NTIA's Status Report on the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has reported to Congress progress on the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, focusing on activities from January 1-March 31, 2011.

The covers four areas of BTOP implementation and project oversight:

1. Status and progress of BTOP projects and overall program expenditures -- BTOP is on track to achieve its program goals, and delivered significant progress this quarter in areas such as the environmental and historical preservation clearances needed to begin infrastructure construction, groundbreakings and computer center launches, and delivery of broadband training. This progress can be clearly seen in awardees’ quarterly progress reports made public on June 1, 2011.5
2. Supporting initiatives, including the SBI mapping and capacity building efforts and the new Digital Literacy Portal -- On February 17, 2011 NTIA, in collaboration with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), unveiled the National Broadband Map – the first public, searchable nationwide map of consumer broadband Internet availability in the United States. The SBI grants, in addition to funding state efforts to collect data for the map, are also playing a critical role as states and territories identify and address obstacles to broadband deployment and adoption.
3. Monitoring of BTOP program activity and results from those monitoring efforts -- Recipients are required to report their financial, project performance, and Recovery Act-related activities on a quarterly basis. Three reports – the Federal Financial Report (FFR), BTOP Performance Progress Report (PPR), and Recovery Act report – are reviewed each quarter by the BTOP Program Office and the NIST/NOAA Grants Office to formally monitor project progress against established baselines, expenditure of grant funds, and contribution of non-Federal cost share. NTIA instituted a number of measures to increase the consistency and accuracy of recipient data reporting.
4. Communications, training, and assistance initiatives that enhance the implementation and sustainability of BTOP projects -- NTIA conducted ongoing communications and outreach to report on BTOP progress to interested stakeholders and to assist grant recipients in achieving project success. The agency used concrete examples from BTOP projects to demonstrate how the Program will benefit communities across the United States and improve access to and use of broadband.