Broadband Office Name: Montana Broadband Office
BEAD Award Amount: $629 M
Montana Broadband Director: Misty Ann Giles
Website: https://connectmt.mt.gov/
Montana BEAD Program Tracker
| State | IP Vol 1 Approved | IP Vol 2 Approved | Challenge Process Submission Closed | Challenge Process Final Determination Phase Completed | 1-Year Subgrantee Selection Process |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Montana BEAD Program Information
Key Updates
Montana is awaiting NTIA approval on its BEAD Initial Proposal Volume 2.
Montana has also submitted the Final Determinations from the Challenge Process to NTIA for review and is waiting for NTIA’s approval.
Click here for more Montana BEAD Information: https://connectmt.mt.gov/IIJA/Resources
Montana BEAD Program Plans & Maps
Montana BEAD Program Initial Proposal Volume 2: Overview
*Information is subject to change. Montana is awaiting official approval of Initial Proposal Volume 2 from the NTIA.
BEAD Long-Term Objectives
The Montana Broadband Office has established the following goals:
- Build out broadband to 154,053 locations by 2030 using BEAD allocations/other funding resources.
- Eliminate and decrease the % of unserved/underserved locations.
- Increase % of residents with access to internet-capable devices.
- Increase household adoptions rates.
- Increase households participating in ACP.
- Ensure all BEAD funded subgrantees offer low-cost plans.
- Increase adoptions rates within covered/rural populations.
- Increase % of state and local incarceration facilities with high-speed internet.
- Increase % of businesses with high-speed internet.
Montana BEAD Program Project Area Design
A Census Block Group (CBG) is a project area. The ISPs can group the CBGs together.
Montana BEAD Program Extremely High Cost Threshold
The EHCPLT will not be set until all bids are received, as it will be used as a budgeting mechanism to make the best use of limited funds. The MBO expects to set its EHCPLT as high as possible to maximize the use of fiber while ensuring service to all unserved and underserved BSLs.
BEAD Deployment Subgrantee Selection
The MBO is asking for the following preregistration information from subgrantees and compliance with financial capability, managerial capability, operational capability, technical capability, ownership information, project area definition, public funding information, compliance with laws, cybersecurity/supply chain compliance, EHCT process, tribal consent, and BABA/EHP compliance.
Primary Criteria for Priority Projects:
- Minimal BEAD Outlay – Max. 40 pts
- Affordability – Max. 20 pts (lowest price for 1/1 Gbps)
- Fair Labor Practices – Max. 15 pts
- Secondary Criteria:
- Speed to Deployment – 1 pt
- Unserved Areas – Max. 14 pts (any project with over 28% unserved receives the full 14 pts).
- Existing Infrastructure – Max. 4 pts
- Length of Service in Montana – Max. 4 pts (providing service for 40 years receives the max points).
- High-Cost Areas – Max. 1 pt
- Number of Locations Served – Max. 1 pt
Primary Criteria for Non-Priority Projects:
- Minimal BEAD Outlay – Max. 40 pts
- Affordability – Max. 20 pts (lowest price for 100/20 Mbps)
- Fair Labor Practices – Max. 15 pts
- Secondary Criteria:
- Speed to Deployment – 1 pt
- Unserved Areas – Max. 14 pts (any project with over 28% unserved receives the full 14 pts).
- Speed to Deployment/Other Capabilities – Max. 1 pt
- Existing Infrastructure – Max. 3 pts
- Length of Service in Montana – Max. 4 pts (providing service for 40 years receives the max points).
- High-Cost Areas – Max. 1 pt
- Number of Locations Served – Max. 1 pt
BEAD Non-Deployment Subgrantee Selection
The State will employ preferences for selection, resident impact, locality and stakeholder engagement, and effectiveness for non-deployment activities pending the availability of funds after prioritizing unserved, underserved, and CAIs.
BEAD Eligible Entity Implementation Activities
The State of Montana will directly implement both its challenge process and its subgrantee selection process.
The State will pursue direct implementation of its challenge process as it has already established the necessary infrastructure and resources to do so successfully and expeditiously.
