Mississippi BEAD Program Tracker & Resources

Mississippi Broadband Office

Broadband Office Name: Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi (BEAM) Office

BEAD Award Amount: $1.2 B

Mississippi Broadband Director: Sally Doty

Mississippi BEAD Program Tracker

State	IP Vol 1 Approval	IP Vol 2 Approval	Challenge Process Submission Started	Challenge Process Final Determination Phase Completed	1-Year Subgrantee Selection Process
Mississippi	Yes	No	No – click for more info	N/A	N/A

*Updated 7/11/24

Mississippi BEAD Program Information

Key Updates

Mississippi is still awaiting the approval of its Initial Proposal Volume 2 from the the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

Mississippi’s Challenge Process begins on July 17, 2024. The Challenge Process Submission portal will close on August 16, 2024. The Rebuttal Period ends August 31, 2024.

The state said they expect to complete the Final Determinations of the Challenge Process results by September 30, 2024.

Once the final results of Mississippi’s BEAD Challenge Process have been approved by the NTIA, the results will be published.

Mississippi BEAD Program Plans & Maps

Mississippi BEAD Initial Proposal Volume 1 – Approved

Mississippi BEAD Initial Proposal Volume 2 – Not approved

Mississippi Five-Year Action Plan

Mississippi State Broadband Map

Mississippi BEAD Program Initial Proposal Volume 2: Overview

*Information is subject to change. Mississippi is awaiting official approval of Initial Proposal Volume 2 from the NTIA.

BEAD Long-Term Objectives

Necessary goals as outlined by the Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi (BEAM):

Goal 1: Create a fully comprehensive Mississippi broadband map.
- Objective: To determine grant awards and monitor expansion efforts.
- Objective: To prevent duplication of funds.
- Objective: To reflect digital skills and literacy training programs and device loan or assistance programs.

Goal 2: Provide universal high-speed internet service.
- Objective: Provide service of 100Mbps / 20 Mbps to all Mississippians.
- Objective: Determine appropriate technology for high-cost locations and extremely high-cost locations.

Goal 3: Increase statewide broadband adoption rates.
- Objective: Ensure all grant awardees comply with affordability requirements.
- Objective: Promote the FCC Affordable Connectivity Program.

Goal 4: Increase digital skills and accessibility
- Objective: Support and leverage existing efforts by state agencies.
- Objective: Identify barriers and develop strategies to address each obstacle.

Goal 5: Comply with all BEAD Requirements.
- Objective: Accurately assess the financial and technical capabilities of applicants.
- Objective: Monitor all aspects of subgrantee buildout for compliance.
- Objective: Meet all reporting and compliance requirements.

Mississippi BEAD Program Project Area Design

No specific project area design yet, but BEAM will geographically divide the state and receive feedback from ISPs.

Mississippi BEAD Program Extremely High Cost Threshold

BEAM has an EHC identified based on their cost models but will not release it until after applications have been received. The office will utilize the data from the applications to refine their cost models and might publish them after the conclusion of the first round of funding.

BEAD Deployment Subgrantee Selection

BEAM is asking for the following preregistration information from subgrantees and compliance with financial capability, managerial capability, operational capability, technical capability, ownership information, project area definition, public funding information, compliance with laws, cybersecurity/supply chain compliance, EHCT process, tribal consent, and BABA/EHP compliance.

Primary Criteria – 100%

Minimal BEAD Outlay – 30%
Affordability – 30%
Fair Labor Practices – 15%
Speed to Deployment – 5%
HQ in Mississippi – 10%
Community Support – 3%
Disaster Resilience/future proof – 7%

Other Last-Mile projects:

Minimal BEAD Outlay – 30%
Affordability – 30%
Fair Labor Practices – 15%
Speed to Deployment – 2%
HQ in Mississippi – 4%
Community Support – 4%
Download/Upload speeds and latency – 10%
Uptime – 5%

BEAD Non-Deployment Subgrantee Selection

The state of Mississippi’s funding allocation will be entirely devoted to deployment
activities.

If funding is available for non-deployment activities, BEAM aims to support ongoing efforts within the state that align with the goals of the BEAD program.

