New scoring update for Michigan’s BEAD program

The Michigan High Speed Internet Office has recently received approval of an important scoring update to Michigan’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. This update has been approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and should help bring greater clarity to those applying for BEAD funding. Applications which receive at least 25 percent of the total points cumulative across all scoring criteria will pass the initial threshold scoring. There is no longer any specific requirement for a minimum number of points that must be earned in any specific section. In addition, MIHI has also published NTIA-approved clarifications regarding: 

• Corrections of a phrasing error in the “Michigan BEAD Deployment Project Scoring – Other Last-Mile Projects” section related to the Michigan Business scoring criteria. 

• Confirmation that, if a Round 2 application period is required after Round 1 and Post-Round 1 negotiations are complete, then a preregistration window will be available specifically before Round 2 and that all types of technologies including alternative technologies will be eligible for submission in an application to Round 2. 

• Clearer description of the scoring increments for the total project costs criteria. The tables published on the Michigan Broadband Map and listed in the downloads available on MIHI’s BEAD Locations Page have reflected these throughout the Project Application Window.