Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program
Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program
The BEAD Program, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and administered by NTIA, is a historic investment of $42 billion to expand high-speed internet access across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. This funding focuses on connecting unserved and underserved communities through infrastructure deployment and adoption initiatives.
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DC has been allocated $100 million in BEAD funding to support broadband infrastructure projects and digital empowerment efforts across the city. With NTIA’s approval of DC’s BEAD Initial Proposal Volume II, the DC State Broadband Office (SBO) is now moving forward with the subgrantee selection process. This process will award funding to support both infrastructure deployment and non-deployment initiatives aimed at closing the digital divide. ​​​
Access to, and adoption of, reliable broadband is essential to full participation in the community and economy. A reliable broadband connection enables work, learning, healthcare, and more equitable access to government services. In the District of Columbia, the need for broadband infrastructure investment is deepest in Wards 7 and 8 –those areas within DC which have the lowest broadband adoption rates and highest rates of poverty according to American Community Survey (“ACS”) data, and the NTIA’s publicly available Indicators of Broadband Need Map. OCTO/SBO proposes to address this need by coordinating resources from the BEAD grant to effect transformative, equitable, sustainable, and achievable improvements in DC’s broadband infrastructure primarily in Wards 7 and 8, while also executing non-deployment activities.
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BEAD Benefit of the Bargain Round
In response to the June 6, 2025 guidance from NTIA, the DC State Broadband Office (DC SBO) is preparing to launch the Benefit of the Bargain Round of the BEAD Deployment Application process on July 11, 2025.
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The DC SBO will host an informational webinar on Thursday, July 10, 2025. Please register here.
DC'S BEAD Timeline
Key Milestones
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December 8, 2022 – NTIA awards DC $5 million in BEAD Planning Grant Funds
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November 16, 2023 – Public comment period opens for DC’s BEAD Initial Proposals Volume 1 and 2
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December 21, 2023 – DC SBO submits draft BEAD Initial Proposals to NTIA
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April 8, 2024 – NTIA approves DC’s BEAD Initial Proposal Volume 1
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May 9, 2024 – NTIA approves DC’s BEAD Initial Proposal Volume 2
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December 10, 2024 – DC’s BEAD Challenge Process completed
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February 7, 2025 – DC SBO releases the BEAD Deployment Pre-Application for ISPs to bid on high-speed internet infrastructure deployment
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February 21, 2025 – DC SBO releases the BEAD Non-Deployment Pre-Application
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July 11, 2025 – DC SBO opens the BEAD Deployment Benefit of the Bargain Round
The DC State Broadband Office (SBO) is proud to share our progress on closing the digital divide.
View our Volume 1 & Volume 2 Initial Proposals
under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program.
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