Background

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) through the BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), and modified by the NTIA BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice (RPN), allocates approximately $1.86 billion to expand high-speed internet access by funding broadband infrastructure deployment and capacity projects for all of California. The BEAD Draft Final Proposal is the culmination of the hard work and collaborative efforts of NTIA, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), engaged stakeholders, and all Californians. 

The Commission will vote to approve the draft Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Final Proposal for submission to NTIA on Thursday, December 18, 2025, following a public comment period from December 2, 2025, to December 9, 2025.


BEAD Final Proposal

On December 18, 2025, the California Public Utilities Commission voted 5-0 to approve California’s BEAD Final Proposal for submission to the National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA). The CPUC submitted its Final Proposal to NTIA on December 19, 2025. All subgrant awards are dependent upon review, acceptance, and approval by NTIA.


BEAD Draft Resolution and Data Attachments
Draft Resolution

The CPUC issued a draft Resolution requesting approval from the Commission to submit the BEAD Draft Final Proposal to NTIA. As part of this process, the Commission sought public comments on the Resolution from Tuesday, December 2 through Tuesday, December 9, 2025. Stakeholders and members of the public were encouraged to provide their comments to ensure that the BEAD Final Proposal meets Program objectives, advances California’s broadband goals, and maximizes federal funding opportunities.

The comment deadline was 7 days after the resolution was served, shortened to meet the expedited timeframe set by the NTIA, as established in Decision 25-07-040. Any member of the public was able to serve comments on the Draft Resolution as provided in Public Utilities Code § 311(g) and Rule 14.5 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (Rules).


BEAD Draft Final Proposal

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has prepared the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) draft Final Proposal for submission to the National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA). The Final Proposal builds on the previously approved Initial Proposal, incorporates changes required by the BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice, and includes a list of preliminary awards to applications selected through the CPUC’s BEAD Subgrantee Selection Process. Preliminary awards are the State’s recommended projects based on the Benefit of the Bargain Rounds 1 and 2, however, all subgrant awards are dependent upon acceptance and approval of California’s Final Proposal by NTIA. These updates reflect California’s commitment to a fair, transparent, and competitive process to expand high-speed internet access to all underserved and unserved communities across California.

On December 16, 2025, the CPUC published the T-17898 Resolution Rev. 1 and Draft Final Proposal, which included a summarization of the public comments collected from the public comment period held from December 2, 2025 to December 9, 2025. 


Resolution Rev. 1 and Data Attachments

T-17898 Resolution Rev. 1: Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program (Res. A) 

T-17898 Appendix A (Final Proposal): Appendix A - Final Proposal (Project Narrative)

T-17898 Appendix B (BEAD Draft Final Proposal Data Attachments):

T-17898 Appendix C (Environmental and Historic Preservation Plan): Appendix C - Environmental and Historic Preservation Plan

T-17898 Appendix D (BEAD Monitoring Program Plan): Appendix D - BEAD Monitoring Program Plan

T-17898 Appendix E (Draft Grant Agreement (Agency Policy Documentation)): Appendix E - Draft Grant Agreement (Agency Policy Documentation)

Draft Resolution and Data Attachments for Public Comment

T-17898 Draft Resolution: Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program (Res. C) 

T-17898 Appendix A (Final Proposal): Appendix A - Final Proposal (Project Narrative)

T-17898 Appendix B (BEAD Draft Final Proposal Data Attachments):

T-17898 Appendix C (Environmental and Historic Preservation Plan): Appendix C - Environmental and Historic Preservation Plan

T-17898 Appendix D (BEAD Monitoring Program Plan): Appendix D - BEAD Monitoring Program Plan

T-17898 Appendix E (Draft Grant Agreement (Agency Policy Documentation)): Appendix E - Draft Grant Agreement (Agency Policy Documentation)


BEAD BOTB Application Dashboard of Preliminarily Awarded Projects
The interactive BEAD BOTB Application Dashboard displays preliminarily awarded BEAD applications submitted to the CPUC during the two Benefit of the Bargain rounds. The Application Dashboard allows users to review application details and filter applications by preliminary awards, applicant, or technology type. 

 

View the dashboard here. 

 

BEAD Outreach and Engagement

The CPUC has provided ongoing engagement opportunities throughout the planning, Challenge, BEAD 1.0 Prequalification and Project Application, and BEAD 2.0 Benefit of the Bargain Round processes.

BEAD Events

Recordings and slide decks of past presentations and recordings of office hours are available on the BEAD Events page.

Constant Contact

 

California Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program