Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 38, September 20, 2024
Grant expenditures must comply with GATA, the Uniform
Guidance and any applicable funding source, be reasonable and necessary, and
support one of the eligible project activities set forth in Section 548.110.
Specific allowable grant costs, as described in this Section, will be set forth
in the applicable NOFO, based on the types of projects that are available for
funding per the funding source.
a)
Eligible deployment uses of funding for unserved, underserved, and community
anchor institution locations include the following:
1) Construction, improvement, and/or
acquisition of facilities and telecommunications equipment required to provide
qualifying broadband service, including infrastructure for backhaul, middle-
and last-mile networks, and multi-tenant buildings;
2) Long-term leases (for terms greater than
one year) of facilities required to provide qualifying broadband service,
including indefeasible right-of-use (IRU) agreements;
3) Deployment of internet and wi-fi
infrastructure within an eligible multi-family residential building containing
confirmed unserved and/or underserved locations;
4) Engineering design, permitting, and work
related to environmental, historical and cultural reviews;
5) Personnel costs, including salaries and
fringe benefits for staff and consultants providing services directly connected
to the implementation of the BEAD Program (such as project managers, program
directors, and subject matter experts);
6) Network software upgrades, including, but
not limited to, cybersecurity solutions;
7) Training for cybersecurity professionals
who will be working on BEAD-funded networks;
8) Workforce development, including
registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships, and community college
and/or vocational training for broadband-related occupations to support
deployment, maintenance, and upgrades.
b) Eligible non-deployment uses of funding
for digital equity initiatives, include the following:
1) User training with respect to
cybersecurity, privacy, and other digital safety matters;
2) Remote learning or telehealth
services/facilities;
3) Digital
literacy/upskilling (from beginner-level to advanced);
4) Computer science, coding and cybersecurity
education programs;
5)
Implementation of digital equity plans (to supplement, but not to duplicate or
supplant, planning grant funds received by DCEO in connection with the Digital
Equity Act of 2021 (47
U.S.C. 1721));
6) Broadband sign-up assistance and programs
that provide technology support;
7)
Multi-lingual outreach to support adoption and digital literacy;
8) Prisoner education to promote pre-release
digital literacy, job skills, and online job acquisition skills;
9) Digital navigators;
10) Direct subsidies for use toward broadband
subscription;
11) Costs associated
with stakeholder engagement, including travel, capacity-building, or contract
support;
12) Other allowable costs
necessary to carrying out programmatic activities of an award, not to include
ineligible costs per the BEAD NOFO.
c) Ineligible costs include those costs that
are unallowable under the applicable federal cost principles. Please note that
costs ineligible for the BEAD Program may not be paid for with matching funds
committed to an award. If a grantee is found to have used grant or matching
funds on a prohibited cost, DCEO may take remedial action, including but not
limited to deobligation or claw back of funding. The following costs are
specifically identified as prohibited under the BEAD Program:
1) Prohibition On Use of Grant Funds for
Covered Communications Equipment or Services under the Secure and Trusted
Communications Networks Act. A grantee may not use grant funds received under
the BEAD Program to purchase or support any covered communications equipment or
service (as defined in Section 9 of the Secure and Trusted Communications
Networks Act of 2019 (47
U.S.C. 1608)).
2) Prohibition on Profit and Fees. A profit,
fee, or other incremental charge above actual cost incurred by the grantee is
not an allowable cost under this Program.
3) Prohibition on Use of Grant Funds to
Support or Oppose Collective Bargaining. Grantees may not use grant funds,
whether directly or indirectly, to support or oppose collective
bargaining.
