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Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Grant Program - Invitation to Qualify #001 - Broadband Intervention Zones

OFFICIAL NOTICE. May 5, 2023. The Department of Management, Office of the Chief Information Officer ("OCIO") has announced the Broadband Intervention Zones to be used to prioritize future broadband funding. On March 1, 2023, the Office issued Invitation to Qualify #001 - Broadband Intervention Zones, which opened the Application Acceptance Window for this ITQ.

The purpose of the Invitation to Qualify was to solicit Applications from Communities lacking Broadband. Successful Applications to the ITQ are used by the OCIO to establish Broadband Intervention Zones to be used to prioritize areas for future broadband funding.

NOTE: The Application Acceptance Window for this opportunity closed at 5:00 pm CST on March 31, 2023.

Invitation to Qualify #001 - About the ITQ

At the time of ITQ posting, Governor Reynolds’ Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Grant Program has issued seven funding opportunities for Broadband expansion in Iowa. Collectively, grant funding exceeding $350 million has been awarded to provide new Broadband service to unserved and underserved locations in Iowa. Upon completion, these Broadband projects will result in over $680 million in new Broadband investment, serving an expected 109,000 homes, schools, and businesses in Iowa.

Prior Broadband funding opportunities made available through OCIO have allowed Broadband service providers to identify areas in the state in which the provider wanted to build. In this instance, the Office is seeking participation from Communities to identify themselves as in need of Broadband. Successful responses to this ITQ will identify targeted Communities for future grant funding.

Download this flyer for an introduction to the Broadband Intervention Zone ITQ #001

Download the Broadband Intervention Zones ITQ (Updated 3/1/2023):
https://ocio.iowa.gov/file/exhibitainvitationtoqualify-broadbandinterventionzonespdf

Invitation to Qualify #001 - Applications Received

99 applications were deemed submitted in response to ITQ #001. Every application received is listed below from highest rank to lowest ranking application.  

Also included is additional information about each Application. In the Application column, click the link to download a zip file that contains the application as well as supporting documentation. In the BIZ Summary column, click the link to download a one page document that has a visual of the area and other relevant information. In the Broadband Capital Offered column, click the link to download information offered by Applicant that outlines any in-kind or financial contributions provided by the community to aid future NOFA applicants to this area.

