Publications

This Interagency Agreement sets forth the agreement between the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and NTIA to require coordination among the Covered Agencies for the distribution of funds for broadband deployment under the FCC’s High-Cost Programs, the programs administered by the Rural Utilities Service of USDA, and the programs administered by or coordinated through NTIA.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will host broadband grant program public virtual listening sessions in connection with the five new broadband grant programs authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program; the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program; and the Digital Equity Act Programs, which include the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. These public virtual listening sessions are designed to collect stakeholder input to help inform program development and implementation.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will host a pre-Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) technical assistance webinar series in March-May 2022 in connection with the five new broadband grant programs authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA): The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program; the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program; and the Digital Equity Act Programs, which include the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. These pre-NOFO technical assistance webinars are designed to help prospective applicants understand NTIA's IIJA broadband grant programs and to assist applicants to prepare high quality grant applications.

Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Information Sharing dated as of May 9, 2022, between the FCC, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and NTIA.

On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 into law, also known (and referred to subsequently herein) as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which includes a historic investment of $65 billion to help close the digital divide and ensure that all Americans have access to reliable, affordable, high-speed broadband. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), is responsible for distributing more than $48 billion in BIL broadband funding through several different programs. NTIA has established multiple avenues for the public to offer input to inform program design and implementation. This includes a series of public virtual listening sessions (see ADDRESSES below) as well as the opportunity for stakeholders across the nation to make their views known in response to this Notice and Request for Comment (Notice). NTIA welcomes input from all interested parties.

President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law brought together Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to better connect the American people through roads, bridges, airports, and the internet. The law included a $65 billion investment to ensure all Americans can access affordable, reliable, and high-speed internet – Internet for All. Reliable, high-speed internet is vital to work, learn, and compete in a 21st century economy, which is why the Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), is launching the Internet for All initiative that includes three programs funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. NTIA has been tasked to lead this effort by working with states, localities, the private sector, nonprofits, and the American people to build the backbone of America’s high-speed internet infrastructure.