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March 8, 2022
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Welcome
The Colorado Broadband Office (CBO) leads the statewide effort to expand broadband coverage and quality for all Coloradans and coordinates all broadband efforts for Colorado.
This month, we will begin our “Employee Spotlight” series. Get to know the CBO!
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In This Issue
- Executive Order
- Employee Spotlight
- Mountain Connect
- Request for Proposals
- CBO Team Updates
- Upcoming CBO Events
- Federal Broadband Updates
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Governor Polis Signs Executive Order to Bring Reliable, Affordable, High-Speed Broadband Internet Access to Coloradans
On Feb. 17, Governor Polis signed an Executive Order (EO) directing the Colorado Broadband Office (CBO) to develop a Broadband Strategic Plan to connect 99% of Colorado households to high-speed broadband by 2027. Currently, we estimate that 91.6 % of Colorado households have access to broadband service at 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload. The CBO has been working since 2016 to close the digital divide, and in that time the needs of Coloradans have changed. With more working and accessing education and health care services remotely, it is more important than ever to ensure equal access to affordable and reliable broadband. The EO accelerates initiatives included in bipartisan legislation signed last year and builds on directives in Governor Polis’ earlier Executive Order B 2020 009.
The state will publish a Colorado Broadband Strategic Plan later this year. The plan includes a roadmap for connecting 99% of Colorado households to high-speed internet, sets a process for soliciting feedback and engaging community industry and community leaders, and develops strategies to address digital connectivity across agencies.
On Mar. 3, the CBO hosted a session to discuss the details of the EO, focusing on elements of the Broadband Strategic Plan, including the roadmap, the process for soliciting feedback and engaging industry and community leaders, and strategies to address digital connectivity across the state.
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Sarah Smith
Sr. Manager, Broadband Programs
Colorado Broadband Office
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Tell us about your role at the CBO.
"In my role at the CBO, I love that I get to do something different each day and that all the work I do is serving Coloradans in having access to a resource that enables economic development, telehealth, telework, and remote education."
How did you get here?
"I started at OIT as a project coordinator in 2016 coming from the oil and gas industry, focused on environmental solutions for oil and water reclamation. Moving into the broadband industry was a steep but exciting learning curve. I got really lucky to have an incredible mentor, Kim Coleman-Madsen, who not only taught me the ropes of working for the state (we bring our own silverware for lunch) but also taught me all about public safety and the important role broadband plays in the lives of Coloradans. Now, as the Sr. Manager of Broadband Programs, I have the pleasure of managing the federal funding engagement and deployment, the outreach and engagement of stakeholders, and strategic planning and collaboration for broadband deployment."
How do you like to spend your time when you aren’t working?
"When I am not working, I am either playing with my dogs, reading a book, spending time with friends or my husband, working on a house project, or doing CrossFit. "
What is one food you cannot resist?
"One food that I cannot resist is a really good bowl of ramen, especially if it has been made by my husband, Evan. Fresh homemade noodle with a tonkatsu broth that has been brewed for hours and a good hardboiled egg with the yolk just a little runny."
Don’t miss the west’s premier broadband conference. The Mountain Connect Broadband Development Conference is May 23-25 in Keystone, Colorado.This year’s conference, with the theme The Evolving Intelligent Broadband Experience, will have tracks covering:
- Community development
- Emerging technologies
- Broadband community case studies, and
- The Infrastructure Act’s Broadband Equity, Access & Deployment Program
There’s $65 billion in broadband funding coming from the federal government–make sure your community doesn’t miss out! This conference has something for everyone, from the “Broadband 101” basics of bandwidth to intricate issues surrounding technologies. Learn how to best capitalize on the benefits broadband can bring your community through public-private partnership and funding opportunities.
Special government employee attendee rates are available at www.mountainconnect.org.
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Request for Proposals Published for Broadband Mapping Services
The CBO has launched a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Broadband Mapping Services that will expand our mapping capabilities and support funding programs. The RFP was published Feb. 25 and closes March 28 at 2 p.m. MDT.
Interested parties, please respond to RFP 2022000237 in https://www.colorado.gov/vss. If this is the first time you have explored partnering with us as a vendor, here's some information that will help you get started.
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Sign up for Funding Updates from the CBO
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Deployment Board & Fund
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Visit the Colorado Broadband Map
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 Broadband Deployment Board and Broadband Fund Updates
The Broadband Deployment Board is inviting comments on policy revisions until Wednesday, March 16, at 11:59 p.m. MDT. Draft policies can be viewed on our website, and comments can be submitted using the Broadband Fund Comment Form. Please indicate in the fourth box that you are providing feedback on Policy Revisions.
Additionally, Broadband Fund staff is working diligently with our legislative liaison to make crucial amendments to the statute for the Colorado General Assembly to review. This is to ensure that any State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF), or “stimulus” funds, can be awarded by the Board to successful applicants in compliance with Treasury Regulations, and that awarded contracts can be disseminated to applicants without delay.
Please contact staff to share your thoughts on policy and legislative revisions. We welcome and encourage feedback from all stakeholders.
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 Broadband Data Team Updates
The Spring 2022 Broadband Data Collection Cycle came to a close last week and now our team will continue to process data submitted by internet service providers (ISPs) throughout March. Updates to the Colorado Broadband Map will be made in April.
If you missed our March 4 deadline for data submission, please reach out to our team immediately at oit_broadbanddata@state.co.us to inquire about a potential deadline extension. While we cannot guarantee an extension, we will do what we can to work with providers for the inclusion of their data.
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Broadband Advisory Board Meeting
Tuesday, March 15 at 11 a.m.
Broadband Advisory Board meetings are now being held every other month. The March 15 meeting will focus on the Executive Order (EO) signed on Feb. 17. This will include a discussion on CDOT’s role in the EO. We will also hear a presentation on the Digital Equity Act and the Subcommittee on Digital Literacy and Inclusion. There will be no public comment period during this meeting in order to accommodate an open discussion. If you need to make an urgent public comment, please email Sarah.Smith@state.co.us.
Broadband Deployment Board Meeting - Application Review
Part 1: Tuesday, March 29 at 9 a.m. &
Part 2: Thursday, March 31 at 12:30 p.m.
The Broadband Deployment Board will be reviewing the Winter 2022 Grant Applications during the two-part Board meeting this month, Part 2 will pick up directly where Part 1 left off. Please visit our website for links to the applications we will be reviewing. You can find registration information for these meetings below and on our website.
Lunch & Learn featuring the Western Colorado Broadband Loop
Tuesday, March 29 at Noon
The Northwest Colorado Council of Governments (NWCCOG) and Region 10 will present plans to connect Project THOR with Region 10 broadband networks to serve more communities across northwest Colorado and the western slope. This partnership will provide these areas with reliable, affordable and accessible broadband. By allowing last-mile providers to deliver broadband speeds of 100/20 Mbps and 100/100 Mbps to rural residents, businesses and community anchor institutions, this project will help create a ubiquitous, public middle-mile broadband network loop across all of western Colorado.
Presenters:
Nate Walowitz - NWCCOG
Corey Bryndal - Region 10
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Federal Broadband Updates & Reminders
We continue to monitor federal programs and highlight recent developments in this space. Please visit our website and follow us on Twitter for more updates on federal broadband news.
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Upcoming Dates & Deadlines
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