RANKING CONTROL NUMBER APPLICANT APPLICATION BIZ SUMMARY BROADBAND CAPITAL OFFERED
1 504721 Wapello County Board of Supervisors Wapello County ITQ Download Download
2 507224 Madison County Development Group Southwest Madison County ITQ Submission Download Download
3 506541 Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments Black Hawk County - NE Download Download
4 507229 Madison County Development Group North Central Madison County ITQ Submission Download Download
5 506995 Johnson County Johnson County ITQ-Zone 3 Download Download
6 506545 Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments Black Hawk County - SE Download Download
7 503312 Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments City of Stout Download Download
8 504154 Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission Lee County Broadband Expansion 1 Download Download
9 505198 Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments Grundy County - SE Download Download
10 506181 Johnson County Johnson County ITQ-Zone 1 Download Download
11 505624 East Central Intergovernmental Association Cedar County Broadband ITQ - 935 Grant Ave Tipton Download Download
12 506675 Story County, Iowa Story County Download Download
13 505199 Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments Grundy County - SW Download Download
14 505196 Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments Grundy County - NW Download Download
15 505200 Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments Butler County - NW Download Download
16 505560 Marion County Development Commission Marion County, Iowa ITQ Application Download Download
17 505201 Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments Butler County - S Download Download
18 507279 Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission Lee County Broadband Expansion 2 Download Download
19 505814 Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments Bremer County - NE Download Download
20 505823 Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments Bremer County - SW Download Download
21 507548 City of Waterloo Waterloo Broadband Intervention Zone 2 Download Download
22 507156 Carroll County Growth Partnership ITQ Application - Carroll County Download Download
23 507017 Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission Henry County ITQ Download Download
24 507247 Madison County Development Group East Central Madison County ITQ Submission Download Download
25 507564 Chickasaw County Chickasaw County ITQ Application Basset Area Download Download
26 506336 Grinnell-Newburg Community School District Grinnell-Newburg CSD Broadband Project Download Download
27 506830 Region XII Council of Governments Dallas Center Download Download
28 505762 Region XII Council of Governments Schleswig ITQ Application Download Download
29 507348 Chariton Valley Planning & Development Council Lucas County - Chariton Valley Planning & Development COG Download N/A
30 505768 Region XII Council of Governments Denison/Vail ITQ Application Download Download
31 506503 Plymouth County Iowa SW Plymouth County ITQ Download N/A
32 504277 Region XII Council of Governments Bagley ITQ Application Download Download
33 507340 Chariton Valley Planning & Development Council Appanoose County - Chariton Valley Planning & Development COG Download N/A
34 507356 Chariton Valley Planning & Development Council Monroe County - Chariton Valley Planning & Development COG 2 Download N/A
35 505770 Region XII Council of Governments Rippey ITQ Application Download Download
36 507360 Chariton Valley Planning & Development Council Wayne County - Chariton Valley Planning & Development COG Download N/A
37 507253 Buchanan County Economic Development Commission Rowley South Download Download
38 504459 Jones County Economic Development Jones County Broadband Intervention Zones Download Download
39 505075 Southern Iowa Council of Governments Adams County Broadband ITQ Download Download
40 507097 Southwest Iowa Planning Council Fremont County - Hamburg, Sidney, and Riverton Areas Download Download
41 506693 Buchanan County Economic Development Commission Buchanan Delaware County Line Area Download Download
42 505272 Southern Iowa Council of Governments Adair County ITQ Broadband 2 Download Download
43 506791 Van Buren County Iowa ITQ Application Download N/A
44 507238 Buchanan County Economic Development Commission South East Independence Download Download
45 506369 Baxter, City of Baxter OCIO Application Download Download
46 507526 Dubuque County City of Durango and Sageville - FTTH Deployment Download Download
47 503262 Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission Southeastern Clayton County Download N/A
48 505870 MIDAS Council of Governments Webster County ITQ Download N/A
49 507390 Linn County Morris Hills Download Download
50 505271 Southern Iowa Council of Governments Taylor County ITQ Broadband Download N/A
51 507401 Linn County Covington Area Download Download
52 507450 Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Quick Current Iowa: Albaton ITQ Broadband Intervention Zone Download N/A
53 503964 Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission Frenchtown Download N/A
54 507467 Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Quick Current Iowa: Salix ITQ Broadband Intervention Zone Download N/A
55 507513 Van Buren County Iowa Farmington Iowa - Van Buren County Download N/A
56 504986 Winneshiek County Winneshiek County Northeast Rural Download N/A
57 503980 Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission Clayton/Fayette Counties Download N/A
58 507478 Southwest Iowa Planning Council Fremont County Eastern Download Download
59 507429 Southwest Iowa Planning Council Harrison County Download Download
60 507451 Southwest Iowa Planning Council Fremont County Download Download
61 503656 Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission Dorchester/Northern Allamakee Download N/A
62 507563 Mid-Iowa Planning Alliance Boone County 2 Download N/A
63 505044 Winneshiek County Winneshiek County Northwest Rural Download N/A
64 504132 Howard County Board of Supervisors Howard County NE Quadrant 2 Download N/A
65 504652 Timbergate Community Association OCIO Invitation to Qualify for a Broadband Intervention Zone Download Download
66 507135 Mahaska County Mahaska County Broadband Intervention Application III 2 Download N/A
67 507529 Tama County Economic Development Commission Broadband Construction 2 Download Download
68 506184 Howard County Board of Supervisors Howard County SW Quadrant Download N/A
69 505896 Rhino Ridge Home Owners Association Rhino Ridge Homeowner's Association and Neighborhood Application for Consideration in Broadband Grant Program - Broadband Intervention Zone Challenge Download N/A
70 503906 Mahaska County Mahaska County Broadband Intervention Application 2 Download N/A
71 505331 Mid-Iowa Planning Alliance Rural Dallas County Download N/A
72 506943 City of Runnells City Runnells Download N/A
73 506874 Mahaska County Mahaska County Broadband Intervention Application II Download N/A
74 506201 Louisa Development Group NW Louisa County Download N/A
75 507543 Benton Development Group 5625 Application Download N/A
76 504787 Washington Economic Development Group Increasing Broadband Capacity to Washington County, Iowa. Download N/A
77 506881 City of Ida Grove Invitation to Qualify Broadband Intervention Zone for Ida Grove, IA Download Download
78 507411 Cedar Cove Road Association Cedar Cove Broadband Application Download Download
79 506585 Iowa County Economic Development Commission Intent to Qualify - South of Parnell 2 Download N/A
80 507336 Benton Development Group 7586 13th Ave Belle Plaine Download N/A
81 506725 Iowa County Economic Development Commission Intent to Qualify; Rural Marengo Download N/A
82 506994 Johnson County Johnson County ITQ-Zone 2 1 Download Download
83 507341 East Central Intergovernmental Association Cedar County Broadband ITQ - 1666 290th St Tipton 1 Download Download
84 507280 Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission Lee County Broadband Expansion 3 1 Download Download
85 506849 Chickasaw County Chickasaw County ITQ Application Nashua Area 1 Download Download
86 507469 Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Quick Current Iowa: Whiting ITQ Broadband Intervention Zone 1 Download N/A
87 507466 Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Quick Current Iowa: Onawa ITQ Broadband Inventory Zone 1 Download N/A
88 505047 Winneshiek County Winneshiek County West Rural 1 Download N/A
89 506072 Howard County Board of Supervisors Howard County NW Quadrant 1 Download N/A
90 506272 Louisa Development Group SE Louisa County 1 Download N/A
91 506187 Howard County Board of Supervisors Howard County SE Quadrant 1 Download N/A
92 507282 Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission Des Moines County ITQ 1 Download N/A
93 504383 Louisa Development Group SW Louisa County 1 Download N/A
94 507087 Benton Development Group 22nd Avenue Trail, Vinton, IA 1 Download Download
95 506310 Louisa Development Group NE Louisa County 1 Download N/A
96 507366 Benton Development Group 6289 24th ave Vinton 1 Download N/A
N/A 507264 Cedar View Estates HOA Cedar View Estates HOA Rural Subdivision 2 N/A N/A
N/A 507465 Circle Drive Community Circle Drive Jones County Broadband ITQ 2 N/A N/A
N/A 507582 Painted Rocks Lot Owners Association (PRLOA) Painted Rocks Lot Owners Association Application Submission for 498157 ITQ Broadband Intervention Zones (ITQ) Broadband Intervention Zones 2 N/A N/A

