Broadband Office Name: Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT)
BEAD Award Amount: $416.7 M
Nevada Broadband Director: Brian Mitchell
Nevada BEAD Program Tracker
| State | IP Vol 1 Approval | IP Vol 2 Approval | Challenge Process Submission Closed | Challenge Process Final Determination Phase Completed | 1-Year Subgrantee Selection Process |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Nevada BEAD Program Information
Key Updates
In April 2024, Nevada received NTIA approval for Initial Proposal Vol. 2.
According to OSIT’s website, “The Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT), published a draft map depicting Regional Project Areas (RPAs) for Phase III of the High Speed Nevada Initiative (HSNV). The locations were determined to be eligible for BEAD funding based on the challenge process OSIT conducted earlier this year.
OSIT seeks comment on topics such as the logistical issues of serving all BSLs within an RPA. For example, if BSLs are separated by a river, railroad track, or mountain range and it would be difficult or cost prohibitive to serve all BSLs, OSIT would consider comments regarding alternative designs for the RPA in question.
OSIT will accept public comment on the RPA map for 14 days, until July 24th. The RPA Map for public comment can be found here: RPA MAP.”
Nevada BEAD Program Plans & Maps
Nevada BEAD Program Initial Proposal Volume 2: Overview
All information is sourced from Nevada’s Initial Proposal Volume 2.
BEAD Long-Term Objectives
The State of Nevada’s Broadband Office: Goals and Objectives for the BEAD Program
Goal 1: Universal Access to Modern Broadband Infrastructure
- Objective 1: Bring modern, scalable broadband infrastructure to communities that lack it.
- Objective 2: By 2029, deploy modern, scalable broadband infrastructure to unserved and underserved residential and business locations within communities, ensuring all Nevadans have access to affordable, reliable, and scalable high-speed internet with minimum speeds of 100/20 Mbps, scaling beyond 100/100 Mbps.
Goal 2: Universal Access to Digital Equity
- Objective 1: Develop and execute a multi-pronged affordability and access strategy for low-income and middle-class households to increase broadband adoption and subscription rates.
- Objective 2: Create a plan to increase access to affordable connected devices and appropriate tech support, focusing on the needs of covered populations, ready for execution before network construction is complete.
- Objective 3: Provide opportunities for all Nevadans to gain the skills, support, and security awareness needed to use reliable, high-speed broadband services and connected devices for robust participation in society, democracy, and the economy.
Nevada BEAD Program Project Area Design
The State of Nevada’s Broadband Office will organize the eligible locations into Regional Project Areas (RPAs). This approach mimics a successful strategy used in a previous broadband project. RPAs are determined on a per-location basis to ensure effective planning and deployment.
According to OSIT’s website, “The Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT), published a draft map depicting Regional Project Areas (RPAs) for Phase III of the High Speed Nevada Initiative (HSNV). The locations were determined to be eligible for BEAD funding based on the challenge process OSIT conducted earlier this year.
OSIT seeks comment on topics such as the logistical issues of serving all BSLs within an RPA. For example, if BSLs are separated by a river, railroad track, or mountain range and it would be difficult or cost prohibitive to serve all BSLs, OSIT would consider comments regarding alternative designs for the RPA in question.
OSIT will accept public comment on the RPA map for 14 days, until July 24th.
The RPA Map for public comment can be found here: RPA MAP.”
Nevada BEAD Program Extremely High Cost Threshold
Nevada will determine the EHC only after application process has concluded. Nevada aims to set the EHC as high as possible to ensure greater fiber coverage. This determination will consider the NTIA CQA model, costs of previous projects, build complexity, and demographic information.
OSIT will prioritize an EHCPLT as high as possible to ensure greater fiber coverage while also enabling the use of well-designed applications using alternative technology types where the cost to deploy fiber is prohibitive. Once all applications, priority and non-priority alike, are received, OSIT will take the following steps:
- Calculate the total BEAD subsidy requests from Priority Projects and non-Priority Projects.
- If all RPAs receive a Priority Project application and the BEAD deployment subsidy amount
requested in the highest rated applications is less than OSIT’s BEAD funding allocation, OSIT will still set an EHCPLT as required by the BEAD NOFO at an amount so that the threshold will not be triggered. - If all RPAs receive an application and no RPA receives both a Priority and non-Priority Project application, and the BEAD deployment subsidy amount requested by the highest rated application in each RPA is less than OSIT’s BEAD funding allocation, OSIT will set an EHCPLT at an amount so that the threshold will not be triggered.
- If, after identifying the highest rated application in each RPA, the amount of BEAD deployment subsidy requested exceeds OSIT’s BEAD funding allocation, OSIT will set the
EHCPLT so as to maximize the number of unserved and underserved locations that are served by fiber, including possibly funding applications that exceed the EHCPLT.
