Dear USET/USET SPF Family,
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has recently issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) round two of approximately $980 million for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP). The TBCP was established through the Consolidation Appropriations Act of 2021 (P.L. 116-260) and authorized NTIA to administer $1 billion ($980 million after administrative costs) in funding to deploy broadband services to Tribal Lands. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58) authorized an additional $2 billion for NTIA’s TBCP. This program can be used to fund high-speed internet infrastructure deployment on Tribal Lands, establish affordable internet access programs in Tribal communities, or support digital inclusion projects in Tribal communities. Currently, TBCP has awarded $1.78 billion in funding to 191 Tribal entities since the program began in 2021.
During the NOFO round one of funding, Tribal Nations and entities only had 90 days to apply for TBCP funds. In response to Tribal consultations on the NOFO round two priorities held in September 2022, NTIA has decided to extend the application period to six months. The deadline for Tribal Nations and entities applying for NOFO round 2 TBCP funds is now January 23, 2024. Under the NOFO round two, NTIA intends to allocate no more than $100 million, of the allocated $980 million, for digital inclusion projects and instead will prioritize funding for infrastructure deployment projects on Tribal Lands.
For more information on the NOFO round two availability for the TBCP, please visit NTIA’s dedicated TBCP NOFO round two website by clicking here. To view a fact sheet on the TBCP NOFO round two availability, please click here. To view a Press Release issued by NTIA announced the TBCP NOFO round two funding, please click here.
Since the creation of the TBCP in 2021, the USET Sovereignty Protection Fund (USET SPF) has been active in monitoring its implementation. USET SPF has consistently participated in consultations held by NTIA and has submitted comments raising concerns about the implementation of the TBCP. USET SPF first submitted comments
to NTIA on February 11, 2021 and called for equitable disbursement and reporting requirements for TBCP funds; raised concerns with expediting historical, environmental, and cultural review processes; called for Tribal Nation certification of eligible entities and service areas; and to narrow the scope of interpretation for any “duplication” of federal funding. On January 31, 2022, USET SPF submitted comments
in response to a Tribal consultation held by NTIA stating that a NOFO round two should not be issued until review of the NOFO round one applicants was complete due to the TBCPs initial slow implementation and short 90-day application window for round one. USET SPF will continue to advocate for equitable disbursement of TBCP funds to Tribal Nations.
For more information, please contact Brian Howard, USET SPF Senior Policy Analyst, at bhoward@usetinc.org.
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