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Receive an update on the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Broadband Infrastructure project and consider providing further direction on project options
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Information Technology (DoIT) recommends that the Board of Supervisors receive an update on the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Broadband Infrastructure project and consider providing further direction on project options.
SUMMARY:
Under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), the Board previously allocated $2,200,000 for broadband infrastructure projects aimed at partnering with existing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to expand services to unserved and underserved locations in unincorporated Solano County.
Since the initial allocation of funding, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) provided an opportunity for local ISPs to apply for $17,000,000 in Federal Funding Account (FFA) Last Mile grants for Solano County, with funding decisions expected by June 2024. As to not duplicate efforts and maximize resources, staff was planning on aligning Solano County ARPA funding with the CPUC allocation of funding. However, the CPUC has not announced allocations of funding for Solano and cannot give a solid timeline for allocation.
Given this uncertainty, and the need to allocate County ARPA funding by December 2024, staff have identified three projects with providers who qualified through a Request for Information which would build fiber and fixed wireless infrastructure to provide high-speed broadband services to 1,515 local residential and business locations in unincorporated Solano County. Staff is seeking direction on moving forward with these projects to ensure ARPA funds are obligated within the ARPA deadlines.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The Board previously allocated $2,200,000 of the appro...
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