Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ PDF

Funding Sources

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), signed into law in November 2021, provides $550 billion in federal spending with a focus toward infrastructure.

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program and the Digital Equity Act (DE) program were funded through IIJA; both of these programs will be administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

IIJA also expanded eligibility for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) which helps low-income families afford internet access. 286,000 Montanans (27%  of the State) will be eligible for the program. For more information, please refer to the FCC Website.

The Digital Equity Act (DE) provides $2.75 billion to establish three grant programs that promote digital equity and digital inclusion. Digital equity is defined in the Digital Equity Act of 2021   as “the condition in which individuals and communities have the information technology capacity that is needed for full participation in the society and economy of the United States.” Digital inclusion is defined the Digital Equity Act of 2021 as “the activities that are necessary to ensure that all individuals in the United States have access to, and the use of, affordable information and communication technologies, such a—(i) reliable fixed and wireless broadband internet service; (ii) internet-enabled devices that meet the needs of the user; and (iii) applications and online content designed to enable and encourage self-sufficiency, participation, and collaboration; and (B) includes—(i) obtaining access to digital literacy training; (ii) the provision of quality technical support; and (iii) obtaining basic awareness of measures to ensure online privacy and cybersecurity.”  

An overview of the three grant programs is included below.

Program 1: The State Digital Equity Planning Grant program provided $60 million to states, territories and tribal governments to develop digital equity plans. Under the formula grant, the State of Montana received $601,337 to support planning activities to develop the state’s digital equity plan for submission to NTIA. The Montana Department of Administration (the Department) prepared the Montana Digital Opportunity Plan, solicited comments from the public, and discussed those comments with the Communication Advisory Commission (CAC) before submitting the plan to the NTIA for review and approval. Refer to the CAC Meeting Recordings for additional information.

Program 2: The State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program is a $1.44 billion formula grant program for states, territories and tribal governments. It will fund an annual grant program for five years in support of digital equity projects and the implementation of digital equity plans. The NTIA is expected to announce the grant awards in early 2024.

Program 3: Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program is a $1.25 billion competitive grant program that will fund annual grants for five years.

Refer to the NTIA’s website for additional information.

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program provides $42.45 billion to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment, and adoption programs. Montana was allocated a $629 million grant under the BEAD program to improve broadband coverage across the state. BEAD program requirements focus this funding on unserved, locations unable to obtain broadband service of at least 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) downstream and three (3) Mbps (25/3 Mbps), and underserved locations, those locations with broadband service between 25/3 Mbps and 100/20 Mbps, and 1 Gbps symmetric for community anchor institutions (CAIs).

To receive the $629 million in BEAD funding, the State must comply with the NTIA requirements. MBO has completed all prior and updated requirements to date. As required by NTIA, MBO will conduct a subgrantee selection process and subsequently submit a final proposal to NTIA by September 4, 2025.

 

General Information and Resources

The Prequalification Round reopened on June 14, 2025, and the Benefit of the Bargain Round opened on July 7, 2025.  The Benefit of the Bargain round will close on July 25, 2025.

 

The State must comply with the NTIA BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) requirements when selecting projects. Under NTIA guidelines, the State must award projects to provide coverage of all unserved locations followed by all underserved locations and if funding allows, eligible community anchor institutions. Initial Proposal Volume 2 and the BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice outlines the process the state will use to select subgrantees. 

 

The State has designed the subgrantee selection criteria consistent with NTIA guidance. The term “Priority Broadband Project” means a project that provides broadband service at speeds of no less than 100 megabits per second for downloads and 20 megabits per second for uploads, has a latency less than or equal to 100 milliseconds, and can easily scale speeds over time to meet the evolving connectivity needs of households and businesses and support the deployment of 5G, successor wireless technologies, and other advanced services. Priority Broadband Projects will be also be evaluated based on the minimal BEAD program outlay and other scoring criteria as approved by the Communications Advisory Committee and in alignment with the RPN.

Completion of a prequalification application is mandatory to participate in the BEAD program.  All potential recipients are encouraged to complete the prequalification process as early as possible.

Recordings and slides from all technical assistance sessions are available on the ConnectMT website.

Subgrantees will have 4 years from the date the agreement with the State is fully executed to complete construction.
Montana will provisionally select awardees and submit the selection to NTIA as part of the Final Proposal. The Final Proposal is due in September 2025. Once NTIA approves the Final Proposal, MT will make final awards.

