California BEAD Final Proposal
Background
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has released the draft Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Final Proposal for public comment. The BEAD Program, established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)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 planning and infrastructure deployment for all of California. The BEAD Draft Final Proposal is the culmination of the hard work and collaborative efforts of NTIA, CPUC, engaged stakeholders, and all Californians.
BEAD Draft Resolution and Data Attachments
Draft Resolution
The CPUC has 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 is seeking public comments on the Resolution until Tuesday, December 9, 2025. Stakeholders and members of the public are encouraged to provide their comments to help ensure that the BEAD Final Proposal meets the program objectives, advances California’s broadband goals, and maximizes federal funding opportunities.
The comment deadline will be 7 days after the resolution is served, shortened to meet the expedited timeframe set by the NTIA, as established in Decision 25-07-040. Any member of the public may 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).
Comments along with a certificate of service (COS) shall be sent via email to: BEADgrant@cpuc.ca.gov and Ngan.Tran@cpuc.ca.gov by December 9, 2025 at 5:00 PM.
Those submitting comments on the Draft Resolution must serve their comments on the entire service list the Draft Resolution was served to on the same date that the comments are submitted to the Communications Division.
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 recommended State’s 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.
Draft Resolution and Data Attachments
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):
- Subgrantees (fp_subgrantees.csv): Appendix B1 - fp_subgrantees.csv
- Deployment Projects (fp_deployment_projects.csv): Appendix B2 - fp_deployment_projects.csv
- Locations (fp_locations.csv): Appendix B3 - fp_locations.csv
- No BEAD Locations (fp_no_BEAD_locations.csv): Appendix B4 - fp_no_BEAD_locations.csv
- Community Anchor Institutions (fp_cai.csv): Appendix B5 - fp_cai.csv
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.
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