La. Admin. Code tit. 4 § XXI-313
Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
Section XXI-313 - Project Budget, Matching Funds, Costs, and Proof of Funding AvailabilityA. Budget and Narrative1. The project budget should reflect all eligible project costs. The project budget should include the minimum provider funding match of at least 25 percent, any local government funding match from a parish, municipality, and/or school board, or any instrumentality thereof, as well as in-kind contributions, and the requested GUMBO grant program funding.2. Matching funds, and their associated sources, shall be detailed within the project budget and budget narrative. Eligible grant recipients are required to provide at least 25 percent matching funds of the total proposed project cost to participate in the GUMBO grant program. A local government, including a parish, municipality, or school board, or any instrumentality thereof, may provide matching funds for a project, in addition to the applicant. Local government matching funds are optional and not required. There is no limitation on the minimum or maximum percentage of a project's total cost that a local government may provide through a funding match. In-kind contributions to the project by a local government should also be listed in the project budget and budget narrative, if applicable.3. Project funds (GUMBO grant funds and matching funds) shall be utilized for the deployment phase of the project, not the subsequent years of service. In addition, eligible project costs do not include recurring operating or maintenance costs, or sales and marketing of services.B. Total Project/Infrastructure Cost 1. Costs directly related to the construction of broadband infrastructure for the extension of broadband service, including installation, acquiring or updating easements, backhaul infrastructure, and testing costs are infrastructure costs and therefore considered eligible project costs. The term does not include overhead or administrative costs. NOTES:
A project that is primarily engaged in middle-mile, backhaul infrastructure, or similar work is not an eligible project. The inclusion of middle-mile, backhaul, or similar capacity is permissible in an eligible project, if the capacity does not otherwise exist and is necessary for the project's last-mile broadband connectivity to end-users.
Applicants are encouraged to utilize vertical assets already in place or easily installed (poles, small monopoles, repeaters, etc.) as much as possible. Including new macro towers in a project may create lengthy construction timelines, especially around land purchase and environmental regulations.
C. Total Project/Infrastructure Cost-per prospective broadband recipientD. GUMBO Cost-per prospective broadband recipientE. Proof of Funding Availability 1. Applicants must submit a signed letter of funding availability from each source of funds committed for the project. If loan or other grant funds are pledged, a loan/grant commitment letter from each source of funds must be included.2. Should an applicant be an awardee of Universal Service, Connect American Phase II, Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, or other public funds for the deployment of broadband service, the applicant shall attest as to whether or not the applicant's GUMBO application and associated project's buildout is dependent upon such awarded funds.3. The applicant shall indicate whether the applicant, a subsidiary or affiliate of the applicant, or the holding company of the applicant has ever filed for bankruptcy.La. Admin. Code tit. 4, § XXI-313
Promulgated by the Office of the Governor, Division of Administration, Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity, LR 47, Amended LR 47, Amended LR 481509 (6/1/2022), Amended LR 48, Amended LR 49AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 51:2370-2370.16.