Each application submitted during the first application period of the GUMBO grant program was evaluated and scored based on 23 objective criteria. These criteria covered several topics, including applicant experience, technical ability, financial wherewithal, matching funds, local government support, the number of unserved locations affected, leveraging infrastructure, pricing and small business and veteran participation. Projects receiving higher total scores were selected for awards.
Each application submitted during the first application period of the GUMBO grant program was evaluated and scored based on 23 objective criteria. These criteria covered several topics, including applicant experience, technical ability, financial wherewithal, matching funds, local government support, the number of unserved locations affected, leveraging infrastructure, pricing and small business and veteran participation. If a project was not selected for an award, it is likely that another project in the same area received a higher score. However, a few projects are still under protest, and it is possible that additional awards will be made as the protest process is completed. If you live in a parish that had at least one application, but was not announced as an award winner, the ongoing protest process may be impacting the application(s) in your area. Please contact ConnectLA at connect@la.gov, and our office will gladly provide an update on your area.
Each application submitted during the first application period of the GUMBO grant program was evaluated and scored based on 23 objective criteria. These criteria covered several topics, including applicant experience, technical ability, financial wherewithal, matching funds, local government support, the number of unserved locations affected, leveraging infrastructure, pricing and small business and veteran participation. Some scoring criteria offered more points than others. The most impactful scoring criteria were based on matching funds, the amount of money that an applicant and/or local government committed to the project.
Each application submitted during the first application period of the GUMBO grant program was evaluated and scored based on 23 objective criteria. These criteria covered several topics, including applicant experience, technical ability, financial wherewithal, matching funds, local government support, the number of unserved locations affected, leveraging infrastructure, pricing and small business and veteran participation. If you endorsed a project and it was not selected, it is likely that another project in the same area had a higher overall score.
You always have the choice to subscribe or not subscribe to any provider serving your area. The FCC offers an online mapping tool that will show you all of the available providers offering service somewhere in the census block where you reside. This online mapping tool can be accessed here. Contact ConnectLA at connect@la.gov if you need assistance.
Each applicant committed to a certain construction timeline in its application. These timelines were scored as a part of the evaluation process. The ConnectLA team will be monitoring each project to ensure compliance with all GUMBO grant program requirements, including construction timeline commitments. If project construction lags past its timeline commitment, the ConnectLA team will work with the provider to remedy the situation. If a project is in material breach of the grant agreement, including construction delays that are irremediable or even project failure, ConnectLA reserves the right to retrieve any grant funds disbursed and solicit a new provider to take over the project.
The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund is a separate broadband infrastructure grant program administered by the Federal Communications Commission and is not related to the GUMBO grant program. Areas that received RDOF funding were not eligible to apply for the GUMBO grant program. More information on the RDOF program can be found here.
Once awards are announced, ConnectLA will work to officially issue a grant agreement to each awardee. Once the awardee receives the grant agreement, the awardee will have 30 days to negotiate in good faith, sign and return the grant agreement. Construction on awarded projects could begin within the next 60 days.
ConnectLA has worked collaboratively with the Louisiana Board of Regents and the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. South Louisiana Community College and Bossier Parish Community College have both recently announced the start of broadband-related certification programs. Other community and technical colleges in the state will also offer these programs soon. If you would like to find work in the broadband space, please contact your local community or technical college and inquire on what programs are currently or soon to be available. You may also contact any one of the GUMBO grant program awardees. They should be starting construction soon and will be looking to hire Louisiana residents.
The pricing of packages offered to consumers as the result of the GUMBO grant program was a major focus of our efforts. Applicants were incentivized to offer packages at the lowest possible price. As a result of the GUMBO grant program, consumer pricing should not be any higher than packages offered today, and are likely to be lower.
Although possible, any data caps should not be excessive.
That particular address may or may not be served. If you feel strongly that the address in question is indeed served, you will have 7 days from the announcement of awards to protest an award. Please visit the GUMBO grant program portal at gumbo.la.gov, register for an account and submit any protest you feel is justified.
Speed tests are never a waste of time. They are important data points in having a greater understanding of the speeds experienced in a particular community. Each application submitted during the first application period of the GUMBO grant program was evaluated and scored based on 23 objective criteria. These criteria covered several topics, including applicant experience, technical ability, financial wherewithal, matching funds, local government support, the number of unserved locations affected, leveraging infrastructure, pricing and small business and veteran participation. Projects receiving higher total scores were selected for awards.
Additional funding and future grant rounds are on the way. The ConnectLA team will have to certify to the federal government over the next 5 years that every single home and business in the state has access to high-speed broadband. You will not be left out!
Each application submitted during the first application period of the GUMBO grant program was evaluated and scored based on 23 objective criteria. These criteria covered several topics, including applicant experience, technical ability, financial wherewithal, matching funds, local government support, the number of unserved locations affected, leveraging infrastructure, pricing and small business and veteran participation. Projects receiving higher total scores were selected for awards.
Some parishes received multiple applications covering different areas. If these applications did not overlap each other in any way, it is possible that these applications received high enough scores to be awarded.
The Division of Administration has a $90 million appropriation from the Granting Unserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities Fund. Although the grant awards totaled $130 million, payments are released to the recipients based on completed work according to the payment structure of the awards (listed in the GUMBO rules). It may be necessary before the end of the fiscal year to request Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget for additional appropriations from the fund if more than 70% of the work has been completed on the approved projects.