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Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program
Authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the BEAD Program will provide states funding that will help expand high-speed internet access and use. Texas was allocated $3.3 billion to support infrastructure deployment, mapping and adoption, including planning and capacity-building. The Broadband Development Office (BDO) will create a competitive process for potential subrecipients to apply for funding.
All program information, planning documents and deadlines will be available here. Check back often.
CHALLENGE PROCESS
The BEAD Challenge Process is vital to ensuring the state accurately represents location-level funding eligibility for the BEAD Program.
Additional Information
The BDO accepted service availability challenges from internet service providers (ISPs), units of local government and nonprofit organizations from Dec. 3-17, 2024. The submitted challenges were reviewed by the BDO to determine validity. ISPs and community anchor institutions affected by a challenge had the opportunity to submit rebuttals from Jan. 10-24.
To ensure challengers were prepared, the BDO hosted several webinars throughout the Texas Availability Challenge Process. The following webinars covered the process and inputs needed to successfully file challenges and rebuttals:
- Oct. 30, 2024 – Webinar recording
- Nov. 13, 2024 – Webinar recording
- Dec. 4, 2024 – Webinar recording
- Jan. 8, 2025 - Webinar recording
All challenged location IDs, challenge types and challengers are listed in the BEAD Challenge Submission Data spreadsheet.
The BDO submitted challenges and rebuttal evidence to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on April 1, 2025. The BDO’s Final Determinations for all submitted challenges will be available in spring 2025.
Initial Proposal
States were required to submit a comprehensive two-volume Initial Proposal for the BEAD Program that detailed the steps they planned to take in pursuit of universal service.
Details
The BDO posted a draft of Texas’ Initial Proposal and invited feedback from the state’s residents and stakeholders. Following public comments and related revisions, the Initial Proposal was submitted to NTIA on Dec. 23, 2023. Volume I of the Initial Proposal was approved on April 11, 2024. Volume II was approved on Nov. 19, 2024.
SUBGRANTEE SELECTION PROCESS
Volume II of the BEAD Initial Proposal describes the selection process for subgrantees and includes details about selection criteria, timelines and application evaluation.
The BDO plans to start the subgrantee selection process on May 15, 2025, pending NTIA’s approval of the Challenge Process.
Pre-registration is open through May 14. Information submitted by April 4 may be eligible for one-time feedback and curing from the BDO. Additional pre-registration information and guidance are provided on the Subgrantee Selection registration page.
Technical support is available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT, through the BEAD helpline at 855-TEX-BEAD (855-839-2323). Questions can also be emailed to the BEAD helpdesk.
Please be advised that the BDO can only address technical questions. Any inquiries related to the BEAD Application should be submitted during the designated question and answer period following the release of the BEAD Notice of Funding Availability.
To ensure potential applicants are prepared, the BDO will be hosting an eight-part webinar series. All webinars will be recorded and posted for those who cannot attend. Participants must register for each webinar separately.
Texas BEAD Subgrantee Selection Webinar Series
| Date | Topic/Recording | Registration |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 12 | End-to-end Process for Subgrantee Selection | |
| Feb. 19 | Project Area Unit Division Inputs | |
| March 12 | Preliminary Registration | |
| March 28 | Texas BEAD Notice of Funding Availability | |
| April 9 | Project Cost (Part 1) | |
| April 23 | Project Cost (Part 2) | Register Now |
| May 7 | Subgrantee Portal Walkthrough | Register Now |
| May 14 | Federal and State Compliance | Register Now |
Five-Year Action Plan
APPROVED BY NTIA ON OCT. 19, 2023
States and territories planning to access funding through the BEAD Program were required to develop and submit a Five-Year Action Plan to NTIA outlining broadband objectives, goals and priorities for ensuring unserved and underserved locations gain access to reliable broadband. The plan served as a needs assessment and informed how the BDO developed a Texas-specific grant program with funding from the BEAD Program.
- Email us to request a copy of the BDO’s Five-Year Action Plan.
Need assistance?
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