Concerned About BTOP

[Commentary] There's a number of reasons to be concerned about the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, but perhaps the biggest is the vetting process for the volunteer reviewers of BTOP applications. Many have been critical of using an all-volunteer army from the get go as it seems wide open to attempts to game the system, plus it can be a challenge to make sure that not only do the volunteers not have conflicts of interest, but also that they're competent. It also raises questions: How many hours in how short of a window of time are volunteers expected to invest in this process? What support will reviewers have during odd hours like nights and weekends, which is likely when many of the will be working through these applications?