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Nevada BEAD Program Overview
Created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program provides federal funding to all fifty states for broadband planning, deployment, mapping, equity, and adoption activities. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is the federal agency responsible for administering the BEAD Program. The IIJA allocated $42.5 billion to the BEAD Program and Nevada was allocated $416 million. To read the BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity, which establishes the rules for the BEAD Program, click here.
The Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT) is responsible for realizing Nevada’s broadband vision: every Nevadan has access to high-speed internet that is affordable, reliable, and scalable. Part of OSIT’s work to realize that vision is administering the BEAD Program in Nevada. The BEAD Program is an important part of the High Speed Nevada Initiative.
The BEAD Program NOFO requires OSIT to submit an Initial Proposal in two volumes that describes in detail how OSIT will administer the BEAD Program in Nevada.
Nevada BEAD Initial Proposal Volume I and Challenge Process
Volume I of Nevada’s Initial Proposal has been approved by NTIA. OSIT has created this Initial Proposal to meet the requirements as directed by NTIA. Volume I of Nevada’s Initial Proposal focuses on identifying available funding for broadband, the locations of unserved, underserved, and community anchor institution locations without gigabit service, and the process to submit challenges to the location lists. Nevada’s approved Initial Proposal can be found here. Through the BEAD program, OSIT will deploy over $416 million for infrastructure to unserved, underserved, and Community Anchor Institution locations throughout the state. The challenge process is the first step in the upcoming internet infrastructure deployment process, including the forthcoming subgrantee selection process. The challenge process will identify the locations that will be eligible for funding.
OSIT has created a challenge portal to facilitate the challenge process. In keeping with NTIA rules, eligible challengers are 1) internet service providers; 2) local and Tribal governments; and 3) non-profit organizations. Challengers must register to be given access to the challenge portal. The Challenge Process will begin on February 27, 2024. A link to the challenge portal can be found here. OSIT encourages all eligible challengers to register. Helpful resources on how to submit or rebut a challenge can be found on the portal. A link to OSIT’s Challenge Process Resource Guide can be found here. A list of unserved, underserved, served, and CAI locations can be found here.
Below is a brief timeline describing the three phases of the challenge process.
Timeline:
Challenge Phase:
- Tuesday, February 20th: OSIT will announce the date of a 7-day notification period of the start of the challenge process.
- On February 20th, OSIT will announce the date of the start of the challenge process (“Challenge Start Date) and will post the initial list of unserved and underserved locations, community anchor institutions, and existing enforceable commitments. The Challenge Start Date will be February 27, 2024.
- Challengers will have 30 days from the Challenge Start Date to submit a challenge. Challengers will have until 11:59 PM PT on March 28th, 2024 to submit challenges.
- OSIT will verify all challenges meet the minimum level of evidence sufficient to establish a challenge.
Rebuttal Phase:
- Once OSIT has completed its verification, all challenged providers will be receive a notification of challenge.
- All open rebuttal challenges will be visible and available for direct rebuttal to all registered challengers.
- For challenges against a specific provider’s service, only that provider may rebut.
- Providers will have 30 calendar days from notification of a challenge to provide rebuttal information to OSIT.
- The rebuttal window will close at 11:59 PM PT on May 9th, 2024.
Final Determination Phase:
- Following the Rebuttal Phase, OSIT will make the final determination of the classification of the location, either declaring the challenge “sustained” or “rejected.”
Questions:
Questions related to policy or procedural items should be directed to highspeednv@gov.nv.gov.
Questions related to technical assistance issues or portal navigation should be directed to nvhelpdesk@ready.net.
Volume II
Created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program provides federal funding to all fifty states for broadband planning, deployment, mapping, equity, and adoption activities. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is the federal agency responsible for administering the BEAD Program. The IIJA allocated $42.5 billion to the BEAD Program and Nevada was allocated $416 million. To read the BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity, which establishes the rules for the BEAD Program, click here.
The Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT) is responsible for realizing Nevada’s broadband vision: every Nevadan has access to high-speed internet that is affordable, reliable, and scalable. Part of OSIT’s work to realize that vision is administering the BEAD Program in Nevada. The BEAD Program is an important part of the High Speed Nevada Initiative.
The BEAD Program NOFO requires OSIT to submit an Initial Proposal in two volumes that describes in detail how OSIT will administer the BEAD Program in Nevada. This is Nevada’s Initial Proposal Volume II. OSIT has created this document to meet the requirements as directed by NTIA. To view Nevada’s approved Volume II, please visit the link below.
High Speed Nevada Five-Year Action Plan
The Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program provides $42.45 billion across all states to expand high-speed Internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs.
Nevada has received $5 million from the US Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which administers the BEAD program, to fund planning activities, including:
- Research and data collection, including initial identification of unserved locations and underserved locations;
- Publications, outreach, and communications support;
- Technical assistance to potential subgrantees, including through workshops and events;
- Developing an informed, cohesive Five-Year Action Plan.
OSIT is charged with the realization of a broadband vision for the state. Created in 2015, OSIT has a long history of interaction with communities in all corners of the state. Starting in 2017, OSIT created the Whole Community Connectivity program and created Broadband Action Teams (BATs) in every county of the state. Building on this history and in preparation for the writing of this Five-Year Action Plan and the Statewide Digital Equity Strategy, OSIT embarked on a comprehensive and statewide community outreach and engagement tour. The purpose of the tour was twofold: first, to listen and learn more about the infrastructure and digital equity needs faced by Nevadans; and second, to offer information about the planning and forthcoming implementation processes. During the eight months prior to the publication of this plan, OSIT conducted outreach and held public in-person and virtual meetings with stakeholders and members of the public in communities throughout the state. Attendees included community-based organizations, non-profits, internet service providers, labor, local governments, Tribal governments, leaders from Community Anchor Institutions (CAIs), and other stakeholders to understand connectivity needs and existing broadband infrastructure, including the capacity of existing infrastructure to scale to meet present and future needs.
The High Speed Nevada Five-Year Action Plan establishes Nevada’s vision for broadband deployment and digital equity, the goals and objectives, and the priorities, strategies, and activities the State will take to realize our vision. Please read the plan here.
There are a number of ways to get involved in the planning process:
Making Sure Every Nevadan is Counted: The federal government will allocate funding to Nevada for places that do not have fast, reliable broadband service. The State needs help make sure that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has the most accurate information about broadband accessibility and quality in every community in Nevada. Your input will improve the accuracy of the map and ensure that federal funding for broadband is targeted at the areas of Nevada that need it the most. If the information about the broadband service offerings at your home needs to be corrected, we ask you to please submit an availability challenge at https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home. Submitting an availability challenge is easy. Enter your address in the website. Select “Availability Challenge” on the right hand side above the listing of providers. Fill out the information and submit.
Submit a Speed Test: If you would like to find out how fast the internet service is at your home, take a speed test. The results will also help inform an overall picture of internet speeds across the state.
Participate in the Planning Process: Local engagement is vital to our planning efforts. We believe in an inclusive, thorough, and fully statewide planning process. If you would like to add your voice to the plan, we want to hear from you! Please complete this form and we will be in contact with you.
BEAD Request for Information No. 2003-001
Please find a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT). The intent of this RFI is to obtain public input regarding the development of its Five-Year Broadband Action Plan, the solicitation process and structure of future OSIT funding opportunities (RFPs), and the structure of broadband infrastructure programs after funding has been awarded. Specifically, OSIT seeks input on its administration of the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program within the Infrastructure & Investment Jobs Act (IIJA - also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law).
- Failure to respond to this RFI in whole or in part will not disqualify any vendor from participation in any subsequent solicitation regarding this matter.
- Respondents are not required to respond to every question in order to submit a valid response. Respondents may answer as many or as few questions as they wish.
- Responses to this RFI are due May 3, 2023.
- Get BEAD RFI
More information about Nevada's approach to BEAD