- If all RPAs receive a Priority Project application and the BEAD deployment subsidy amount
OSIT will utilize a variety of data, tools, and other means in its process for determining the EHCPLT. Those include:
- Use of the Eligible Entity Planning Tool provided by NTIA;
- Chart distances from the nearest HSNV Phase I and High Speed NV Phase II Open Access middle mile
fiber routes; - Use of proprietary OSIT data based on costs of previous broadband projects;
- Use of a proprietary OSIT cost modeling and business case tool prepared by Cost Quest Associates. This tool will use, among other things, the following:
- Greenfield and brownfield capital costs for fiber to the premise and fixed wireless
investments, including investment to acquire, engineer, and install a new GPON fiber access network or fixed wireless broadband network; - Net present value of a 20-year cash flow accounting for revenue, operating expense, capital expenses, and initial capex;
- Build complexity data including linear density, density per square mile terrain, cost
differentials, large area density, and distance to central core; - Other data including median income, average household size, age and education
demographics, existing service options, etc.
- Greenfield and brownfield capital costs for fiber to the premise and fixed wireless
BEAD Deployment Subgrantee Selection
Nevada is asking for the following preregistration evidence from subgrantees and compliance with: Financial capability, managerial capability, operational capability, technical capability, ownership info, public funding info, compliance with laws, cybersecurity/supply chain compliance, and BABA/EHP/NEPA/NHPA compliance.
Primary Scoring Criteria for Priority Broadband Projects:
- 25 pts – Minimal BEAD Outlay
- 30 pts – Affordability
- 20 pts – Fair Labor Practices
Secondary Scoring Criteria
- 1 pt – Speed to Deployment
- 8 pts – Capacity Review
- 8 pts – Secondary Technical Review
- 5 pts – Lower Bandwidth Affordability
- 3 pts – Low-Cost Broadband Service Option
Non-Priority Broadband Projects:
Primary Criteria
- 25 pts – Minimal BEAD Outlay
- 30 pts – Affordability
- 20 pts – Fair Labor Practices
Secondary Scoring Criteria
- 1 pt – Speed to Deployment
- 12 pts – Capacity Review
- 12 pts – Secondary Technical Review, including Speed of Network
BEAD Non-Deployment Subgrantee Selection
Non-deployment activities identified as eligible in the BEAD NOFO and aligned with the Statewide Digital Equity Plan will meet adoption and digital inclusion-related needs identified by OSIT during the needs assessment process. Pending the availability of funds after unserved and underserved communities have been prioritized, non-deployment initiatives could assist both newly connected Nevadans and those with existing connections access the internet, afford a monthly residential broadband service, obtain a connected device, and attain the digital skills and support needed to safely and securely work, learn, and thrive. As is outlined in the Statewide Digital Equity Plan, needs of Nevadans vary by geography and by covered population. Therefore, all non-deployment activities will be tailored to the needs of the community receiving funding.
BEAD Eligible Entity Implementation
Nevada may implement some initiatives and carry out certain activities related to the BEAD program without making a subgrant. These include administrative activities and non-deployment activities related to digital equity. However, Nevada will not implement any deployment-related activities as the recipient without making a subgrant.
Administrative activities may include:
- Implementation of the challenge process and subgrantee selection process.
- Activities related to RFA outreach, such as webinars for prospective subgrantees.
- Activities related to subgrant agreements, contracting, and funding disbursement.
- Activities related to subgrantee monitoring, reporting, and compliance.
- Activities related to program evaluation and public outreach.
- Activities related to program closeout.
Nevada may supplement the Core Activities funded by the State Capacity Grant with the following:
- Deploying digital navigators.
- Promoting ACP awareness and enrollment.
- Public and community engagement around digital equity, including reports, dashboards, and presentations.
- Conducting program evaluation.
BEAD Local, Tribe, and Regional Broadband Planning Process
Nevada has 28 federally recognized tribes and has worked closely with the Nevada Indian Commission and the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada (ITCN). This collaboration includes conducting surveys to understand needs and barriers, and plans to leverage TBCP funds for adoption efforts.
- Nevada provided technical assistance to 15 tribes for TBCP Round 1 applications, resulting in awards totaling over $31 million to connect 1,899 households.
- This support will continue for Round 2.
- Nevada has also conducted 16 tribal consultations.
- Even when consultation was denied by five tribes, they still received technical assistance and were included in the ITCN consortium that was awarded a TBCP grant.
In the past six years, Nevada has established Broadband Action Teams (BATs) in each county, comprising county, municipal, civic, CAI, and other community leaders.
- BATs played a key role in planning the 5-Year Action Plan and the Statewide Digital Equity Plan.
The only local government in Nevada developing its own broadband deployment plan is Clark County, located in Southern Nevada.
- Nevada and Clark County are currently collaborating on two infrastructure deployment initiatives using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) to bring fiber to underserved locations countywide.
In total, Nevada visited every county twice, traveled over 4,000 miles in April 2023 alone, held over 130 meetings with nearly 1,000 Nevadans, and distributed surveys in both online and paper formats, capturing responses from nearly 800 additional Nevadans.
