The BEAD program includes $42 billion for high-speed Internet access. This federal grant program, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act goal is to provide universal internet by funding partnerships between states or territories, communities, and stakeholders to build infrastructure where needed to and increase adoption of high-speed internet. BEAD prioritizes unserved locations that have no internet access or that only have access under 25/3 Mbps and underserved locations only have access under 100/20 Mbps.
The National Telecommunication Information and Administration allocated $451 million dollars in Kansas to address the digital divide. This work requires the creation of a 5-Year Action Plan detailing the vision, current state of broadband and digital inclusion, obstacles and barriers and an implementation plan for universal service.
The Broadband Equity Access and Deployment 5–Year Action Plan along with Volume 1 and Volume 2 will identify served, unserved, and underserved locations across the state. The 5-Year Action Plan addresses the “what” KOBD will be doing and Volume 1 and Volume 2 address the “how” it will happen and how KOBD will address the digital divide.
The Kansas Office of Broadband Development is committed to ensuring all eligible entities have the opportunity to challenge areas that may show unserved or served to most efficiently fund buildout. The official challenge process was outlined in Volume 1 of the Initial Proposal and required the process be transparent, evidence based and expedient.
The Four Phases of the Challenge Process:
Eligible Challenging Entities include:
Location Info:
Files for Download:
Post Deduplication Process: KOBD will use the NTIA Toolkit and deduplicate our current state grant programs, LINC, BAG 3.0, and the federal Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model (EACAM), that may be awarded and/or contracted during the Challenge Process. Enforceable Commitment Challenges for these program locations are not necessary.
Challenge Process Overview | Volume 1 -Full Document |
Acceptable Evidence | NTIA Document |
Data Licenses | NTIA Webpage on CostQuest Licensing |
Challenge Portal Guidelines | KOBD Challenge Portal Guideline Document |
Challenge Portal- Registration | Challenge Portal- Registration |
Volume 1: The public comment period was open for thirty (30) days and was extended to 5:00 p.m. (CT) September 5, 2023.
Volume 2: The public comment period will be open for thirty (30) days and closed on November 12, 2023.
To learn more about the challenge process and requirements please see document from Nation Telecommunications Information and Administration (NTIA)
Comment Number | Name | Organization Represented (as applicable) | Documented Comment |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Laura Musil | Blue Rapids Community Action Team | Link to PDF |
2 | Laura Musil | Blue Rapids Community Action Team | Link to PDF |
3 | David Miller | NA | Link to PDF |
4 | Troy Smith | NA | Link to PDF |
5 | Steve McClintock | NA | Link to PDF |
6 | Nasha Lee | NA | Link to PDF |
7 | Courtney Howell | NA | Link to PDF |
8 | Darrin Hiebert | NA | Link to PDF |
9 | Carol Phelps | NA | Link to PDF |
10 | Steve Kibbee | NA | Link to PDF |
11 | Cindy Price | NA | Link to PDF |
12 | Cole Herder | City of Humboldt | Link to PDF |
13 | Cole Herder | City of Humboldt | Link to PDF |
14 | Deb Minkler | Rawlins County Economic Development | Link to PDF |
15 | Douglas Lawson | NA | Link to PDF |
16 | Katie Eisenhour | Scott County Development Committee – on behalf of Scott City and Scott County in their entirety | Link to PDF |
17 | Alisha Herrmann | Edwards County Medical Center | Link to PDF |
18 | Rick Peterson | Kansas State Research and Extension (KSRE) | Link to PDF |
19 | Janet McRae | NA | Link to PDF |
20 | Jenny Miller | EducationSuperHighway | Link to PDF |
21 | Chris Breeden | NA | Link to PDF |
22 | Becki Regier | Home Communications, Inc. | Link to PDF |
23 | Chris Breeden | Kansas Cable Telecommunications Association (KCTA) | Link to PDF |
24 | Stephen Duerst | NA | Link to PDF |
25 | Pamela Sherwood | Connect Holding II LLC d/b/a Brightspeed | Link to PDF |
26 | Anthony Tate | Compudopt | Link to PDF |
27 | Marlene Nagel | Mid-America Regional Council | Link to PDF |
28 | Nathan Madden | Health Forward Foundation | Link to PDF |
29 | John Reardon | NA | Link to PDF |
30 | David Norlin | NA | Link to PDF |
31 | Stephen Duerst | Kansas Cable Telecommunications Association (KCTA) | Link to PDF |
32 | Jim Jamison | AT&T | Link to PDF |
Comment Number | Name | Organization Represented (as applicable) | Documented Comment |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Michael Sperry | Link to PDF | |
2 | Jill Kuehny | KanOkla | Link to PDF |
3 | Jill Juehny | Link to PDF | |
4 | Friday Otuya | Link to PDF | |
5 | Friday Otuya | Nex-Tech | Link to PDF |
6 | Randy Hoffman | Wheat State Technologies | Link to PDF |
7 | Brian Threadgold | Link to PDF | |
8 | Justin Stegeman | Link to PDF | |
9 | Mike Regan | Telecommunications Industry Assocation | Link to PDF |
10 | Erin Waitz | UScellular | Link to PDF |
11 | B Lynn Follansbee | USTelecom – The Broadband Assocation | Link to PDF |
12 | Pamela Sherwood | Connect Holding II LLC d/b/a/Brightspeed | Link to PDF |
13 | Gabriel Moran | Tarana Wireless, Inc | Link to PDF |
14 | Stephen Duerst | Kansas Cable Telecommunications Association | Link to PDF |
15 | Carlee Parker | IdeaTek | Link to PDF |
16 | Randall Sandone | Critical Infrastructure Resilience Institute – University of Illinois | Link to PDF |
17 | Benjamin Aron | CTIA – The Wireless Association | Link to PDF |
18 | Jenny Miller | EducationSuperhighway | Link to PDF |
19 | Leslie Scott | KC Digital Drive | Link to PDF & Link to Supporting Document |
20 | Lori Adams | Nokia | Link to PDF |
21 | Doug Adams | Think | Link to PDF |
22 | Jim Jamison | AT&T | Link to PDF and Link to Additional Document |
23 | Andrew Mincheff | INCOMPAS | Link to PDF |
The document adheres to NTIA guidelines and includes a description of each requirement along with attachments, available for public inspection and comments.
KOBD used your input to update the BEAD-IP, Volume 1, which focuses on existing funding, unserved and underserved locations, community anchor institutions (CAI), and a challenge process that will follow the approval of this plan. A second volume of the BEAD-IP can be found below addresses other NTIA requirements such as the subgrantee selection process. You can learn more from this Notice of Funding Opportunity.
For easy reference these are the sections of Volume 1 that have been revised:
You can view the full document by clicking the button below.
KOBD encouraged residents, community organizations, businesses, and local authorities, to participate in the public comment period for Volume 2 of the Initial Proposal. The document adheres to NTIA guidelines and includes a description of each requirement along with attachments, available for public inspection and comments.
Volume 2 outlines defined objectives for broadband infrastructure projects, transparent subgrantee selection processes and the active participation of eligible entities, all aimed at providing affordable broadband service options to residents.
Additional components of Volume 2 include:
You can learn more from this Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Volume 2 Attachments
“My administration is committed to ensuring every Kansan, regardless of their zip code, has access to fast and
Governor Laura Kelly
reliable internet connectivity, bringing additional economic growth, educational opportunities, and telehealth
services. This funding advances our progress toward being a top 10 state for broadband access by 2030.”