Filing period for first broadband stimulus applications announced

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden announced yesterday that applications for the first round of broadband stimulus money will be accepted starting at 8:00 AM EDT on July 14. The application period will close at 5:00 PM EDT on August 14. The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) will make available $4 billion of the $7.2 billion earmarked for broadband stimulus during this round. Two additional rounds are expected to follow.

The NTIA and RUS also released a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) that describes application procedures and project evaluation processes as well as defines terms. (See accompanying story.) The document is available at the government's "Broadband USA" website. (Download the NOFA.) Application packages for paper and electronic submissions will be made available at the same website. Those seeking more than $1 million in funds will be required to file electronically, unless their authorized representatives are disabled...