As noted in the BEAD NOFO, except for specific circumstances where NTIA has waived the matching requirement, subrecipients are required to provide a match of 25% of subaward amount. NTIA removed the match requirement for the NTIA defined High Cost CBGs and Montana has not chosen to implement one. Please note, this is only for the 23 CBGs designated by NTIA. All other project areas would require a match. At this time, Montana has not applied for any additional waivers.

Montana will include application summaries as part of the Final Proposal, which is due in July 2025 and will be posted for public comment. This proposal, submitted within one year of NTIA's approval of the Initial Proposal, will outline the projects selected for funding.
Yes, a downloadable list of high-cost areas by census block group can be found on the ConnectMT IIJA/BEAD Resources page under NTIA BEAD Program.

Eligibility

Consistent with SB 531, an eligible applicant means an entity that has authorization to do business in the state and has demonstrated that it has the technical, financial, and managerial resources and experience to provide broadband service or other communications service to customers in the state. This includes incorporated businesses or partnerships, Montana nonprofit organizations, limited liability companies, corporations, or cooperative entities organized for the purpose of expanding broadband access. A government entity or tribe is only eligible to apply in partnership with an eligible broadband service provider.

In order to be eligible to receive BEAD funding from the State of Montana, subgrantees must:

  1. Meet mandated financial, operational, and managerial requirements
  2. Propose a project that will provide a minimum 100/20 Mbps broadband service to all locations within the service area within a 4-year timeline
  3. Be able to comply with all requirements mandated by the NTIA and the State of Montana
The Department will perform a subgrantee selection process consistent with SB 531 and the Initial Proposal. Companies that received ARPA funding may choose to apply for additional projects through the BEAD application process.

Yes, startups may apply for BEAD funding. Startup entities must follow the same process and guidelines as existing entities applying for BEAD funding. New entrants to the market will be required to submit documentation illustrating their minimum qualifications and be required to meet the same threshold as all other applicants. This includes audited financial statements, evidence of managerial capacity and organizational readiness to implement the program. The ConnectMT Broadband Office will require applicants to provide materials that document the length of time they have been doing business in the state. The ConnectMT Broadband Office will verify this by reviewing the Certificate of Good Standing from the Montana Secretary of State.

Project Areas and Benchmarking

Project areas have been updated to reflect previously negotiated project areas to allow for streamlined applications. Applicants can choose which locations within a project area to apply for. MBO recommends creating separate applications if your organization plans to apply for multiple project areas.
The State must comply with the NTIA BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) requirements when selecting projects. Under NTIA guidelines, the State must award projects to provide coverage to all unserved locations followed by all underserved locations, and if funding allows, eligible community anchor institutions. Initial Proposal Volume 2 outlines the process the state will use to select subgrantees.
MBO recommends creating a separate application if your organization plans to apply for project areas in addition to an existing application.
It is no longer required for applicants to propose serving all unserved locations in the CBGs and provide a descoping list. Instead, you will be able to apply directly for individual locations.
The Broadband Availability Map has been updated to reflect the adjustments made as part of the Benefit of the Bargain Round.

Applicants are not required to serve CAIs, regardless of unserved or underserved classification.

Yes, the State will provide a detailed map of CBGs, eligible BSLs, and CAIs for applicants. This information was published prior to the opening of the Benefit of the Bargain Round application in the Location List.

Montana’s BEAD program does not require applicants to serve any CAIs within a CBG, regardless of it being classified as unserved or underserved. As noted on page 45 of the Initial Proposal Volume 2, “applicants will specify in their applications which CAIs they propose to deploy broadband service to”.
Each application will be evaluated on the project area level, rather than by individual CBG. The ConnectMT Broadband Office has chosen to allow applicants to determine their preferred method of structuring any submitted applications and the associated project areas. For additional information on overlapping project areas, please review MT BEAD Initial Proposal Volume 2 Section 2.4.2.E.

Mapping

The Broadband Availability Map is the outcome of Montana's BEAD Challenge process, identifying which locations within Census Block Groups (CBGs) are eligible for funding under the BEAD program. Each CBG outlines the number of served, unserved, and underserved locations, the total number of locations, the benchmarking reference price, and the percentage of the CBG eligible for BEAD funding. With the issuance of the BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice it has been updated as of July 16, 2025.

