Purpose
The Testing and Evaluation (T&E) focus area seeks to access more widely available and affordable expand industry-accepted T&E in the U.S. and its territories and possessions. These activities will test, evaluate, facilitate, and assess the interoperability, performance, and/or security of open, interoperable, standards-based 5G radio access networks. Advanced access to affordable T&E lowers the barriers of entry for new and emerging entities, like small companies, start-ups, and SEDI businesses. Grant applications will be evaluated based on the following mandatory and optional objectives.
Mandatory Objectives
All applications for T&E grants must include industry-accepted T&E activities for network suppliers. These activities include testing equipment and software against industry-accepted test cases and best practices for 5G network interoperability, performance, and/or security.
In general, the grant applicants will highlight:
- The strategy for increasing the availability, affordability, and accessibility of T&E. This should support the development, deployment, and adoption of open and interoperable, standards-based radio access networks.
- How T&E activities will lead to sustained and accessible testing resources and data, such as advancing industry adoption of open and interoperable wireless networks beyond this NOFO.
- The testing of interoperability, performance, and/or security of the Radio Unit (RU), Central Unit (CU), and/or Distributed Unit (DU) solutions of the 5G NR Radio Access Network.
- How to meet administrative requirements such as reporting, attending NTIA meetings, and complying with physical and data security.
Optional Objectives
Grant applicants can also propose additional activities that support their mandatory T&E Activities. These criteria are secondary in NTIA’s proposal evaluation. The goal is to give grantees more individualized assistance than might be possible during usual T&E activities.
Additional activities could include:
- Operating host facilities for small and medium-sized companies, start-ups, and SEDI businesses developing T&E. This provides resource access that groups may be unable to afford on their own such as high-cost test equipment.
- Offering technical assistance to other participating groups. This includes helping new and emerging industry bodies understand and interpret test results, as well as providing tips for preparing for T&E activities and improving future test results.