BROADBAND EQUITY ACCESS AND DEPLOYMEnt
BEAD
NOtice oF funding Opportunity
OBAE has released the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. This marks the next step in the distribution of $675 million in federal funding to award state-issued grants for broadband infrastructure across the state.
With the release of the NOFO, prequalified applicants can now begin preparing their formal applications for BEAD funding. OBAE tentatively plans to begin accepting applications in early January 2025 and will release additional supplementary materials in the coming weeks, pending NTIA approval.
The NOFO sets forth the policies and procedures OBAE will follow to select recipients of BEAD funding from among the pool of prequalified applicants. Only prequalified applicants are eligible to apply for BEAD funding. OBAE has been accepting Prequalification Applications since September 16, 2024, and those applications close November 15, 2024, at 11:59pm.
Local governments, Tribal communities, nonprofits, internet service providers, cooperatives and other entities that were successfully prequalified are eligible to apply for BEAD funding.
With the release of the NOFO, prequalified applicants can now begin preparing their formal applications for BEAD funding. OBAE tentatively plans to begin accepting applications in early January 2025 and will release additional supplementary materials in the coming weeks, pending NTIA approval.
The NOFO sets forth the policies and procedures OBAE will follow to select recipients of BEAD funding from among the pool of prequalified applicants. Only prequalified applicants are eligible to apply for BEAD funding. OBAE has been accepting Prequalification Applications since September 16, 2024, and those applications close November 15, 2024, at 11:59pm.
Local governments, Tribal communities, nonprofits, internet service providers, cooperatives and other entities that were successfully prequalified are eligible to apply for BEAD funding.
BROADBAND EQUITY ACCESS AND DEPLOYMEnt
(BEAD)
PREQUALIFICATION
BEAD Prequalification - MANDATORY for Prospective BEAD Applicants
The BEAD Prequalification Window opened September 16 and the final deadline to submit was extended from November 1 to November 15, 2024.
The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) is accepting prequalification applications for the BEAD program. The BEAD Prequalification process is mandatory for prospective BEAD applicants. Prequalification enables prospective applicants to establish their qualifications and capabilities to plan, finance, deploy, and maintain broadband networks while driving commercial success and adhering to all legal and regulatory requirements.
BEAD Prequalification Materials - NOW AVAILABLE!
(Download ALL FIVE documents)
(Download ALL FIVE documents)
Important Timeline Details:
- The BEAD Prequalification Submission Window opens September 16!
- The Priority Deadline to submit is October 14 at 11:59pm
Applications submitted by the Priority Deadline will receive an accelerated review process
and complete applications will receive a decision by November 1. - The Final Deadline to submit was extended from November 1 to November 15, 2024, at 11:59pm.
BEAD Prequalification Webinar
OBAE conducted a BEAD Prequalification Webinar on Monday, September 16. View the recording below:
Objectives of the Prequalification Phase
The Prequalification Phase evaluates entities intending to apply for BEAD funds and not their projects. Prequalified entities must submit their applications for scoring in the competitive process described in the Scoring Phase. The Scoring Phase will evaluate the merits of their applications based on the framework designated in OBAE’s Initial Proposal, Volume II (IPV2).
The Prequalification Phase serves several critical purposes:
- It filters out potential applicants who do not meet the minimum criteria, ensuring OBAE will only evaluate applications from organizations that meet federal and state requirements and are most likely to achieve the objectives of the BEAD Program. This will enable OBAE to efficiently manage its resources during the limited time available for the Scoring and Negotiation Phases.
- It allocates a dedicated period to allow OBAE to evaluate qualifications and address open issues, which in turn allows prospective applicants to later focus on developing strong proposals, knowing that their qualifications have already been reviewed and accepted. Given the rigorous and robust documentation requirements for BEAD, a prequalification process will enable prospective applicants to spread their grant application efforts across a lengthier timeline.
- A prequalification process will enable adequate curing opportunity by providing additional time for OBAE to request clarifications and additional information from prospective applicants. With an earlier qualification process, this curing need not take place at the same time as curing the proposed project applications themselves, which will be an enormous undertaking in and of itself.
Prequalification Factors
The BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) requires the State to ensure that all prospective subgrantees can competently carry out activities funded by the subgrant in compliance with all applicable laws and meet certain cybersecurity and supply-chain risk management best practices. The BEAD NOFO further specifies seven additional types of qualifications Eligible Entities must evaluate in potential subgrantees:
A) Financial Capability
B) Managerial Capability
C) Technical Capability
D) Compliance With Laws
E) Operational Capability
F) Ownership
G) Other Public Funding
The BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) requires the State to ensure that all prospective subgrantees can competently carry out activities funded by the subgrant in compliance with all applicable laws and meet certain cybersecurity and supply-chain risk management best practices. The BEAD NOFO further specifies seven additional types of qualifications Eligible Entities must evaluate in potential subgrantees:
A) Financial Capability
B) Managerial Capability
C) Technical Capability
D) Compliance With Laws
E) Operational Capability
F) Ownership
G) Other Public Funding