The ConnectMT BEAD Map can be found at https://connectmt.mt.gov/IIJA/IIJA-Map or by visiting the ConnectMT homepage at https://connectmt.mt.gov/, selecting the IIJA/BEAD tab, following the dropdown menu to IIJA Map, and selecting the State Broadband Availability Map tab.

To view BEAD-eligible location data only, remove all layers on the map. Go to the IIJA Map page. Select the State Broadband Availability Map drop-down. Select the State Broadband Availability Map. On the map home page, at the top right of your screen, you will see three icons. Select the middle icon (layer list). Please unselect the five FCC USAC locations: the FCC Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, the FCC Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model, The USDA ReConnect Loan and Grant Program, and the US Treasury American Rescue Plan by clicking the blue check marks. Once all of these layers are removed, the resulting map view will show BEAD-eligible locations.
To download data from the map, you must be registered with an ISP Login to access the BEAD Application Map. If you are an ISP in Montana and have a login with the state: Go to the IIJA Map homepage and select the BEAD Application Map. Log in when prompted. Follow the steps to remove layers to show BEAD-eligible locations. Select your Census Block Group (CBG). A pop-up will appear with all the CBG’s information, including a link to download the CBG’s data. Follow that link.
Refer to the State of Montana BEAD Broadband Map How-to Guide for step-by-step instructions. This guide outlines the purpose of each map, outlines how to access the map, and provides detailed instructions on using features and functionalities.
Your ARPA credentials should allow you access to the BEAD Application Map. If you are having trouble logging in, please go to the IJJA Map homepage and request access through the map access request function on the second tab.
No, you can only download one Census Block Group File at a time.
Please reach out to the Technical Assistance Email: ConnectMTTechAssistance@mt.gov if you are having trouble accessing the maps.
Yes, the current Locations List spreadsheet includes the official list approved by NTIA on June 30, 2025. Applicants can find the template on the ConnectMT website under Internet Service Provider Information and Benefit of the Bargain Application Materials.
The project description example text provided in the application guide on page 20 is illustrative and not prescriptive. Therefore, applicants are not required to provide a breakdown between residential and business locations for their application.
These are new locations on version 6 of the fabric data, but are not officially approved by NTIA to be funded. It is possible that those locations may not be deemed eligible and will not receive funding. Bids are welcome, but they are not guaranteed to be approved by NTIA.

All applicants should be using version 6 of the fabric data, although the Challenge process was conducted on version 3.2 fabric data.

Applicants should respond "yes" under the "Served by Application" column to indicate the location will be served with the application and may leave other rows blank or indicate "no" which identifies those locations that are not eligible for the BEAD program with an applicable reason code.

Priority Vs. Non-Priority Applications

Yes, multiple technologies can be proposed as long as they meet the minimum speed of 100 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream.
Yes, joint applications are permitted, but there must be a lead applicant.
According to NTIA guidance, if a Priority application is deemed to be cost excessive (~15K per location), the state is recommended to consider the next best application.

Submitting Application

It is no longer required to apply for an entire Project Area CBG and provide a descoping list. Instead, you will be able to apply directly for individual locations.

For the Benefit of the Bargain Round, MBO requests that applications only consist of a single Project Area.
Each applicant can choose how to define their proposed project area. All associated documents (financials, project plans, PE certifications, etc.) would be provided at the "project area" level.
Priority and Non-Priority projects are no longer determined by technology type. Any technology type is capable of being considered a Priority project so long as it meets the statutory definition. Applicants must identify whether the project is Priority or Non-Priority and provide appropriate evidence if selecting Priority.
Any documents deemed by the applicant to include confidential information, trade secrets, or personal information MUST be uploaded separately into the “Confidential Documents” field located in Section 10 of the main round application. Please include the Applicant’s name and the words CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION in the file name. Please note that if a file that is required in another part of the Application, is marked as confidential and uploaded in AmpliFund in Section 10, to reference that the response is considered confidential and is located in the Confidential Documents section of the Application. 

No, any applicants that submitted a Main Round application are not required to submit a new Benefit of the Bargain application. Returning applicants can choose if they would like submit a new application or keep their original one. There are new requirements due to updated NTIA policy, we ask returning applicants to submit this new required information/documentation in Section 10 of the Main Round application. Please see the Addendum in the User Guide for instructions on what needs to be provided.

