3140MM447

Purpose:
The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska and its 100% tribally owned subsidiary, Quick Current LLC, have proposed a project to deploy a fiber-based middle mile network. The purpose of this project is to provide coverage to currently unserved and underserved tribal and adjacent rural areas in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. The project specifically focuses on the tribal areas of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska and Iowa and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and Iowa. The network will consist of 272 miles of new fiber, 146 route miles of IRU dark fibers, five telecommunications huts with access to lit and dark fiber, one small data center for service providers to collocate, and 30 locations pre-terminated with lit and dark fiber in rural middle mile locations. The goal is to provide easy and inexpensive access to lit and dark fiber-based services. Additionally, 98 community anchor institutions have been identified where the tribe will facilitate the potential for 1 Gbps symmetric speed. The network aims to be fiscally sustainable and serve as a source of revenue and jobs for the region beyond the award period.

Activities to be Performed:
The project will use fiber to build over 400 miles for a new middle mile network through unserved and underserved communities. The commitment is to open access and carrier-neutral non-discriminatory interconnect. The period of performance is expected to be 2 years.

Expected Outcome:
The proposed project has the following goals and deliverables:
1. Build 272 miles of new fiber, 146 route miles of IRU dark fibers.
2. Construct 5 telecommunications huts with access to lit and dark fiber and one small data center where service providers can collocate.
3. Build 30 locations to pre-terminate lit and dark fiber in rural middle mile locations for easy and inexpensive access to lit and dark fiber-based services.
4. With a last mile provider, deploy last-mile services to approximately 13,000 households who are unserved or underserved.
5. Provide middle mile broadband service to several locations that cover tribal lands of the Omaha and Winnebago tribes, which currently do not have retail broadband availability.
6. Host 36 new locations in a carrier-neutral fashion to support all interconnection.

Intended Beneficiaries:
The primary focus of the buildout in the area is to provide middle-mile network access and services to tribal lands that currently have no providers or access to middle mile broadband services. The planned infrastructure will cover the persistent poverty counties where the Omaha and Winnebago tribal reservations are located. This proposal aims to materially reduce end-user broadband prices. By funding the deployment of this middle mile infrastructure, the Omaha Tribe will be able to charge competitive market rates for interconnection with last-mile service providers, resulting in more affordable broadband prices for end-users. The proposal also aims to reduce end-user latency experienced in the more insular regions of the proposed service area and adjacent areas. The deployment of resilient, fiber-based infrastructure in these regions will help connect previously unconnected components of the network of the partner and subcontractor, located in the surrounding area, while also providing high-speed, low latency middle-mile transport capacity throughout the proposed service region.

Subrecipient Activities:
The applicant intends to subaward funds for the following activities: implementing shovel-ready routes, which will be available immediately upon award; engineering, network design, training, and best practices implementation; acquiring machinery; establishing workforce; and installing the majority of preterminated splices and huts in Nebraska.

Omaha Tribe Of Ne

TO EXPAND AND EXTEND MIDDLE MILE INFRASTRUCTURE TO REDUCE THE COST OF CONNECTING AREAS THAT ARE UNSERVED OR UNDERSERVED TO THE INTERNET BACKBONE.

11.033 - Middle Mile (Broadband) Grant Program

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) [DOC]

Macy, Nebraska 68039-3046 United States

Single Zip Code

Middle Mile Grant Program (NTIA-MMG-2022)

Infrastructure $36,374,797 (100%) percent this Project Grant was funded by the 2021 Infrastructure Act.
Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 06/30/25 to 12/31/27.