Volume II of Missouri's Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program Initial Proposal Approved by the NTIA

Missouri’s Office of Broadband Development (OBD) is proud to announce the approval of Volume II of the state’s Initial Proposal for funding through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a part of the federal Department of Commerce.

The approval of both elements of Missouri’s Initial Proposal puts the state one step closer to awarding the $1.7 billion in broadband funding available to Missouri under the BEAD program to projects bringing service to more than 200,000 eligible locations without broadband across the state. OBD has 365 days from formal approval of the final element of the Initial Proposal on July 24, 2024, to submit its Final Proposal, which will document the specific plan to serve each of these locations.

Volume II of the Initial Proposal lays out the rules by which OBD will award the internet service providers who will complete these projects and how the state will hold recipients of BEAD dollars accountable. As approved, Missouri’s Initial Proposal Volume II contemplates multiple rounds of competitive applications to receive grant funding to serve unserved and underserved application areas.

The approval of Volume II positions OBD to open the first round of grants in the coming months, following final NTIA approval of the final set of BEAD eligible locations after the completion of the state challenge process and publication of Missouri’s map of BEAD application areas.

Since the last publication of a draft Initial Proposal Volume II, OBD made two significant edits in response to NTIA curing:

• OBD finalized an approach to the required “low-cost plan,” which must be offered on BEAD-funded networks. OBD’s approach allows a variance from $30 a month to as high as $70 a month if providers demonstrate that the higher cost is necessary to secure a financially sustainable project for the area (Section 2.12.1).
• Based on guidance from NTIA, OBD specified the circumstances under which a technology not defined as Reliable Broadband Service in the BEAD NOFO, including satellite technology and unlicensed fixed wireless, could be awarded (Section 2.4.10.C).

The final version of the document is now available at ded.mo.gov/connecting-all-missourians.

OBD appreciates the many Missourians who contributed to the completion of this process by providing feedback throughout the drafting process. Your contributions led to a more robust and efficient final product.