All 56 States and Territories Receive Approval to Begin “Benefit of the Bargain” Round under the BEAD Program
WASHINGTON – The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced that all 56 states and territories eligible to participate in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program have received approval to begin conducting the “Benefit of the Bargain” round of subgrantee selection.
In June, NTIA issued the BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice, which removed burdensome regulatory requirements and instituted much-needed reforms to lower costs, speed up implementation, and ensure all technology solutions are considered. As part of the Notice, eligible states and territories were required to request a correction to their BEAD Initial Proposals to conform with the new rules. NTIA received corrections from all 56 states and territories and as of today, NTIA has approved all updated Initial Proposals. This puts the BEAD program on track to quickly deliver access to fast, reliable broadband connections.
As outlined in the Notice, the required “Benefit of the Bargain” round of subgrantee selection will ensure taxpayers receive the greatest benefit from their investment in broadband infrastructure. It allows all technology solutions to compete on a level playing field, without the distortions of misguided technology preferences or extralegal, burdensome requirements. The Notice restored the BEAD program to its statutory intent by focusing on minimizing the cost and increasing the speed of infrastructure deployment.
Eligible states and territories have until September 4, 2025, to submit a Final Proposal that reflects the results of at least one “Benefit of the Bargain” round. NTIA has created an updated BEAD Progress Dashboard to track how each state or territory is progressing through program milestones.
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About the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is the Executive Branch agency that advises the President on telecommunications and information policy issues. NTIA’s programs and policymaking focus largely on expanding broadband internet access and adoption in America, expanding the use of spectrum by all users, advancing public safety communications, and ensuring that the internet remains an engine for innovation and economic growth.