Broadband Office Name: Oregon Broadband Office
BEAD Award Amount: $688.9 M
Oregon Broadband Director: Daniel Holbrook
Website: https://www.oregon.gov/biz/programs/oregon_broadband_office/pages/default.aspx
Oregon BEAD Program Tracker
| State | IP Vol 1 Approval | IP Vol 2 Approval | Challenge Process Submission Closed | Submitted Challenge Results to NTIA | Challenge Process Results Approved by NTIA | 1-Year Subgrantee Selection Process |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Oregon BEAD Program Information
Key Updates
Oregon had its Initial Proposal Volume 2 approved by the NTIA on June 13, 2024.
Oregon’s Rebuttal Phase of the Challenge Process ran until June 29, 2024.
Oregon BEAD Program Plans & Maps
Oregon BEAD Program Initial Proposal Volume 2: Overview
BEAD Long-Term Objectives
Oregon’s primary goals for broadband deployment include serving 100% of unserved and underserved locations and ensuring that Community Anchor Institutions (CAIs) have gigabit connections.
Objectives for the Oregon Broadband Office’s (OBO) Primary Goals:
- Advocate for public policies that close the digital divide by removing barriers and supporting broadband infrastructure deployment.
- Develop investment and deployment strategies for broadband in unserved and underserved areas.
- Promote broadband solutions from the private sector, public sector, and cooperatives.
- Support and promote local and regional broadband planning initiatives.
- Ensure technology and service provider neutrality by focusing on desired outcomes rather than specific technological solutions.
- Pursue and leverage federal broadband funding sources to achieve state broadband goals.
- Manage and award funds allocated to the Oregon Business Development Department for broadband projects.
- Engage with diverse stakeholders, including elected officials, government officials, healthcare providers, educators, business leaders, agricultural leaders, community leaders, and broadband service providers, to facilitate communication and gather information for making a business case for broadband investments.
- Promote digital literacy, equity, and inclusion.
- Increase public awareness of the value of broadband technologies and applications.
- Encourage the adoption and utilization of broadband technologies and applications.
- Develop, maintain, and provide public access to:
- A statewide broadband map to track the availability of broadband services and measure progress.
- Other information related to broadband.
- Convene relevant state and federal agencies and advise the Governor, state agency leadership, and the Oregon Congressional Delegation on leveraging state government activities to pursue state broadband goals.
- Support and coordinate efforts with the Oregon Broadband Advisory Council.
Oregon BEAD Program Project Area Design
In Oregon, project areas are being designed using school district boundaries. For more rural areas, these regions will be divided further to ensure comprehensive coverage. The state encourages groups of applicants to apply collaboratively to address the needs of these designated areas effectively.
Oregon BEAD Program Extremely High Cost Threshold
The Oregon Broadband Office (OBO) will determine the Extremely High Cost Per Location (EHC) Threshold once all grant applications have been received. This threshold will be used to efficiently allocate BEAD funding based on the applications submitted.
BEAD Deployment Subgrantee Selection
OBO 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
- 40 pts – Minimal BEAD Outlay
- 20 pts – Affordability
- 15 pts – Fair Labor Practices
Secondary Scoring Criteria
- 2 pts – Speed to Deployment
- 10 pts – Local and Tribal Coordination
- 13 pts – Connecting CAIs
Secondary Scoring Criteria for Other Last-Mile Projects
- 2 pts – Speed to Deployment
- 13 pts – Speed of Network and Other Technical Capabilities
- 10 pts – Local and Tribal Coordination
BEAD Non-Deployment Subgrantee Selection
OBO does not anticipate having non-deployment subgrantees. However, if funds remain, OBO will consider supporting activities related to those outlined in the BEAD NOFO.
BEAD Eligible Entity Implementation
Given that Oregon’s estimated cost for universal service far exceeds its BEAD allocation to reach unserved locations, the state is not proposing any new initiatives.
OBO plans to implement key grant activities without issuing a subgrant, including:
- General administration of BEAD.
- Oversight of BEAD subgrantee applications and issuance.
- Implementing the challenge process.
- Managing the processes for subgrantee applications.
- Obtaining software to manage both the application and challenge processes.
- Overseeing subgrantee compliance.
BEAD Local, Tribe, and Regional Broadband Planning Process
OBO completed the following activities for their engagement process:
- Conducted 12 in-person regional meetings across Oregon.
- Held 7 sector-specific meetings with stakeholders.
- Organized 5 focus groups.
- Engaged in intergovernmental meetings with all tribal governments in the state.
- Utilized email, press releases, social media, phone, radio, and in-person outreach.
- Conducted a statewide phone survey.
- Distributed an online public needs questionnaire.
- Administered 6 stakeholder surveys.
BEAD Labor Standards & Protection
OBO 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
OBO certifies that it will:
- Place qualified Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs) on solicitation lists.
- Ensure that MBEs and 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, the Minority Business Development Agency of the Department of Commerce, and the SBA Mentor-Protege program.
- Require each subgrantee to take these affirmative steps.
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
Only 28% of eligible households in Oregon have enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). To address this, OBO proposes that all subgrantees offer a service option that meets the following criteria:
- Costs $30 per month or less, inclusive of all taxes, fees, and charges for subscribers not residing on Tribal Lands, or $75 per month or less for those on Tribal Lands.
- Available to households with an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty line.
- Allows the end user to apply the ACP benefit subsidy.
- Provides speeds of 100/20 Mbps.
- Ensures latency speeds of 100 ms.
- Is not subject to data caps, surcharges, or usage-based throttling.
- Permits eligible subscribers to upgrade at little to no cost if the provider later offers a low-cost plan with higher speeds.
BEAD Middle-Class Affordability
52.6% of Oregon households belong to the middle class.
OBO plans to manage middle-class affordability by mitigating the following risks:
- Providers Setting High Subscription Costs: OBO will encourage ISPs to offer their best prices in project areas.
- Providers Shifting Drop and Installation Costs to Consumers: Rules will clarify that drops and network equipment are eligible BEAD costs and must be included in grant proposals.
- Differential Pricing Between Urban and New Project Areas: The BEAD program scoring matrix will mandate a gigabit best pricing policy that sets requirements around geographic non-discrimination.