New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has launched an application portal that will allow contractors to bid for a $500 million broadband network project that is one of the largest in the US.
Funding recipients will be chosen through a “reverse-auction” methodology, which awards projects to bidders seeking the lowest amount of state investment. Applications may now be submitted through the New York State CFA Portal, and are due Friday, April 15, 2016 at 4:30 p.m.
Applicants must be able to complete projects by December 31, 2018. Subsequent rounds of funding will be announced throughout 2016.
The New NY Broadband Program is designed to ensure that every New Yorker has access to high-speed internet by 2018. Cuomo wants to see proposals that offer 100mbps throughout the majority of the state network but will allow speeds of only 25mbps in the most remote areas.
The state is planning for a public-private partnership model where the chosen vendor will put up 50 percent of the total cost or more, with the state providing the remaining funds.
New York first announced the plan in January of last year and issued a series of requests for information before opening the RFP up for applications. The $500 million in capital allocations for the network represents one of the largest commitments from a state government toward broadband expansion in the US.
