CAB for Prequalified Providers

All prequalified internet service providers listed at ncbroadband.gov/funding-programs/cab-program are eligible to participate in the Completing Access to Broadband program in 2024-2025. These providers were prequalified pursuant to the Broadband Expansion and Access RFP. The terms and conditions of the RFP are incorporated by reference into each county scope of work and apply to the projects selected. 

CAB Eligible Locations and Protest Window

Reminder of CAB Protest Process
Following publication of the CAB Eligible Locations Layer within the CAB Planning Tool, we will open a protest window for at least 10 calendar days. During this window, a broadband service provider currently providing qualifying broadband service to a location reflected with no service as “unserved” or as “underserved” may submit a protest for that Broadband Serviceable Location (BSL) on the grounds the BSL is served at speeds of 25/3 Mpbs to less than 100/20 Mpbs; or at speeds of 100/20 Mpbs or higher. This is the only criteria by which a BSL may be protested under this program. A location is considered “served” if the internet carrier can provide broadband service to a location immediately or within 10 business days upon request and without cost to the customer other than standard connection fees. We will not accept protests based on “planned” service.

Protest Window for Round 2 of the CAB Program
The Mapping Protest Window for this round of the CAB program for all 90 counties was Dec. 2 through 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 13, 2024.  

Additional Locations for Protest
While reviewing CAB program eligible locations and analyzing protests received during the protest window, we and our partner, the Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, identified 3,592 BSLs that were designated as ineligible for the CAB program due to a prior protest that indicated these locations were served. In further comparison to the most recent FCC Broadband Data Collection data, these locations are still reported as being unserved. With this additional analysis, we have now changed the status of these 3,592 BSLs to “unserved” in the CAB Planning Tool.

With this change in availability status, we are re-opening the protest window only for protest of these 3,592 locations from Dec. 31, 2024, to 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 10, 2025.

  • Broadband providers may submit protests of any of these 3,592 CAB program eligible locations that they already serve. Locations must be within the relevant county. Protest data must be submitted in the template for CAB protest data.
  • Protests must contain a written explanation uploaded in conjunction with the template addressing the discrepancy between the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection availability status and the availability status being reported through this protest process.
  • Protest data and explanations must be uploaded to the NCBIO Data Exchange. Credentials may be requested at broadbandmapping@nc.gov.
     

Scope of Work Instructions for Prequalified Vendors

Please refer to each scope of work once posted on the Active CAB Proposals page and follow the instructions therein, as some submission requirements may vary.

All documents and information listed below must be included in the Scope of Work Response submitted through the NCBIO Data Exchange or the Enterprise Business Services (EBS) portal as instructed. Failure to submit any item in this list may result in disqualification from consideration. 

NCBIO Data Exchange Instructions

The documents below must be uploaded into the NCBIO Data Exchange folder assigned to your company. These are one-time documents that will not need to be uploaded for each individual project: 

  1. CAB Project Response Form A (Company Information); saved in an Adobe PDF format
  2. Byrd Anti-lobbying Certification
  3. No Overdue Tax Debts Certification 
  4. Updated Financial Information

Enterprise Business Services (EBS) System Instructions  

The documents below are to be uploaded into the EBS system for each relevant county scope of work project. These documents should provide information specific to the proposed project:

  1. Executed Scope of Work. The full scope of work, including the executed signature page, should be saved in an Adobe PDF format and uploaded as a standalone document. Do NOT submit only the signature page.       
  2. CAB Project Response Form B (Project Information). This should be saved in an Adobe PDF format and uploaded to EBS. 
  3. Mapping Documents: CAB Proposed Locations Project Template (CSV File) and County-Level Project Map (created by Applicant and saved as a PDF File).
  4. CAB Project Budget Template
  5. Key Personnel Form

If you have formed a good faith opinion that any portion of your proposal is confidential or proprietary, please mark such portions as “CONFIDENTIAL.” Such marking should appear at the top and bottom of the relevant pages in boldface type. Automatically marking every page of your proposal is not sufficient. Prices presented in response to a solicitation are NOT confidential; therefore, your total project cost and average cost per location cannot be kept confidential by NCDIT. (09 NCAC 06B .1001) For more information regarding confidentiality, see Broadband Expansion and Access RFP NCDIT Terms and Conditions No. 18 on pp. 32-33.  

Webinars

Watch the Jan. 10, 2025, webinar for prequalified internet service providers below.

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