The Broadband Deployment Board (Board) made decisions in recent meetings regarding Board Policies:
- During its Feb. 8 meeting, the Board elected to explore revising some of its policy documents.
- During the Feb. 28 meeting, the Board elected to open a two (2) week comment period to invite feedback on potential revisions to its Grant Award Policy and Appeal Policy.
Copies of the proposed revisions of the Grant Award Policy and Appeal Policy are posted below for public comment. The public comment period will close on Wednesday, Mar. 16, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. MDT. Written public comments may be submitted through the Broadband Fund Comment Form. These are draft policies; public comment is both welcome and encouraged. The Board may revise, reject, modify or add to these draft policies.
Included in the revisions for the Grant Award Policy are important changes to ensure the Board is applying the latest U.S. Treasury State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) regulations (31 C.F.R. Section 35.6) in order to distribute the $35 million stimulus money appropriated in HB21-1289.
While the Board is still considering how to resolve the fact that the federal regulations for stimulus money changed during the current cycle (Winter 2022), the Board may consider allowing current cycle applicants to supplement their applications with additional information they believe is necessary to comply with the new regulations (such as information that further establishes that the completed project will “provide service to households and businesses with an identified need”).
If your company applied for a grant award during the current (Winter 2022) grant cycle that involves a request for stimulus money, we strongly recommend you review the final Treasury regulations.
If you have any questions, please reach out to the Broadband Fund at oit_broadbanddeploymentboard@state.co.us.