Texas BEAD Application Process
Introduction
Welcome to the Texas Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Application Portal. The BEAD Program is a competitive application process that provides federal funding for grants with the aim of connecting all unserved and underserved locations to high-speed internet over the next 5 years. The BEAD Program, part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, has allocated $3.3 billion to support broadband planning, infrastructure deployment, mapping and adoption in Texas.
Texas’ BEAD Program has three primary goals:- Achieve universal broadband access and quality of service, providing all Texans the opportunity to participate in the digital economy.
- Augment deployment projects by increasing broadband subscribership through affordability and adoption strategies, especially within covered populations and historically marginalized communities, that help enhance business model viability.
- Design, build and run an efficient, compliant and competitive grant program.
To begin, new users must complete the registration process on this page. Registrations will be reviewed by the Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO). Approved registrants will receive an email providing access to the Texas BEAD Application Portal. Returning users previously registered for the Texas BEAD Challenge Process will automatically receive an email to opt in to the subgrantee selection process and bypass the first step of the registration process.
Application Overview
The application process for the Texas BEAD Program consists of completing three forms:
Form 1: Applicant Registration Information — collects administrative details, such as entity IDs. This form will be completed once per applicant. (Applicant may include an entity applying on behalf of a consortium.)
Form 2: Applicant Qualifications and Certifications — collects information to validate applicants’ financial, operational and managerial capabilities, qualifications and certifications. This form will be completed once per applicant. (Applicant may include an entity applying on behalf of a consortium.) This information will not be scored or evaluated by the BDO but will be used as gating criteria to ensure applicants fulfill eligibility requirements outlined in the BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity, the Texas Initial Proposal Volume II and Texas state law.
Form 3: Project-Specific Information — collects details on the proposed project, including a project narrative, budget justification and a project plan with milestones. Applicants will select the intended Project Area Units to serve, as well as the BEAD funding request and Texas Match Assistance Program funding request, if applicable. Some questions will require applicants to fill out a pre-existing template; all templates are located in the Texas BEAD Application Portal. The information collected from this form will be scored and evaluated by the BDO against the Texas BEAD scoring rubric to select subgrantees.
Program Engagement and Technical Assistance
Explore more ways to connect with the Texas BDO by visiting BroadbandforTexas.com. Discover the latest BEAD Program updates including upcoming outreach events. Don't miss out on the opportunity to stay informed and get involved.
Prospective applicants can reach out for assistance with technical issues by emailing txhelpdesk@ready.net. For additional guidance, prospective applicants can also contact the BDO's BEAD Application Technical Support Hub at 855-TEX-BEAD (855-839-2323).