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Challenge process begins for Round 10 Border-to-Border and Low-Density Broadband Development Grant programs
- Digital Opportunity staff visit Waseca County
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Governor’s Task Force on Broadband, May meeting recap
- BEAD Challenge Portal, updates and resources
Challenge process begins for Round 10 Border-to-Border and Low-Density Broadband Development Grant programs
Sixty-eight (68) applications for the 2024 Round 10 Border-to-Border and Low-Density Broadband Development grant program were received by the May 10th deadline. The Office of Broadband Development has initiated the challenge process required by Minnesota law (Minn. Stat. 116J.395 subd. 5a) concurrent with its review of the applications.
A list of the applications filed and instructions on how to file a challenge, if necessary, are available on our website and under the "2024 Application Process" tab. A downloadable GIS layer of the 2024 Round 10 Grant application areas will be available on our interactive broadband map on or around Monday, May 20, 2024. Any provider wishing to challenge an application must complete the 2024 Challenge Form and submit via email to deed.broadband@state.mn.us by 4:00 p.m. Friday, June 14, 2024.
If you have any questions, please contact our office at 651-259-7610 or via email at deed.broadband@state.mn.us.
Digital Opportunity staff visits Waseca County
OBD’s Digital Opportunity staff were invited to visit Waseca County on Tuesday, May 21 to see how agricultural communities support digital equity beyond infrastructure. Hannah Buckland, Digital Equity Program Lead, shared data about rural internet subscription rates and device ownership during a Board of County Commissioners meeting. Staff also stopped by the Waseca-Le Sueur Regional Library, toured the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) Bioindustrial Innovation Center, visited the Southern Research Outreach Center (SROC) and learned about precision planting and agriculture at the Huelsnitz Farm.
Thank you to Michael Johnson and Steve Kraus for initiating and hosting this visit! If you’re interested in sharing with OBD’s Digital Opportunity staff what digital equity looks like in your area, please reach out to Hannah Buckland at: hannah.buckland@state.mn.us.
Governor’s Task Force on Broadband, May meeting recap
The Govenor’s Task Force met at Land O’Lakes in Arden Hills, MN on Wednesday May 15th for the presentation, Sustainability and Connection to Broadband on the Field, from Task Force Chair Teddy Bekele and Phani Reddy, Product Family Manager at Truterra Livestock; to hear updates on BEAD and Digital Opportunity; and learn about statewide fellowship models from American Connection Corps’ Rebecca Johnson, Program Officer, and Taylor Stuckert, Executive Director.
Materials from this and previous Task Force meetings are available on the Broadband Task Force webpage.
BEAD Challenge Portal, updates and resources
Minnesota is in the curing phase with NTIA on the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Initial Proposal, Volume 1, awaiting NTIA approval. BEAD will be federal funds that provide funding for broadband infrastructure (fiber, fixed wireless, satellite) with the goal of demonstrating Internet for All. Once NTIA approves Volume 1, OBD will conduct the BEAD Challenge Process with its vendor AppGeo. Currently, the Challenge Window is expected to open mid-July and there will be 30 days for challenges, 30 days for rebuttal, and a 30-day window for OBD to adjudicate. Before the Challenge Window opens, OBD is planning regional events to review the BEAD Challenge process, to hold webinars, and to host weekly office hours online. More information to follow in the coming weeks, additionally, if NTIA approval comes later than anticipated the schedule below will be adjusted accordingly.
BEAD Challenge Portal Opens
late-June (21 days) |
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BEAD Challenge Window
mid-July to mid-August |
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BEAD Rebuttal Window
mid-August to mid-September |
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BEAD Adjudication by OBD
mid-September to mid-October |
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The Challenge portal is planned to open around two weeks ahead of the official Challenge Window to allow for eligible challengers to review the map and prepare for submitting challenges. The following, states with approved Volume 1s have more information on their websites and are also using AppGeo as their vendor: Arizona, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, and Washington. Since the portal map will be very similar, if you would like to preview the Challenge portal in those states, you can find more information through the following links:
As information on outreach events, webinars, office hours, and important dates for the BEAD Challenge become available, it will be announced via email to this distribution list as well as posted on OBD’s webpage here.
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