Notice of Funding Availability and Request for Applications (RFA No. BDO-NOFA-006) for the TEXAS BROADBAND EQUITY, ACCESS, AND DEPLOYMENT (BEAD) PROGRAM for the Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO)

Background
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA) issues this Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) to solicit competitive applications for the Texas Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The program aims to expand access to broadband services throughout Texas, focusing on unserved and underserved locations. The state has been allocated $3.3 billion from the BEAD Program, part of a larger federal initiative to enhance high-speed internet access across the United States. This funding is partially sourced from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which emphasizes building infrastructure and increasing broadband adoption.

Work Details
The contract involves deploying qualifying last-mile broadband service to unserved and underserved locations in Texas. Qualifying Broadband Service must provide:

(i) a minimum download speed of 100 Mbps;
(ii) a minimum upload speed of 20 Mbps; and
(iii) latency not exceeding 100 milliseconds.

For Community Anchor Institutions (CAIs), the service must provide at least 1 Gbps for both downloads and uploads. Applicants are encouraged to propose services that exceed these minimum requirements. The funding will cover construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and telecommunications equipment necessary for providing broadband service, including engineering design, permitting, personnel costs, network software upgrades, and workforce development initiatives.

Period of Performance
The grant period will run from the effective date of the grant award until project completion, which must occur no later than four years from the execution date of the Grant Agreement.

Place of Performance
The geographic location for performance includes various unserved and underserved locations throughout Texas as identified in project proposals submitted by applicants.

Bidder Requirements
Eligible applicants include cooperatives, nonprofit organizations, public-private partnerships, private companies, public utilities, local governments, tribal organizations, and for-profit entities. Applicants must demonstrate financial capability through audited financial statements or certifications. They must also provide a letter of credit or performance bond as required by NTIA guidance. Additionally, applicants must not be on CPA’s Debarred Vendors List or excluded from federal contracts.