New Hampshire is receiving $196.5M to improve broadband infrastructure throughout the state.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issued the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in May 2022. The BEAD Program provides eligible states, territories, and the District of Columbia (“Eligible Entities”) the opportunity to receive federal grant funding to expand high-speed Internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment, and adoption programs. The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA) will use this funding to bring high-speed broadband to the unserved and underserved locations in the state.
As part of this process, the BEA Office of Broadband Initiatives was required to complete
Five-Year Plan which was reviewed and subsequently approved by the NTIA.
In addition, the Office of Broadband Initiatives was required to submit its Initial Proposal. This document was organized into two volumes.
Initial Proposal Volume I outlines specifics on the BEAD Challenge Process. More information will be provided as BEA approaches the launch of the Challenge Process.
Initial Proposal Volume II details the subgrantee selection process. Both volumes have been approved by NTIA.
Once the subgrantee selection process is complete, and not to exceed one year after Initial Proposal approval, the Office of Broadband Initiatives must submit its Final Proposal explaining its overall process for allocating BEAD funding throughout the State.