Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
The Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program, established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), establishes and funds a $1 billion program for the construction, improvement or acquisition of middle mile infrastructure. The purpose of the grant program is to expand and extend middle mile infrastructure, reducing the cost to serve unserved and underserved areas and increasing the resilience of Internet Infrastructure. Eligible applicants include States, political subdivisions of a State, tribal governments, technology companies, electric utilities, utility cooperatives, public utility districts, telecommunications companies, telecommunications cooperatives, nonprofit foundations, nonprofit corporations, nonprofit institutions, nonprofit associations, regional planning councils, Native entities, or economic development authorities.
Not Applicable
Discretionary
Initial
Complete applications must be received by NTIA through the Application Portal no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on September 30, 2022.
NTIA expects to complete its review, selection of successful applicants, and award processing by February 16, 2023. NTIA expects that the start date for awards under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will be no earlier than March 1, 2023.
Total Amount: NTIA will make up to $980,000,000 available for federal assistance under the MMG Program ($1,000,000,000 minus two percent set aside to cover NTIA’s administrative costs). NTIA expects to make awards under this program within the following funding range: $5,000,000 to $100,000,000.
Amount Available Towards Broadband (if specified): $980,000,000
Yes. Minimum 30%
Federal funds may not be used as non-federal match, except as expressly provided by federal statute.
1. Extent to which the project will either (a) facilitate deployment of high-speed Internet networks to currently unserved or underserved areas or (b) improve affordability in already-served markets (e.g., by reducing interconnection costs for last-mile providers or providing opportunities for competitive providers to offer last-mile service) 2. Extent to which the project will offer non-discriminatory interconnection in perpetuity, where technically feasible without exceeding current or reasonably anticipated capacity limitations, on reasonable rates and terms to be negotiated with requesting parties. Such interconnection must include both the ability to connect to the public Internet and physical interconnection for the exchange of traffic. 3. Extent to which provider commits to offering access to the funded middle mile infrastructure, in perpetuity, on an open access basis. 4. Extent to which the project will otherwise benefit the proposed service area, including, but not limited to, by (a) facilitating development of carrier-neutral interconnection facilities; (b) improving the redundancy or resiliency of existing middle mile infrastructure; or (c) including direct interconnect facilities that will facilitate the provision of high-speed Internet service to anchor institutions located within 1,000 feet of the middle mile infrastructure at speeds of at least 1 Gbps symmetrical. 5. Comprehensiveness and appropriateness of the proposed technical solution for meeting the community’s needs, considering the offering’s capacity and performance characteristics. Reviewers will consider the proposed network’s ability to serve anticipated last mile networks, and to meet the increasing needs of the households, businesses, and anchor institutions in the areas linked by the middle mile facilities at issue. Reviewers will score favorably construction projects that are “shovel ready” and capable of completion within a two-year period.
Prior to entering into any award agreement, the Assistant Secretary shall ensure, consistent with the requirements below, that any prospective middle mile grant recipient:
a. Is capable of carrying out the proposed project in a competent manner; and
b. Has the financial, managerial, technical and operational capability to carry out the proposed project and operate the resulting middle mile broadband network.
To encourage the expansion and extension of middle mile infrastructure to reduce the cost of connecting unserved and underserved areas to the backbone of the Internet and to promote high-speed Internet connection resiliency through the creation of alternative network connection paths that can be designed to prevent single points of failure on a network.
Not Applicable
Sarah Bleau
Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room 4874
Washington, DC 20230
Phone: (202) 482-2048
Email: middlemile@ntia.gov
Not Applicable
June 2022