BEAD Eligible Entity Implementation Activities

BEAM may implement some initiatives and carry out some activities related to the BEAD program without making a subgrant:

Administrative activities and non-deployment activities related to digital equity.

BEAM will not implement deployment-related activities as the recipient without making a subgrant.

BEAD Local, Tribe, and Regional Broadband Planning Process

BEAM created a core planning team to assist in the development, which includes representatives from the following: AARP Mississippi, Community Foundation of North Mississippi, FCC Communications Equity Diversity Committee, Mississippi Missionary Baptist Convention, Hope Credit Union, Mississippi Department of Corrections, and more.

BEAM hosted more than 60 community engagement meetings. The first part was an educational presentation, and the second was a Q&A. Each also included a discussion on ACP.

Hosted meetings with all state agencies for information on barriers.
Including several nonprofits, as they are essential for digital skills training.

Met with MI Dep. of Education to determine barriers among students and teachers.

BEAM also partnered with each of MI’s 8 four-year public institutions to gather data regarding barrier access for covered populations.
Another partnership with 15 community colleges, focused on cataloging current workforce and defining future needs. Focus groups with ISPs held.

As well as gathered data across organizations providing digital skills training, like public libraries.

Met with the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI) to provide an update on their $8.6M program grant. Concerns of adoption and a need for digital skills training + additional funding. Choctaw has more than 11,000 members and over 35,000 acres of land.

BEAD Labor Standards & Protection

BEAM requires all subgrantees to submit the following information:

A record of past compliance with federal/employment laws:

Must address info on deployment projects within the last 3 years.
Certification form from an Officer/Director level employee of past compliance.
Written confirmation that the subgrantee has disclosed any violations from contractors within the last 3 years.

Plans for ensuring compliance with federal/employment laws:

Wages/benefits by worker classification.
Wages/benefit information.
Supply of skilled workers.
How labor disputes are minimized.
Steps for safety/healthy workplace.

Other requirements:

Use of a directly employed workforce.
Paying prevailing wages and benefits.
Project labor agreements.
Local hire provisions.
Union neutrality.
Labor peace agreements.
Appropriately skilled/credentialed workforce.
Prevent misclassification of workers.

Other information on the subgrantee’s workforce plan as outlined in the BEAD NOFO.

BEAD Minority Business Enterprises / Women’s Business Enterprises / Labor Surplus Area Firms Inclusion

BEAM will ensure the retention of diverse suppliers through two main pillars:

Outreach and Education.
Data Collection and Tracking: Incorporate MBE/WBE and labor surplus area firms reporting elements into the periodic reporting collected from awarded subgrantees. Regularly review and verify supplier data to ensure accuracy and compliance with certification criteria.

BEAM will take the necessary affirmative steps to ensure MBEs, WBEs, and LSAs are used when possible.

BEAD Cost & Barrier Reduction

Promoting the use of existing infrastructure.
Promoting and adapting dig-once policies.
- One Call initiative.
Streamlining permitting processes.
- Mississippi Broadband Enabling Act
- Mississippi Dept. of Transportation has implemented streamlining initiatives for electric utilities and communications providers.
Streamlining cost-effective access to poles, conduits, and easements.
Streamlining rights of way, including the imposition of reasonable access requirements.

BEAD Low-Cost Broadband Service Option

Subgrantees are required to participate in ACP, along with the following:

Speeds of 100/20.
Provides typical latency measurements of no more than 100 milliseconds.
Must be at or below the initial $65 Not to Exceed level.
Is not subject to data caps, surcharges, or usage-based throttling.
Free upgrade if provider later offers better service.
public awareness campaigns.
Price may be adjusted based on the Consumer Price Index.

Other requirements as outlined in the BEAD NOFO.

BEAD Middle-Class Affordability Plans

BEAD Proposal Scoring Criteria

The BEAM office has elected to allocate 25% of the prospective subgrantee’s application score toward providing affordable service options. This commitment is to fund projects that ensure the middle class can afford high-speed internet access.

Affordable Service Options
Subgrantees of the BEAD program will be required to offer eligible customers the Low-Cost Service Option. Subgrantees will be strongly encouraged to consider affordability for middle-class households when establishing the pricing post-deployment.

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