAD Program, NTIA will provide technical assistance and other resources to eligible enities and other key stakeholders.
June 2022