Publications

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (the ‘‘Act’’) appropriated $285 million to NTIA to establish the Connecting Minority Communities (CMC) Pilot Program. The CMC Pilot Program will provide grants to eligible historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs); Tribal Colleges or Universities (TCUs); and Minorityserving institutions (MSIs) in anchor communities for broadband internet access service, equipment, or to hire information technology personnel to facilitate educational instruction including remote instruction, and to lend or provide equipment to eligible students or patrons. This final rule describes NTIA’s programmatic scope, eligibility criteria, and general guidelines for the CMC Pilot Program as authorized by the Act. NTIA will subsequently publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) on www.grants.gov that will provide more details regarding the CMC eligibility guidelines, application instructions, and program requirements. This final rule is effective on June 15, 2021.

This Interagency Agreement sets forth the agreement between the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and NTIA to require coordination among the Covered Agencies for the distribution of funds for broadband deployment under the FCC’s High-Cost Programs, the programs administered by the Rural Utilities Service of USDA, and the programs administered by or coordinated through NTIA.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will host webinars in connection with the three new broadband grant programs authorized and funded by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021: The Broadband Infrastructure Program, the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, and the Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program. The webinars are designed to help prospective applicants understand the grant programs and to assist applicants to prepare high quality grant applications.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will host broadband grant program public virtual listening sessions in connection with the five new broadband grant programs authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program; the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program; and the Digital Equity Act Programs, which include the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. These public virtual listening sessions are designed to collect stakeholder input to help inform program development and implementation.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will host a pre-Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) technical assistance webinar series in March-May 2022 in connection with the five new broadband grant programs authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA): The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program; the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program; and the Digital Equity Act Programs, which include the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. These pre-NOFO technical assistance webinars are designed to help prospective applicants understand NTIA's IIJA broadband grant programs and to assist applicants to prepare high quality grant applications.

Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Information Sharing between the Federal Communications Commission, U.S. Department of Agriculture, The National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will host a webinar series in April through July 2021 in connection with the three new broadband grant programs authorized and funded by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021: The Broadband Infrastructure Program, the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, and the Connecting Minority Communities Program. The webinars are designed to help prospective applicants understand the grant programs and to assist applicants to prepare high quality grant applications.

NTIA issues this NOFO to describe the requirements under which it will award grants for the second round of the TBCP, authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Division N, Title IX, Section 905(c), Public Law 116-260, 134 Stat. 1182 (Dec. 27, 2020) (Act), as amended by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Division F, Title II, Section 60201, Public Law 117-58, 135 Stat. 429 (Nov. 15, 2021) (IIJA). The TBCP provides new federal funding for grants to Eligible Entities to expand access to and adoption of: (i) broadband service on Tribal Land; or (ii) programs that promote the use of broadband to access remote learning, telework, or telehealth resources.

On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 into law, also known (and referred to subsequently herein) as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which includes a historic investment of $65 billion to help close the digital divide and ensure that all Americans have access to reliable, affordable, high-speed broadband. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), is responsible for distributing more than $48 billion in BIL broadband funding through several different programs. NTIA has established multiple avenues for the public to offer input to inform program design and implementation. This includes a series of public virtual listening sessions (see ADDRESSES below) as well as the opportunity for stakeholders across the nation to make their views known in response to this Notice and Request for Comment (Notice). NTIA welcomes input from all interested parties.

The Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program was established in November 2021 through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known (and referred to subsequently herein) as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Under the BEAD Program, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is responsible for administering $42.45 billion in grants to the States, Territories, and the District of Columbia (Eligible Entities) with the principal focus of ensuring that every American has access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet service. Various stakeholders have requested NTIA to consider exemptions of certain provisions of OMB's Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) from application to grants and subgrants awarded under the BEAD Program. In this Notice, NTIA seeks public comment on the issues raised by stakeholders and other questions relating to the relationship between the Uniform Guidance and the BEAD Program.