The State will administer its own subgrantee selection process, which will likely begin halfway through 2024.
BEAD Local, Tribe, and Regional Broadband Planning Process
The MBO has identified the following as primary communication channels for information about the BEAD and Digital Opportunity programs:
- In-person and virtual informational and technical assistance events, ConnectMT website, social media and press releases, and community champions.
- The MBO anticipates regional stakeholder briefings and one roadshow a year.
MBO will also provide resources and presentations surrounding each application phase: the Challenge Process, Prequalification Round, and Main Round Applications.
BEAD Labor Standards & Protection
MBO requires all subgrantees to submit the following information:
A record of past compliance with federal/employment laws:
- Must address compliance on deployment projects within the last 3 years.
- Certification form from an Officer/Director level employee of past compliance.
- Written confirmation that the subgrantee has disclosed any violations from contractors within the last 3 years.
- Any labor and employment practices in place.
Plans for ensuring compliance with federal/employment laws:
- Wages/benefits by worker classification.
- Wages/benefit information.
- How labor disputes are minimized.
- Steps for safety/healthy workplace.
MBO requires that subgrantees use an appropriately credentialed workforce.
BEAD Minority Business Enterprises / Women’s Business Enterprises / Labor Surplus Area Firms Inclusion
The State of Montana plans to:
- Place qualified MBEs/WBEs on solicitation lists;
- Ensure that MBEs/WBEs are solicited whenever they are potential sources.
- Dividing total requirements, when economically feasible, into smaller tasks or quantities.
- Establishing delivery schedules, which encourage participation.
- Using the services and assistance of such organizations as the Small Business Administration and the Minority Business Development Agency of the Department of Commerce.
- Requiring subgrantees to take the affirmative steps listed above as it relates to subcontractors.
Stakeholder engagement partner organizations:
Montana Women’s Business Center (WBC), Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA), Office of Indian Country Economic Development (OICED) Program, Montana Women in Business Summit (WBS), and the Montana Dep. of Transportation (MDT) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program.
BEAD Cost & Barrier Reduction
(1) Promoting the use of existing infrastructure.
- MDT Rights of Way manual states that new infrastructure should only be built of existing can not be used.
(2) Promoting and adapting dig-once policies.
- Implemented policy in 2021. Introduced Interstate Permitting website.
(3) Streamlining permitting processes.
- Adopted Utility Permitting Administration System (UPAS).
- Consolidated permitting information on MDT’s Interstate Permitting website.
- For all projects related to groundwater, Dep. of Natural Resources and Conservation allows for joint applications.
(4) Streamlining cost-effective access to poles, conduits, and easements.
(5) Streamlining rights of way, including the imposition of reasonable access requirements.
- SB 521: The bill clarified MDT’s authority to grant longitudinal right-of-way agreements and established the conditions under which an application should be reviewed, accepted, and executed on.
- Applies to agreements arranged both on interstate highways and non-interstate highways
BEAD Low-Cost Broadband Service Option
While the MBO recognizes the importance of affordable access to broadband, the MBO philosophically disagrees with the NTIA’s position that rate requirements are not rate setting.
If applicants do not currently offer 1/1 Gbps service, they may make forward-looking commitments to offer the same rates for 1/1 Gbps plans across all locations to earn 20 points. Subgrantee applicants who do not make one of these commitments will earn 0 points.
- Allows end users to apply to ACP.
- Speeds of 100/20 Mbps.
- Latency measurements of no more than 100 ms.
- Not subject to data charges, surcharges, or usage-based throttling.
- Free upgrade if provider later offers better service.
- Required to participate in ACP.
- Post the terms of low-cost options and other commitments
A plan price of $70 would represent a cost of $40 to the end user ($0 if on Tribal lands).
BEAD Middle-Class Affordability Plans
In 50 out of 56 counties, 2% of the average household income is above $100/month. The average cost of an internet plan that represents 2% of average household income by county in Montana is $121/month. The monthly affordable standard in Montana is $100.72.
~326,400 BSLs in Montana, or 84.9% of total served locations, currently have access to an internet plan with at least 100/20 Mbps speeds at $100/month or less.
