Middle-Mile Grant Program Lacked Timely Performance Goals and Targeted Measures

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) conducted case studies in three states and interviewed middle-mile operators, last-mile providers, and state officials. GAO also interviewed federal agency officials, academics, and industry participants. GAO assessed the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's NTIA middle mile program documentation against recommended practices related to grants management, duplication, and performance management. NTIA  followed all recommended grants management practices, and took steps to ensure program funding did not duplicate other federal funding. However, NTIA did not follow leading practices and federal regulations related to performance management. Leading practices call for performance goals to be quantifiable and the associated measures to have numerical targets. Federal regulations also require agencies issuing a notice of funding opportunity to develop program performance goals and measures during planning and design, and include this information in the funding notice. GAO found NTIA had not developed such goals or measures prior to issuing its funding notice. By not doing so, NTIA missed the opportunity to inform applicants on how they could contribute to the goals during its applicant review and selection process. GAO reported that for two other programs, NTIA also did not develop performance goals and measures during program planning and design as required. By establishing performance measures with specified targets, NTIA can provide Congress with key information on program outcomes. Moreover, by establishing a process to ensure that goals and measures are developed during a program’s planning stages NTIA can better target grant funding that links to desired outcomes. GAO made two recommendations to the NTIA:

1. NTIA should develop performance measures for the middle-mile grant program that align with key attributes of successful performance measures, including ensuring that measures clearly link with stated program goals and have specified targets.
2. NTIA should establish a process to ensure NTIA develops performance goals and measures that align with leading practices for its grant programs during program planning and design and to ensure it includes these goals and measures as part of its future notices of funding opportunities.