These questions are completely disregarded from the application and responses will not be evaluated, despite them still appearing on the application.
All proposals are due July 25, 2025 at 11:55pm MT, whether it is a new Benefit of the Bargain submission or a resubmission of an initial Main Round proposal. Applicants are strongly encouraged not to wait to submit proposals as there will not be any technical assistance available at this late hour.

Response: Existing applicants are able to choose two paths to participate in the Benefit of the Bargain Round. They may either:

  • Update their existing application following the guidance in the Main Round Addendum or
  • Start a new application in the "Benefit of the Bargain Application Portal."

The ConnectMT Broadband Office does not have a preference as to which approach the existing applicant would take. Please note, all curing should be addressed in either instance and that applicants will receive the "existing" applicant credit in either case as long as the project proposed is fundamentally similar to the previously proposed project.

Please upload your project timeline document to Question 6.8, along with your project cost estimate document. Please still refer to Question 6.9 for directions and guidelines regarding the project timeline document.
Question 6.2D is currently not available in AmpliFund. Please upload your Fiber Evidence Template to Section 8 of your application and note that it is the "Fiber Evidence Template".
These questions only require a simple Yes, No or N/A. MBO will follow up if they have any questions about responses in this section. These questions are not scored and will not have an impact on the final award decision.
If you are resubmitting an existing application, please submit all resubmitted application materials in the curing Section 10. Please update questions in Section 2 related to the project description, requested amount and match. For more information, please refer to pgs. 10 - 11 of the Main Round Application Guide Addendum.
Please type a response into the provided text box that indicates that the application is submitted as a priority application and upload a Statement of Request to be Considered Priority Broadband and Evidence for Priority Project Designation, as outlined in Section 10 of the Main Round Application Guide Addendum. In addition, submit an accompanying evidence template so that the application can be evaluated as a priority application.

Application - Scoring Criteria

Yes, applications will receive a new score due to the scoring criteria changing from the updated NTIA policy. See the approved scoring rubric on the ConnectMT page for Internet Service Provider Information for updated criteria.

Application - Financial Capability

The pro forma for an application needs to include all Montana BEAD construction included in that application. If an applicant submits multiple applications, then each application should have a project pro forma for all construction in each application that is independent of the other applications.
Applicants need to submit evidence that they have a bank or surety lined up for the Letter of Credit, but an executed Letter of Credit does not need to be in the application. A finalized Letter of Credit will be required prior to the execution of any award.
NTIA has published a BEAD Match Primer that provides extensive detail on match requirements. 
There is no specific template provided for Performance Bonds. Applicants are free to use what their surety company recommends, as long as it meets the requirements outlined in the BEAD Letter of Credit Waiver. These requirements can be found in the Main Round Application Guide (p. 60-61). Applicants may reference the model irrevocable standby letter of credit provided in Appendix E of the Application Guide when working with a banking institution or surety company.
At the time of application, applicants need to provide a letter from a "company holding a certificate of authority as an acceptable surety on federal bonds as identified in the Department of Treasury Circular 570 committing to issue a performance bond to the prospective subgrantee. The letter shall at a minimum provide the dollar amount of the performance bond."   At the time of award, the State can work directly with the awardee on the final structure of the bond. See Section 2.4.11.b (p. 72) of the Initial Proposal Volume 2.

No, conditional ILOC commitments will not be accepted. Any ILOC submitted as part of a BEAD application must be without conditions.

The letter of commitment for the ILOC included in each application must align to the amount requested in the specific application. Upon award, the ILOC can be adjusted to match the final awarded amount.
A letter of commitment for a performance bond or an ILOC is required for each application. This may be a single letter with each application amount itemized. Please note that applicants must pursue either a performance bond or an ILOC for each application - the two cannot be combined.
The match amount required is based on the full amount requested. If that amount changes at award, the match would be adjusted accordingly.

The financial ratios will be calculated based on the applicant information (see Initial Proposal Volume II, Section 2.4.11.a). As a reminder, if the applicant is relying on a parent company audit, this pro forma should cover the full company, not just the project.

The parent company guarantee will be included as part of the grant agreement (see Draft Grant Agreement, Exhibit I).

Providing a schedule of ratios is not a required component of the application, but it is something that can be provided by the applicant in order to make a stronger case as to why the applicant should be selected. There are not specific ratios that must be met by the applicant, but it is a factor that is considered during the underwriting process.

