PRESS RELEASE – Oregon’s Broadband Assistance Program Announces Intent to Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -APRIL 16, 2024 (Josephine County highlighted in red below)

Oregon’s Broadband Assistance Program Announces Intent to Award

The Oregon Broadband Office is pleased to announce the awardees of the Broadband Technical Assistance Program (BTAP) grants of up to $150,000 per county which can be used for eligible broadband planning and pre-construction activities, staffing, and grant application support. $1.5 million will be distributed to 11 projects to prepare for broadband infrastructure.

“This is a great way to kick off broadband infrastructure efforts in Oregon and indicates the high demand for broadband access throughout the state,” said Nick Batz, Director of the Oregon Broadband Office. “For this $1.5 million program, we received 27 applications with a request of more than $4.47 million. Our goal for Oregon is for all Oregonians to have access to broadband by the end of this decade and this funding is a great start.”

Applicants had until February 2, 2024, to apply for this competitive grant, which underwent a rigorous scoring review by Oregon Broadband Office staff and the Oregon Broadband Grant Application Review Committee based on the criteria outlined in the Program Handbook. The funding came from the Oregon Universal Service Fund. BTAP offers support to local and regional planning efforts developing broadband financing and deployment strategies for the unserved, those without service or with speeds below 25/3 Mbps, and underserved locations, those with speeds between 25/3 and 100/20 Mbps, in Oregon.

Intended Projects and Awardees

Each of the entities selected for funding is listed below with a brief description of the activities that funds will support:

Polk County – $42,840

This grant will support staffing for the IT Special Projects Manager who currently coordinates rural broadband activities for Polk County to complete the following projects as supported by the Polk County Broadband Committee. Tasks include 1) Identifying existing ISP Activity in Polk County, 2) Anchor Institution Review and Support, 3) Update Rural Broadband Priorities/Strategic Plan, 4) Participating in organizational plans to improve Digital Equity, and 5) Providing BEAD challenge process support.

Farmers Mutual Telephone Company – $75,000

This grant will support a business plan to determine Farmers Mutual’s ability to build a Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) network covering the unserved and underserved locations in Malheur County, Oregon where a funding commitment or an obligation to build out does not exist.  Farmers Mutual will work with its engineering contractor to 1) map unserved and underserved project areas, perform preliminary fiber routing layout, prepare capital expenditure estimates, 2) environmental and permitting requirements analysis, and 3) develop a financial feasibility study.

Clatskanie People’s Utility District – $78,750

This grant will support Clatskanie PUD’s development of a strategic plan that addresses the challenges in ensuring sufficient broadband infrastructure access and affordability for the communities in the district. To achieve these objectives, Clatskanie PUD has enlisted the expertise of NoaNet, a public utility-owned telecommunications nonprofit operating out of Washington State, as a consultant to execute the following tasks outlined in our project plan  1) Goals Determination and Market Assessment, 2) Public Survey Needs and Experiences, 3) Stakeholder Meetings, 4) Current and Future Funding Opportunities and Strategies, and 5) Results Summary and Data Maps.

Tillamook Lightwave IGA – $147,000

This grant will support Tillamook Lightwave’s work on comprehensive business planning and preliminary engineering. Consultant services (95%) by NoaNet will include business planning, preliminary engineering, stakeholder engagement, and market analysis. Administrative oversight by Tillamook Lightwave staff is also included as 5% of the grant project cost.

Greater Eastern Oregon Development Corporation – $149,449

The grant will conduct two Rapid Design Studies that are inclusive of elements of a strategic plan, a feasibility study, and a business plan: one for the study area, which is the County, excluding Tribal lands, and one within the geographic boundaries of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). There will be two separate licenses for these Rapid Design Studies, which will use publicly available data.  Project deliverables include 1) Strategic Plan and Feasibility Plan for County, 2) Feasibility Study CTUIR, 3) Preliminary Engineering – Inland Development Corporation/Windwave, 4) Preliminary Engineering – Wtechlink, 5) Preliminary Engineering – Blue Mountain Networks, and 6) Grant Administration.

Gilliam County – $150,000

This grant will create design plans for multiple broadband segments to bring them to shovel-ready status. It will leverage BTAP funding to conduct preliminary engineering work, field surveying (pole data/conduit surveying), engineering and network design, and to pay for consulting and legal expenses associated with permitting. The project will have two phases: Phase I – Final Route Planning & Preliminary Design, Phase II – Field Data, Collection, Final Design, and Permitting.

Josephine County – $150,000

This grant will support Josephine County’s efforts to attain a consultant who will perform Strategic and Feasibility planning services as well as 1) Stakeholder meeting engagement, permitting analysis, 2) RFP and selection for lead applicant for BEAD program and application preparation, 3) serve as the County Broadband Coordinator and grant detailed activities.

Wheeler County – $262,800

This grant will support Wheeler County as they assess the feasibility of alternative broadband solutions in all of Wheeler County, all of Sherman County, and the portion of Grant County described in the study area section of the proposal. Wheeler County’s work plan includes 1) an Inventory of existing network infrastructure, 2) an Inventory of existing capacity, 3) Take-rate surveys, and outreach, 4) determining network total capacity need, 5) an analysis/comparison of network options, and 6) develop a financial model for proposed network.

Inland Development Corporation – $300,000

Inland Development Corporation will utilize BTAP funds to conduct Feasibility Studies and Preliminary Engineering work in unserved and underserved locations in Union and Baker, counties to plan shovel-ready projects for reliable broadband service.

City of John Day – $65,000

The City of John Day will use BTAP funds to perform preliminary engineering, administrative, legal, and professional support to complete Special Award Conditions for the three broadband segments primarily funded for construction by an Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant.

Morrow County Broadband Network Consortium – $79,161

The Morrow County Broadband Network Consortium will use BTAP funds to conduct preliminary engineering work, field surveying, engineering, and network design, and to pay for consulting and legal expenses associated with permitting. These activities will bring multiple broadband infrastructure project areas in Morrow County up to shovel-readiness.  

Media Contact: Kristin Bigler kristin.m.bigler@biz.oregon.gov

The Oregon Broadband Office (OBO) is a division of Business Oregon. The OBO strives to promote, support, and facilitate the construction and deployment of high-speed internet to all Oregonians who currently do not have access. Learn more and apply for funding opportunities at the Oregon Broadband Office’s website.

Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency, invests in Oregon businesses, communities, and people to promote a globally competitive, diverse, and inclusive economy. The agency’s services span rural community development and infrastructure financing; business retention, expansion and recruitment; export promotion and international trade; investments in industry research and development and entrepreneurship; small business assistance; and support for arts and cultural organizations. Learn more at biz.oregon.gov.