Federal Government Issues Multi-Billion Dollar Notice of Funding Opportunity for Broadband

Last Friday, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which is part of the Department of Commerce, released its widely anticipated Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the landmark $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, along with NOFOs for two smaller programs. All of these programs were created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA or the Act). The NOFO provides guidance to states on the process for obtaining funds that they, in turn, will award to service providers and other qualified recipients for building out broadband to unserved and underserved areas.