The State will accept electronic transfers in lieu of a check. The bank can amend the language in the BEAD model letter of credit to reflect this form of payment.
At this time, the state is updating the draft grant agreement and details on reimbursements will be included as part of the final grant agreement.
Audited financial statements are a requirement of the BEAD NOFO (NOFO Section IV.D.iii p. 73). If 2024 financial statements are not audited and completed by the end of July, submit audited financial statements from 2023 and interim statements for this year. This will not impact the review of the application.
The in-kind match contribution is reflected when it is applicable and available for the project. Reimbursements have historically been proportionally reduced for cash match contributions. For the purposes of developing your pro forma, please detail your reimbursement assumptions.
Yes, if the bond letter is still valid and the relative project costs are the same.
A single bond letter may be submitted for all projects which are subsequently finalized and executed based on the award.

Application - Organizational and Managerial Capacity

Please see below for a few resources that may be helpful as you create your cybersecurity and risk management plans:

These questions only require a simple Yes, No or N/A. MBO will follow up if they have any questions about responses in this section. These questions are not scored and will not have an impact on the final award decision.
Yes. A sample legal opinion letter has been provided for the use or reference of applicants, but applicants are not required to use this sample letter. Please note that an updated legal opinion letter was posted as of September 24, 2024. Use of this updated letter is optional. If an applicant has previously submitted a legal opinion there is no requirement to update it using this model letter.

The legal opinion may be signed by an attorney barred in any state. Please ensure the completing attorney identifies which state they are barred in and provides their associated bar number.

Application - Project Plan

Applicants should be ready for Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements, as they may cause prices to change. The state does not want increased costs for the network and types of equipment to fall back on subgrantees and recommends that applicants prepare for this in their applications (perhaps by building this into the cost).
The ConnectMT Broadband Office will accept applications certified by a professional engineer licensed in any state.
For the BEAD professional engineer certification requirement, projects can be certified by an in-house professional engineer.
The waiver is specific to the Capital Investment Schedule (CIS) requirement, which shows project completion within four years. However, the PE is still required to certify all relevant materials, including the project timeline, and this timeline must demonstrate that the project can be completed within the required four-year deployment period. The Montana Department of Administration held a Technical Requirements webinar which included a discussion on the NTIA waiver, which can be found on NTIA BEAD FAQ question 1.26.
Yes, the State will provide a list of all eligible BSLs and CAIs. Applicants will be required to upload a list of all BSLs and CAIs they intend to serve.
To provide this information, the applicant should complete the Fixed Wireless Design Spreadsheet, which outlines all required details. This template is available on the ConnectMT website.
Yes, if a bid is proposing to serve an eligible CAI, the service provided must be at least 1 Gbps service.
Yes. The templates offer some uniformity; however, applicants can also provide information as they see fit. The goal of the state is to get enough details such that the applicants understand the scope of the cost.

There should be a re-baselining phase after awards are distributed in which the engineering will be reviewed again. However, applicants should assume that they are committing to what they put in the application. Nevertheless, the state may entertain reasonable change requests.

NTIA has provided that eligible costs are those directly related to the project and consistent with 2 CFR 200.  These include fees associated with permitting and ROW. In addition, “waiver of fees associated with access to rights of way, pole attachments, conduits, easements, or other types of infrastructure related to the project may be used as an in-kind match.” See BEAD NOFO page 22.
There is a limited amount of funding available from NTIA and once it is allocated, it will not be reallocated. Applicants may change how they utilize the money; however, the amount of funding allocated cannot be changed.
Applicants must propose to serve all eligible locations within a CBG. If applicants feel that a location is unserviceable for some reason (mischaracterized, has declined service, etc.) the applicant may propose that location be descoped on the Cost Reduction Spreadsheet. Montana will take those recommendations into consideration when evaluating the application.
According to the BEAD NOFO, long-term leases (for terms greater than one year) of facilities required to provide qualifying broadband service, including indefeasible right-of-use (IRU) agreements, qualify as an eligible expense. IRU costs will be limited to the upfront cost for the IRU and three years of the annual maintenance costs. See BEAD NOFO page 39.
The Buy America Preference applies to all federally funded infrastructure projects unless otherwise specified. See 2 CFR Part 200.322 and the BEAD NOFO. Each article, material, or supply that is consumed in, incorporated into, an integral part of, or affixed to an infrastructure project are subject to its Buy America Preference requirements. NTIA has provided a limited waiver on the BABAA requirements detailing specific requirements for common components.
Backhaul technologies and service providers must provide backhaul sufficient for the required latency and speed – both in a temporary and permanent solution. Please note that if new backhaul is being constructed as part of the proposed project, the technology type must match the technology requirements of the application type (e.g., priority applications must have fiber backhaul).
The provider shall describe its assumptions about infrastructure in the narrative response. A tower is an allowable cost. A COW is also an allowable cost, but potential applicants should note the time available for construction, which should be sufficient for a permanent solution, and carefully consider whether the value of having both a temporary and permanent solution will justify the added cost.

