[1st-mile-nm] Broadband Stimulus Update

[Richard Lowenberg]

Greetings.
Here's some hopefully helpful updated information on the broadband stimulus
process.

The BTOP Guides for Comprehensive Community Infrastructure (CCI), Public
Computing Centers (PCC) and Sustainable Broadband Adoption (SBA) are now online
as .pdfs on the www.broadbandusa.gov web site.    You should check this site for
updates frequently.   The Applications database can now be searched for NTIA
(not RUS yet) projects which have been rejected.   A cursory search I did came
up with at least a dozen NM first-round applications which have been rejected. 
 Other applications may be in due-diligence process, but no awards have been
announced for NM yet, other than the State Library and partners' NTIA SBA
project.   Clearly, this flawed and delayed process makes second-round
application difficult.

One of my Design Nine colleagues attended the round 2 broadband stimulus
workshop held in Fayetteville, NC, on Thursday.
Here are some of his notes (edited) with some good pointers:

The workshop slides are available online and I strongly suggest you download
them and review them.  The workshops are also supposed to be available via
either streaming or download (http://broadbandusa.gov/workshop.htm).   In
particular make sure you check out the Elements of a Successful Application
presentation from BTOP as it is very well done and applies to both BIP and BTOP
but has some scoring and other cheat sheets for Round 2.

I asked specifically about the Round 1 applications and if they had any updates
or if we would receive anything in addition to the Dear John letters in regards
to why applications were denied.  I was told that there would be no other
information regarding specific applications.  They suggested that we should
look at the winning applications to see what they did right, but then said that
the winning applications would not be posted due to confidentiality
requirements, but we could contact award recipients and request them.

However a couple of key points that I did learn:

BTOP Application Guides are much more thorough than Round 1 and are now posted
on the www.broadbandusa.gov web site.

BTOP will have the same Environmental Questionnaire as BIP.  ALL Infrastructure
projects NEED to complete the Environmental Questionnaire.  99% of Round 1
applications didn't even make it to the "Merit Assessment" as they were did not
complete the Environmental Questionnaire.  If it breaks ground it has an
Environmental Impact.  There are Categorical Exclusions to the NEPA questions
but they NEED to be stated.  N/A is not a valid answer; need at least a
sentence on why a particular project has no Environmental Impact (like "100% of
buried fiber will be in exiting right-of-way and therefore is excluded from the
Environmental Impact Review requirement").

Information on Environmental and Historic Preservation can be found in the
Compliance and Reporting Requirements slides.

No more individual Census Blocks, but need to list Census Block Groups or Tracks
- if last mile is included; and need to provide service in 100% of Block Group
or Track, or state why not.

I suggest you download the slides from the Internet, for most helpful
information.

The slides are pretty self-explanatory.  Some key points were that applications
need to identify the problem (e.g. lack of service) -> need (e.g. service) ->
how your application solves the problem (e.g. provides service).  For the SBA,
need to identify what metrics will be used to show results.

For Infrastructure, unlike round 1 - operational leases (IRUs etc.) can be
eligible costs if they are > than 1 year.
	Capitalized leases can only be capitalized up to 3 years
	Federal Taxes are NOT eligible costs
	It is not known if BTOP grants are taxable - suggestion was to consult a tax
expert who knows your grantee type

NTIA WILL make comments from state and tribes publicly available - not sure if
that was the case in Round 1.

Review of the Elements of a Successful Application slides:

They emphasized "partners, partners, partners" over and over in this
presentation.  Strong request to create profiles on match.broadbandusa.gov for
projects (and for consultants, etc.). Strong request to use
match.broadbandusa.gov to identify other projects applying in your area.

Review of Compliance and Reporting Requirements Slides:

Most of this stuff is post-award, but there was some indications that winning
grantees addressed items in here during the application.  Suggested that
applicable OMB circulars are read ahead of time.

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Please feel free to contact me if you have gotten a rejection or award notice
from the RUS or NTIA, or if you are applying for round 2 funding by the March
15th submission deadline.   I am tracking this process for the State, and may
have information that could help you with partnerships or other ways to
strengthen your proposal/application.   It will benefit us all to have as many
successful projects as possible in New Mexico, despite the time constraints and
frustrations with the process.
All best.
Richard


-- 
Richard Lowenberg
1st-Mile Institute
P.O. Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504
505-989-9110;   505-603-5200 cell
rl at 1st-mile.com  www.1st-mile.com

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