La. Admin. Code tit. 4 § XXI-307

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section XXI-307 - Application Information, Statement of Qualifications, and Partnerships

A. Every application shall include:

1. the identity of the applicant and its qualifications and experience with the deployment of broadband; in addition, the applicant shall include the following:

a. the number of years the applicant has provided internet services;

b. a history of the number of households and consumers, by year of service, to which the applicant has provided broadband internet access, as well as the current number of households to which broadband internet access (at least 100:20 Mbps) is offered;

c. the number of completed internet service infrastructure projects funded, in part, through federal or state grant programs, prior to the date of application submittal;

d. whether the applicant has ever participated in an internet service infrastructure project funded, in part, through federal or state grant programs, and if so, for each project, the nature and impact of the project, the role of the applicant, the total cost of the project, and the dollar amount of federal or state grant funding;

e. the number of penalties paid by the applicant, a subsidiary or affiliate of the applicant, or the holding company of the applicant, relative to internet service infrastructure projects funded, in part, through federal or state grant programs, prior to the date of application submittal; and

f. the number of times the applicant, a subsidiary or affiliate of the applicant, or the holding company of the applicant has ever been a defendant in any federal or state criminal proceeding or civil litigation as a result of its participation in an internet service infrastructure project funded, in part, through federal or state grant programs, prior to the date of application submittal.

g. an attestation that the applicant has not violated federal or state labor and employment law in the previous 10 years;

2. five years of financial statements, pro forma statements, or financial audits of the applicant to ensure financial and organizational strength regarding the ability of the applicant to successfully meet the terms of the grant requirements and the ability to meet the potential repayment of grant funds. If an applicant has been in business for less than five years, the applicant shall provide financial statements, pro forma statements, or financial audits for the number of years the applicant has been in business. Should an applicant declare that it does not have financial statements, pro forma statements, or financial audits, the office, at its sole discretion, shall decide what documents are necessary to fulfill the requirements of this section;

3. the identity of any partners or affiliates, if the applicant is proposing a project for which the applicant affirms that a formalized agreement or letter of support exists between the provider and one or more unaffiliated partners where the partner is one of the following:

a. a separate provider or potential provider of broadband service, requiring a formalized agreement; or

b. a nonprofit or not-for-profit, or a for-profit subsidiary of either, and the applicant is:

i. being allowed access and use of the partner's infrastructure, on special terms and conditions designed to facilitate the provision of broadband services in unserved areas, requiring a formalized agreement;

ii. utilizing a matching financial and/or in-kind contribution provided by one or more partners, requiring a formalized agreement; or

iii. the recipient of a letter of support. A parish, municipality, or school board, or any instrumentality thereof, may qualify as a nonprofit for the purposes of this Section. Letters of support by a parish, municipality, or school board, or any instrumentality thereof, supporting an application shall be in the form of an official and duly passed resolution by the governing board and shall be submitted as part of an application. A letter of support does not require a formalized agreement.

La. Admin. Code tit. 4, § XXI-307

Promulgated by the Office of the Governor, Division of Administration, Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity, LR 47, Amended LR 47, Amended LR 481506 (6/1/2022), Amended LR 48, Amended LR 49

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 51:2370-2370.16.