Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program

Quick Links

BEAD Initial Proposal Volume II  Broadband Workforce Development High Speed Nevada Five Year Action Plan | Getting Involved | BEAD Request for Information No. 2003-001 | More Information about Nevada's approach to BEAD

• HIGH SPEED NEVADA IMPORTANT LINKS: 
  • HSNV Phase III Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
  • HSNV Phase III Subgrantee Selection Announcement
   

High Speed Nevada Initiative Phase III BEAD Subgrantee Selection Process

BEAD Technical Assistance

OSIT will hold technical assistance webinars at the following dates and times on the following topics. All webinars will be recorded and posted on the OSIT website and the OSIT YouTube channel. Following the recorded presentation, OSIT will hold an office hours for questions and answers. Past webinars can be viewed on the OSIT YouTube Channel.

Nevada Regional Project Areas GIS Package Walk Through: 

High Speed Nevada Phase III Pre-Qualification Process and Other BEAD Updates

As described in Nevada’s BEAD Initial Proposal Volume II, prior to submitting an application, potential subgrantees must become pre-qualified. Pre-qualification will take place in OSIT’s grant application solicitation portal, AmpliFund. Interested applicants must complete the pre-qualification process prior to the conclusion of the subgrantee selection process. Once approved, applicants may use the same login credentials to submit an application. The application window will open at a later date. OSIT will announce the application deadline when the application window opens.

Tips:

• Applicants are encouraged to submit pre-application as soon as possible to identify any issues early on that may prevent the applicant from submitting an application.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the NV AmpliFund Application Guide prior to beginning the pre-qualification process. The guide will assist you, step-by-step, in knowing how to complete the pre-qualification process.

Pre-Qualification Portal. Please use this link to complete the pre-qualification process.

OSIT hosted a webinar on August 14, 2024 regarding the Pre-Qualification process and other BEAD updates. The webinar provided a demonstration of how to complete the Pre-Qualification process in the portal. To view the webinar, please click here. To view the slides from the webinar, please click here.

OSIT has provided the following information about Reference Pricing for Regional Project Areas: 1) A brief video walkthrough explaining reference pricing; 2) an update to the Regional Project Area Map that includes reference pricing for each RPA; 3) an update to the GIS Package with additional data related to reference pricing. The slides from the walkthrough can be found here.

Final Classification of BEAD Eligible Locations and Regional Project Areas

The Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation, and Technology (OSIT) has released the Nevada Regional Project Area Map. As described in its Initial Proposal Volume I, OSIT conducted a Challenge Process to determine which locations would be eligible for BEAD funding. As described in its Initial Proposal Volume II, OSIT has grouped unserved and underserved locations and eligible Community Anchor Institutions (CAIs) into Regional Project Areas (RPAs). OSIT will conduct a fair, open, and transparent subgrantee selection process to allocate funding to winning applicants to serve all the locations within an RPA. The Nevada Regional Project Area Map is designed to visualize the RPAs across the state. Defined by OSIT, these project areas will guide the distribution of funding to awardees.

As described in OSIT’s Initial Proposal Volume II, RPAs were generated through an algorithmic process, specifically k-means clustering and the aggregation of BEAD Eligible BSLs as Voronoi polygons. Careful consideration was given to tribal areas and county boundaries. Following an initial review, small adjustments to the boundaries were made. Further modifications have been implemented based on the evaluation of public comments. It is important to note that the RPAs presented during the public comment period may not represent the final RPAs that will be used during the award process and applicants should use the updated information published by OSIT.

To assist interested applicants, OSIT has provided additional information described below to assist with the development of bids. This information includes GIS data that can be downloaded and imported by applicants and a final list of locations approved by NTIA in .csv format.

The Nevada BEAD RPA GIS Package includes several files that may be used to assist in the planning of proposals. To view the files, it is recommended that the user download the free and open source software QGIS. Once installed, double click the qgz project in the nv_rpas folder to open it. Note that you must first unzip the nv_rpas.zip in order for the gpkg files to properly appear in the QGIS project Layers pane.

The files included are separated into two groups—Layers and Basemap. The Layers group includes the RPA polygons as well as several other polygon layers that may be useful in assessing Broadband Serviceable Location (BSL) clusters, namely County, Tribal Lands, and High-Cost areas layers. An H3 hexbin representation of the BEAD Eligible Locations has also been included. Due to licensing limitations, a point geometry version of the BEAD Eligible Locations cannot be provided. However, a CSV file (bead_eligible_locations.csv) has been included and may be joined to a user’s version of the fabric that is licensed separately. In this way, one can join the location IDs from the CSV file to view exactly where the eligible BSLs are located. The Basemap group simply includes a handful of base layers that can be toggled on or off for visual contrast or other map details.

OSIT is also publishing the Final Classification of BEAD-eligible locations. This location list can be found as a .csv file named bead_eligible_locations.csv. The bead_eligible_locations.csv includes only two attributes, location_id and fin_status. The location_id column is an FCC Unique ID for the fabric location. The fin_status column indicates the final status of the BEAD Eligible BSL, with 0 = Unserved, 1 = Underserved, 3 = Underserved in an Enforceable Commitment Area, and 5 = Unserved CAI. These details can also be found in the data_dictionary.txt file included in the GIS Package.

For technical assistance, please see the following video walkthrough: Video Walkthrough

Questions should be directed to HighSpeedNV@gov.nv.go

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.  A posting of all submitted challenges and rebuttals during the challenge period 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.

Broadband Workforce Development

The High Speed Nevada Initiative is led by the Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT), and seeks to ensure that all Nevadans have access to high-speed internet that is affordable, reliable, and scalable. In the next six years, thousands of miles of fiber will be built to connect tens of thousands of homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions to broadband. In total, the next decade will see a total public-private investment of billion-dollars in telecommunications and connectivity infrastructure in all corners of the state. To realize our ambitious connectivity goals, Nevada will need a highly skilled and capable broadband workforce. Much of this workforce already exists but it must grow to meet greater demands. Growing this workforce will require strong partnerships and collaborations between the State, industry, and the workforce and education systems.

Nevada’s Broadband Workforce Development effort, led by OSIT, seeks to address a broad range of training needs, from essential safety and construction skills to advanced expertise in the latest broadband technologies. OSIT engaged in thorough discussions with over 70 stakeholders during the inaugural Workforce Sector Council Meeting on December 5, 2023, and additionally, has held one-on-one consultations with industry, education, and worker stakeholders. These interactions have provided valuable insights and perspectives from industry leaders, further enriching OSIT's understanding of the sector's requirements. The input from these diverse groups has been instrumental in shaping a strategic plan designed to cultivate talent in this rapidly expanding job market. OSIT has drafted a white paper, click here, that outlines the State’s strategy to augment its highly skilled and capable broadband workforce to meet the demands of industry, encompassing an extensive suite of strategic recruitment initiatives, innovative training programs, and essential wrap-around support services. On May 3, OSIT presented, click here,  the contents of the white paper to industry and workforce stakeholders. Feedback on the plan can be directed to highspeednv@gov.nv.gov. Vendors interested in assisting with workforce development efforts should visit the Vendor Services page of the website.

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.

Getting Involved

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

• Information for Providers