The Massachusetts Broadband Institute at MassTech (MBI) recently released an RFP to solicit and review private sector interest in Last Mile broadband access solutions. We want to encourage interested residents and officials to read The Recorder’s recent article about the RFP, which summarized its launch in detail. Given questions raised in that piece, the MBI would like to highlight the need for this solicitation and the potential benefits for unserved towns for readers of The Recorder:
Maintains local control: All 40 unserved towns covered under the RFP retain ultimate control over whether to pursue a proposed private Last Mile solution. At the very least, the RFP will provide towns with information about potential private sector options to close the broadband gap.
Discourages ‘cherry picking’: As noted in The Recorder’s article, the RFP includes clear language to discourage cherry picking of individual towns by potential providers, noting that grant applications which propose to serve multiple towns will be viewed more favorably during the proposal review process. If a qualified private broadband provider is interested in serving all 40 towns, they are allowed and encouraged to submit an application under the terms of the RFP, and MBI would eagerly review such a proposal. By including language in the RFP that would allow only “all or nothing” approaches to cover all 40 unserved towns, the MBI would have lessened the potential number of providers interested or able to respond, and would continue to stall the Last Mile effort.
Continues progress: Since launching the new, more flexible approach to the Last Mile effort in May, we have announced grants to build networks in four additional unserved towns and moved 33 of the remaining 40 unserved towns into a hands-on Readiness Process. This RFP is working in tandem with that process and is not an alternative.
Potential long-term benefits for towns: Since May, we have worked with numerous towns that are concerned about the ability to both finance and manage a broadband network long-term, including several that have declined to engage with us due to their concerns around owning and managing a broadband network. As noted in The Recorder’s article, the RFP’s goal is to identify private proposals which would utilize only the state’s grant and remove “the operational and financial burden” that a broadband network would impose upon unserved towns for decades to come.
Our request is that unserved towns remain open to the outcomes of this RFP until the results are in, and we urge any municipal officials with questions to contact us. At the end of the process each town will gain additional insight, while still holding local approval over whether and how to move forward. The MBI is committed to continuing the collaborative approach that has led to recent successes. It is our clear hope that this RFP will lead to continued positive momentum.
Peter Larkin is board chair of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute and special adviser to the Secretary of Housing and Economic Development for the Last Mile project.