The Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) has announced that the reduction of underserved or unserved broadband serviceable locations (BSLs) that will result from the strong response to Gap Networks Grant Program and Round 1 of their Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program solicitations has led to the cancellation of the Round 2 solicitation.
The result will be the start of direct negotiations with potential providers. MBI, in a statement credited to director Michael Baldino, says that providers who did not participate in the Pre-Qualification Process or the BEAD Round 1 grant solicitation still can participate in negotiations.
All subgrantee solicitations must complete the qualification process to be provisionally selected by the MBI as a subgrantee. All subgrantee selections are provisional and must be approved during the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) review of the Massachusetts BEAD Final Proposal.
For remaining municipalities with BEAD-eligible BSLs, providers need not have existing or planned broadband infrastructure in either the municipality or adjacent municipalities to be eligible to be a subgrantee.
MBI also says it has updated the Massachusetts BEAD Funding Agreement Template. The updated agreement is available on the BEAD Program page on the MBI website.
MBI is establishing the Extremely High Cost Per Location Threshold (EHCPLT). It will apply the EHCPLT to the grant applications submitted under the BEAD Round 1 grant solicitation and proposals received in the negotiation phase. The EHCPLT provides a guidepost for the subsidy levels available through the Massachusetts BEAD Program.
In February, the MBI made $9.44 million available to entities working to reduce digital access gaps in the state. The Launchpad Program will be funded through the NTIA’s Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program.
Additional information about Massachusetts broadband, including state funding resources, awards made, BEAD news, state-specific coverage, and more can be found on the Telecompetitor Broadband Nation webpage for the state.
