1. A. The GUMBO grant program is a competitive grant program. Applications, or project areas within applications, if applicable, shall be scored independently as provided in this Chapter, based upon a system that awards a single point for criteria considered to be the minimum level for the provision of broadband service, with additional points awarded to criteria that exceed minimum levels.
2. B. Applications, or project areas within applications, if applicable, shall be scored independently, and applications or project areas receiving the highest score shall receive priority status for the awarding of grants. Should the final application or project area with priority status for the awarding of a grant have a request for GUMBO funding that exceeds the remaining GUMBO funds available, the final applicant with priority status shall have the option to agree to complete its proposed project in full with the remaining GUMBO funds available in that round. Should the final priority applicant decline, the office shall propose the same to the next highest scored application or project area. This process shall continue until such time as an applicant has agreed, or all remaining applications or project areas within the current grant round have declined. Should all applicants decline the office’s offer, the remaining balance of GUMBO funding shall be added to the next succeeding round of GUMBO.
3. C. As a means of breaking a tie for applications or project areas receiving the same score, the office shall give priority to the application or project area proposing the lowest GUMBO cost per prospective broadband recipient.
4. D. Upon the close of the application period, and throughout the evaluation and scoring phase of the program process, a blackout period shall be instituted. This blackout period shall remain in effect until the announcement of awards. During this blackout period, applicants shall not initiate contact with the office, except as otherwise provided within this part. The office reserves the right to initiate contact with an applicant to seek clarification of an application or the data contained therein, request additional information, or as necessary in response to an overlapping project area or protest. An applicant may initiate contact with the office for the purposes of amending an application or project area due to overlapping or a protest, or to withdraw an application or project area.

Authority Note

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 51:2370-2370.16.

Historical Note

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Office of the Governor, Division of Administration, Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity, LR 48:1510 (June 2022).