States Anticipate Updated BEAD Guidance in Mid-May
New BEAD guidance from NTIA is expected in the middle of next month, state sources told us. There have been indications from the Commerce Department and elsewhere that big changes are ahead for BEAD rules (see 2503200003). NTIA didn't comment.
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West Virginia paused its BEAD program earlier this month in anticipation of revamping it in line with those expected changes (see 2504010008). Maine said last week it was doing the same. The Maine Connectivity Authority said NTIA told it that BEAD updates "will make it infeasible for MCA to complete the program requirements in the previously defined timeframe." It said that until an updated policy notice arrives from NTIA -- expected in mid-May -- Maine can't proceed with good-faith negotiations with subcontractees. "As a result, we are matching the pace being set."
Missouri Office of Broadband Development Director BJ Tanksley said in an email that the state has been in meetings indicating that additional BEAD guidance will come in mid-May. Asked about pausing, Tanksley said Missouri hasn't been told to take any action now related to the forthcoming guidance. "We are taking into account the possibility of changes coming ... as we plan for the next steps of our BEAD subgrantee selection process." The state has gone through one round of its application process and is about to start a second, he said. "While no specific decision[s] have been made at this time we are being mindful of the potential impact of additional guidance as we plan our next steps."
"Speculation on the street" among state broadband offices is that NTIA will issue guidance in mid-May, Minnesota Office of Broadband Development Director Bree Maki told us in an interview. With Minnesota's final proposal not due to NTIA until Oct. 3, the state expects it could have time to readjust its BEAD program to reflect new guidance without pausing work, she said.
In a March 27 letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the Minnesota Office of Broadband Deployment said it hoped to keep its fiber priority in subgrantee selection. It also backed ending any policies that set up separate rules and requirements for unlicensed fixed wireless or low earth orbit satellites in subgrants and disbursements, as well as asking for elimination of the letter of credit requirement for subgrantees.
Indiana "heard about the possibility" of new BEAD guidance in mid-May, but not a confirmed date, Chief Broadband Officer Stephen Cox emailed. The state hasn't been advised to pause its BEAD processes, he added. Indiana has completed its first round of subgrantee selection and is preparing for a second round of applications. "We are not planning to pause our processes with the caveat that we are remaining in constant communication with our federal partners in the event there are substantive changes requiring us to adjust what we are doing," Cox said.
The Nebraska Broadband Office "is continuing as usual," a spokeswoman emailed. "We are in the midst of Round 1 of our Project Applications and have no intention of pausing."
Maine said that with its project application process closed, it received submissions for 385 project areas covering 79% of project locations. The average subsidy was less than $5,000 per location. Of the project areas that received bids, 70% saw interest from more than one applicant, it said.