Michael Baker International Selected by the Arkansas State Broadband Office for Broadband Grants Systems and Services Contract

Michael Baker International announced that the firm was recently selected by the Arkansas State Broadband Office (ASBO) to provide broadband grant administration systems and services. The firm will partner with ASBO to supply services for managing and administering public funding sources—including the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD), U.S. Treasury Community Project Funding (CPF) and Digital Equity Act—for the ARConnect broadband program. Michael Baker’s services for the State of Arkansas include:

• Supporting the BEAD State Challenge Process providing services to review submissions and rebuttals providing recommendations to ASBO
• Monitoring and compliance of CPF subgrants through project closeout
• Assisting ASBO in the pre-qualification of internet service providers (ISPs) for BEAD subawards
• Identifying stakeholders and coordinating support activities, including technical assistance, to streamline requests for public funding
• Developing subgrant agreements and supporting execution of those agreements
• Providing economic modeling to highlight BEAD program benefits for direct/indirect job creation and impacts to state or local tax
• Serving as grant administrator to ensure program compliance and timely drawdown of awarded funds
• Assisting with compliance reporting to federal and state agencies