NTIA was set to announce the broadband grant award on Nov. 4, but due to the volume of applications, applicants will have to wait a little longer.
Three service providers from the CNMI applied for the broadband grant — IT&E, Docomo and Northern Marianas College.
“NTIA is swamped with applications but they said they intend to execute a more systematic process,” CNMI American Recovery and Reinvestment Act program coordinator Geri Willis told the Variety yesterday.
NTIA, Willis said, is asking the applicants for the broadband grant not to take their silence as a rejection of their applications.
“NTIA is not making public the reviews that they are going through with the huge volume of applications they received,” Willis said.
She said NTIA began making first award announcements in December but the process can be expected to run until February of next year.
“We were informed that the applicants should not worry unless they hear from NTIA by February,” Willis said.
She said the grant applications are being reviewed based on several considerations.
“We do not know how the applicants fared as of this time. We’ll just have to wait and see what NTIA decides on,” Willis said.
The three service providers presented their proposals before a panel of judges consisting of lawmakers as well as officials from the executive branch, the judiciary and the private sector at American Memorial Park’s Visitors Center on Oct. 7, 2009.
The presentation was followed by a comment period which expired on Oct. 12.
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