No. BABA requirements apply only to new infrastructure/additions. Recipients will not be required to retrofit previously built infrastructure to meet BABA certification requirements.

The upfront payment for an IRU will be reimbursable at the point when IRU agreements are completed. Monthly/recurring costs are allowable during the period of performance only.

Leased fiber will be accepted as long as the applicant can explain how the fiber connects to the network and provides proof they have the lease. Applicants cannot use hypothetically leased fiber as the existing infrastructure.

Projects must be supported with sufficient backhaul to meet the BEAD program’s speed and latency requirements. However, the BEAD NOFO does not specify that the backhaul needs to be in the same tier of technology as the deployed project. BEAD projects will be classified at the lowest tier funded by BEAD dollars. If the project’s specified backhaul solution is not funded through BEAD (i.e. identified in the network design documents, but not accounted for in the project budget) then the project will be classified at the lowest tier of technology funded with BEAD dollars. For example, a priority fiber application that utilizes microwave backhaul will still be considered priority as long as BEAD funds are not being used for the lower tier technology backhaul.

Yes, customer-premises equipment (CPE) is an eligible cost. Page 39 of the BEAD NOFO further defines eligible costs related to last-mile deployment projects.

Yes, so long as the technology meets the minimum required of 100 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream.
Please submit all information according to the instructions outlined on the licensed and unlicensed fixed wireless evidence templates located on the ConnectMT site, which includes tower information and performance information to each BSL. Additionally, a project design is required to be submitted in addition to the evidence excel template file for both Priority and Non-Priority broadband projects.
Montana classifies CBRS GAA as a licensed-by-rule technology, consistent with NTIA definition. CBRS GAA use is considered licensed for the purposes of the BEAD program.
Yes, Montana follows statutory guidelines for evaluating whether use of technology for a given project meets meet the statutory scalability requirements contained in 47 U.S.C. §1702(a)(2)(I)(ii). It may be determined that a given application is not a Priority Broadband Project for a particular project area because the relevant technology cannot easily scale to meet evolving connectivity needs, but it may also determine that a different application in a different project area using the exact same technology is a Priority Broadband Project because it falls within the guardrails set forth in NTIA’s Restructuring Policy Notice.

Yes, an application using licensed spectrum in the last-mile connection to each BSL can be considered a licensed fixed wireless application. Additionally, use of unlicensed spectrum to augment throughput or capacity is allowed.

The majority of fixed wireless systems are Time Division Duplex (TDD) and requirements will be evaluated on TDD configurations.

We recommend that applicants project out to 2030 to reflect the requirements in both the NOFO and IPV2. Section IV.D.2.a.iv of the NOFO states that a project must have at least three years of operating costs and cash flow projections post targeted completion of the project, while Section 2.4.11.d of the IPV2 notes that projects must be cash flow positive within five years. The years in the template are not fixed and can be adjusted.
Yes, that is correct. The cost per location is evaluated based on the amount of BEAD funding requested for the full project. We will take the funding request amount and divide it by the number of BSLs proposed to be served.

Application - Environmental and Historical Compliance

Agreements

Although a Letter of Credits helps to ensure completion of the project, it is not considered collateral.  As this is a grant program, there are no specific collateral requirements, but applicants should note that the government holds an interest in all grant funded assets and awardees must get permission to sell or dispose of the funded assets.

Reporting

NTIA is currently updating guidance.  MBO anticipates subgrantees will be required to submit reports to the state, at least semiannually, for the duration of the subgrant to track the effectiveness of the use of funds provided.