BEAD Labor Standards & Protection
Nevada requires all BEAD subgrantees to submit the following information:
A record of past compliance with federal/employment laws:
- Must address info on deployment projects within the last 3 years.
- Certification form from an Officer/Director level employee of past compliance.
- Written confirmation that subgrantee has disclosed any violations from contractors within the last 3 years.
- Discussion of workforce plan
Plans for ensuring compliance with federal/employment laws:
- How subgrantee will ensure compliance in its labor/employment practices.
- Info on applicable wage scales, wage, and overtime practices for each class of employee expected to be involved in physical construction of the network.
- How subgrantee will ensure implementation of workplace safety committees.
- Comply with the Prevailing Wages Act.
- Other items as outlined in the BEAD NOFO.
BEAD Minority Business Enterprises / Women’s Business Enterprises / Labor Surplus Area Firms Inclusion
Nevada will ensure the following affirmative steps for MBE/WBE Inclusion:
- Place qualified MBEs (Minority Business Enterprises) and WBEs (Women Business Enterprises) on solicitation lists.
- Ensure that MBEs/WBEs are solicited whenever they are potential sources.
- Divide total requirements, when economically feasible, into smaller tasks or quantities.
- Establish delivery schedules that encourage participation.
- Use the services and assistance of organizations such as the Small Business Administration and the Minority Business Development Agency of the Department of Commerce.
- Require subgrantees to take these affirmative steps in relation to subcontractors.
Stakeholder Engagement Partner Organizations:
- The Governor’s Office of Broadband Deployment
- The Nevada Department of Business and Industry’s Ombudsman of Consumer Affairs for Minorities
- Nevada’s Regional Development Authorities
- Business Development Council
- Nevada MBDA Business Center
- Nevada Women’s Business Center (NWBC)
- POWHer of WE
- National Minority Supplier Development Council
- National Women’s Business Council
Local Service Areas (LSAs): Nevada’s only LSAs are in Clark County. Nevada will work with the County government to make firms aware of opportunities.
BEAD Cost & Barrier Reduction
1. Promoting the use of existing infrastructure.
2. Promoting and adapting dig-once policies.
3. Streamlining permitting processes.
4. Streamlining cost-effective access to poles, conduits, and easements.
5. Streamlining rights of way, including the imposition of reasonable access requirements.
BEAD Low-Cost Broadband Service Option
On Tribal Lands or High-Cost Areas: $75 per month or less, inclusive of all taxes, fees, and charges, with no additional non-recurring costs or fees.
Other Areas, the lower of either:
- An existing low-income plan eligible for the ACP benefit, inclusive of all taxes, fees, and charges, with no additional non-recurring costs or fees.
- $50 per month or less, inclusive of all taxes, fees, and charges, with no additional non-recurring costs or fees.
- The subgrantee must offer this low-income plan for the network’s useful life as defined by NTIA.
- If the ACP is not reauthorized, low-cost plans must match non-Tribal/low-cost area prices.
- Price increases allowed under certain conditions (e.g., increased subsidies, tax increases, inflation).
Other Required Low-Cost Plan Criteria:
- Allows use of the Affordable Connectivity Benefit or its successor programs.
- Typical speeds of at least 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, or the fastest speeds possible.
- FCC performance benchmark for fixed terrestrial broadband.
- Typical latency of no more than 100 milliseconds.
- No data caps, surcharges, or usage-based throttling.
- Subject to the same acceptable use policies as other home broadband plans.
- Permits free upgrades to higher-speed low-cost plans if offered later.
BEAD Middle-Class Affordability
Nevada believes that the following three strategies will result in affordable internet service in BEAD-funded areas and beyond:
Middle Mile:
- Nevada is investing $250 million in thousands of miles of new middle-mile network infrastructure in unserved and underserved regions of the state, ensuring last-mile internet service providers have access to affordable, reliable, and scalable upstream bandwidth.
- Phases I and II of the High-Speed Nevada Initiative focus on expanding fiber infrastructure across the state.
- The new middle-mile infrastructure will be available to providers on an open access, non-discriminatory basis at attractive rates to encourage and facilitate high-speed last-mile infrastructure where it currently does not exist.
- With access to low-cost upstream bandwidth, awarded subgrantees are expected to offer lower-cost, more affordable plans to residential and business subscribers in BEAD-funded areas and adjacent served areas, driving adoption and uptake rates.
Adoption:
- Nevada commits to working closely with awarded subgrantees to drive adoption and uptake rates through non-deployment wrap-around services. These services include ACP enrollment assistance, digital navigator support, device access support, and digital literacy and skills training.
Scoring Criteria:
- As required by the BEAD NOFO, Nevada will allocate points based on subgrantees’ commitment to providing the most affordable prices.
- Packages will receive additional or fewer points based on their percentage difference from the reference package cost, incentivizing the provision of more affordable options.