1 Applications marked with superscript 1 were modified by the Office pursuant to ITQ sections 2.33 and 4 to address overlapping locations and higher-ranking applications.  

2 Applications marked with superscript 2 fell subject to ITQ section 2.33 which states in relevant part: When multiple Applicants submit an Application that include duplicative address locations, those address locations appearing in both Applications will be allocated to the Application having a higher Broadband Readiness Score. Those with a Broadband Intervention Zone ranking of "N/A" had all Eligible Service Locations allocated to higher ranked application(s).

View the Map

Iowa Broadband Intervention Zone ("BIZ") map is provided below. Click "Open Map in New Window" to see a larger view of the map.

Open Map in New Window

Program Resources

The following information concerning OCIO Broadband Intervention Zones ITQ #001 can be found below:

Invitation to Qualify #001 - Purpose

The purpose of this ITQ is to solicit Applications from Communities lacking Broadband. Successful Applications to this ITQ will be used by the OCIO to establish Broadband Intervention Zones that will in turn be used to prioritize areas that OCIO will prioritize for funding of future Broadband programs.

Invitation to Qualify #001 - Who is Eligible to Apply

An Applicant to the ITQ must be a Community. Community Applicants may include city governments, county governments, school districts, consortia of political subdivisions, non-profit organizations representing communities (e.g. councils of governments), and regional entities with an economic development or educational mission (e.g., Area Education Agencies, Iowa State University Extension Field Offices). Applicants to this ITQ may not include: (1) individuals, (2) communication service providers, or (3) consultants working on behalf of Communities.

Invitation to Qualify #001 - ITQ Design

Through the ITQ, Community Applicants will be given an opportunity to identify a geographic area that is of most concern to the Community using OCIO’s interactive mapping solution. The Applicant will use the Geographic Area of Concern Selection Tool to select this area. Within the selected area, eligible address locations for broadband buildout will be identified. These address locations will make up the Geographic Area of Concern.

In addition to providing address information associated with the Geographic Area of Concern, Community Applicants will be afforded the opportunity through the ITQ to submit optional information, including:

  • Detail of how the buildout of Broadband in the geographic area would improve work, education, and health monitoring;
  • Community support, including letters of support for the proposed buildout;
  • Community capital the Community will offer, such as free access to local resources or simplifying any permitting processes; and
  • A narrative response regarding any perceived barriers to the installation of Broadband in the geographic area (e.g., topography, geography, demographics, etc.) that exemplify the need for grant funding in order to incentivize Broadband buildout in the area.

OCIO will evaluate successful Applications and rank those Applications according to a Broadband Readiness Score. The Score is informed by seven factors outlined within the ITQ.  These Geographic Areas of Concern will become Broadband Intervention Zones for which funding may be prioritized by the OCIO for future grant opportunities. In addition, OCIO may identify its own Broadband Intervention Zones to include in the list. However, Broadband Intervention Zones created by the OCIO will not be ranked higher than any Broadband Intervention Zone created on behalf of a successful Community Application.

Invitation to Qualify #001 - Schedule of Important Dates

The timeline for the ITQ including steps and dates, are described below (all dates are subject to change):

ITQ TIMELINE DATE
ITQ Pre-Publication Notice February 2, 2023
Pre-Application Conference February 15, 2023, 2:00 PM CDT
Geographic Area of Concern Selection Tool Available March 1, 2023
Written Questions Due By February 22, 2023, 5:00 pm CDT
Responses Posted By February 28, 2023
Application Acceptance Window Opens March 1, 2023
Application Acceptance Window Closes/Applications Due March 31, 2023, 5:00 PM CST
Application Review Ends April 21, 2023
Final Agency Decisions(s)/ITQ Ranking and Listing Published May 5, 2023

Invitation to Qualify #001 - Program Documentation

Information concerning the ITQ application process, including all application materials, are provided below. All Applications to this ITQ are required to be submitted electronically through the Iowa Grants System, as part of Funding Opportunity #498157. Note: Exhibits not listed here will be provided at a later time, but not later than the opening of the Application Acceptance Window on March 1, 2023. Updates to program documentation may be identified through addendums issued by the Office or otherwise noted in the list below. 

Invitation to Qualify #001 - Instructional Videos for Applicants

The following instructional videos have been published to assist Applicants with their Applications to this ITQ:

Printed from the website on September 24, 2023 at 4:12pm.