Round 2 Challenge Process
The Challenge Phase of the Next Level Connections Broadband Grant Program serves as an opportunity for existing providers to provide comment and feedback on proposed project areas submitted by applicants. This allows the Program to meet the needs of Hoosiers lacking reliable broadband service while also attempting to ensure that projects selected for award are not conflicting with existing service or plans to deploy within a 24-month timeframe.
If a provider is already providing eligible broadband service as defined in Section I.C.i of the Challenge Phase instructions or has the ability to verify plans to provide service by February 2022, then a provider may challenge all or a portion of a proposed service area. The challenge must include that the existing area has service availability at or above the minimum actual speed of 10/1 Mbps, and be available to all residential customers in the defined area. The challenge must also identify the broadband speed(s) that are or will be available.
- A list of submitted challenges can be found here.
- Challenge determination spreadsheet can be found here.
Required Documents for a Challenge Submission
- Challenge Cover Page
- Challenge Census Block List
- Affidavit (Appendix A of the Challenge Phase Instructions)
- Technology Specifications
- Maps of Service Area
Please note: The Challenge Affidavit is required documentation as noted in the “Content and Form of the Challenge” section of the Challenge Phase instructions; however the notification to local officials will no longer be required as part of the Affidavit. OCRA may notify local officials.
Letters of Intent Information
Documents needed to review proposed projects:
- Proposed Census Blocks - an Excel table with two tabs; the first being the full list of all census blocks proposed with duplicates removed, and the second containing the blocks proposed by a particular project;
- LOI Abstracts - a PDF with the control number for the Letters of Intent application, organization name, project title and brief abstract for every proposed project that is eligible to submit a full application.
Challenge Process
Challenges will be submitted by census block instead of against individual applications. OCRA will perform a compliance review of the submissions to determine whether they meet the requirements of Section II.C. OCRA will not review or consider submissions that do not meet the eligibility requirements of Section I.C.
All submissions must be submitted via NLC@ocra.in.gov. and, as applicable, an FTP site for large files, as applicable, and must conform to the following form and content requirements:
- Each must be submitted in Adobe PDF format (unless otherwise stated);
- Each must be written in English;
- All pages must be formatted to fit on 8.5. x 11 inch paper with margins not less than 1” on every side; and
- The Challenge must include the Organization Name in the upper right corner of the header of every page, and page numbers must be included in the footer of every page.
If an FTP site is needed to submit Challenge files, please contact OCRA at NLC@ocra.in.gov to receive access to submit large files. Challengers are responsible for meeting each submission deadline and are strongly encouraged to submit their Challenge in advance of the submission deadline.
Challengers will need to submit one challenge with all the census block(s) and corresponding address level data they are challenging, rather than challenging by individual application. All challenges were due by March 9, 2020.
Questions about this program and application? Email NLC@ocra.in.gov