 

Subgrantee reports must include the following items:

 

  • Description of each type of project and/or other eligible activities carried out using the subgrant and the duration of the subgrant
  • A list of addresses or location identifications (including the Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric established under 47 U.S.C. 642(b)(1)(B)) that constitute the service locations that will be served by the broadband infrastructure to be constructed and the status of each project
  • Identification of new locations served within each project area at the relevant reporting intervals, and service taken (if applicable)
  • Identification of whether each address or location is residential, commercial, or a community anchor institution
  • Description of the types of facilities that have been constructed and installed
  • Description of the peak and off-peak actual speeds of the broadband service being offered
  • Description of the maximum advertised speed of the broadband service being offered
  • Description of the non-promotional prices, including any associated fees, charged for different tiers of broadband service being offered
  • List of all interconnection agreements that were requested, and their current status
  • Any other data that would be required to comply with the data and mapping collection standards of the Commission under Section 1.7004 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation, for broadband infrastructure projects
  • Inclusion of an SF-425, Federal Financial Report and meeting the requirements described in the Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions, Section A.01 for Financial Reports
  • Compliance with any other reasonable reporting requirements determined by the Eligible Entity to meet the reporting requirements established by the Assistant Secretary, and certify that the information in the report is accurate
Yes. The Federal Interest Period as defined in the draft grant agreement will last until December 31st of the 10th year after the acceptance of the Closeout Report by the Department of Commerce (DOC) and NTIA. If awarded a grant, please review the final grant agreement as this requirement may change. The State will determine if there will be additional filing and reporting requirements with regards to the Federal Interest at a later date.
Subgrantee reporting will be required for four years after the date on which the subgrantee receives the subgrant and 120 days prior to the end of the period of performance for MT BEAD in accordance with 2 C.F.R. 200.344. After this date, any additional reporting is dependent upon the application's technology type.

Tribal Considerations

Applicants that submit applications for project areas that are partially or wholly located on Tribal Lands must secure written permission from the Tribe or Tribes that own the land. This will be a required component of the Main Round application submission, where applicants will be asked to indicate via a checkbox certification whether a project area falls within Tribal Lands. If it does, the applicant must submit a Resolution of Consent or other formal demonstration of consent from each Tribal Government, either from the Tribal Council or other governing body, upon whose Tribal Lands the infrastructure will be deployed.

Funds awarded to tribes may be used as matching funds for BEAD only if they are from federal programs in the Infrastructure Act explicitly listed in the BEAD NOFO. The NOFO states: “Except as expressly provided for in the Infrastructure Act, funds from other Federal programs (including funds from the Commission’s Universal Service Fund programs) may not be used as matching funds. The Infrastructure Act expressly provides that matching funds for the BEAD Program may come from a federal regional commission or authority and from funds that were provided to an Eligible Entity or a subgrantee for the purpose of deploying broadband service under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Public Law 116-127; 134 Stat. 178); the CARES Act (Public Law 116-136; 134 Stat. 281), the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260; 134 Stat. 1182); or the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2; 135 Stat. 4), to the extent permitted by those laws. Eligible Entities are encouraged to consider terms and conditions that may be associated with potential sources of match funds and how those may impact the project overall. For example, if an Eligible Entity utilizes federal regional commission funding as a match, the project will need to comply with all BEAD programmatic requirements and any requirements imposed by the federal regional commission. Likewise, Eligible Entities that use funds from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds or Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund as the source of matching funds for the BEAD Program must comply with the requirements of both the BEAD Program and the relevant Treasury program. Loan funding issued through a federal agency, such as through the USDA ReConnect Program, may also be used as match funding.” (See BEAD NOFO Section III.B.3 p. 21.)

Additional Resources

ConnectMT Website: Landing page where additional broadband opportunities and program guidance will be published.

Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Signup: All eligible participants are encouraged to participate in the ACP. Applicants are encouraged to incorporate the ACP in their community outreach and adoption strategies. Further, all BOOT Grantees will be required to participate in the ACP as a condition of accepting funding.

System for Award Management (SAM): All subrecipients are required to maintain an Active registration on SAM.GOV. Further, a subrecipient should search and retain documentation that all contractors/vendors are not debarred.

Uniform Administration Requirements (2 CFR Part 200): All federally funded grant programs will follow compliance requirements of the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.

Procurement Threshold Definitions (48 CFR Part 2 Subpart 2.1): Federal procurement thresholds may be updated periodically. Subrecipients should follow the thresholds in effect at the time of the grant agreement.

Build America Buy America Factsheet and FAQs and Buy America website: Subrecipients will be required to comply with Buy America. The OMB published an initial FAQ and continues to update its website with additional guidance.

Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program: The NTIA website that outlines BEAD program updates and guidance.