- A. At the close of the application period, should one or more applications or project areas overlap one or more other applications or project areas, relative to one or more unserved census blocks, shapefile areas, individual addresses, or portions thereof, the impacted applicants, relative to overlapping applications or project areas, shall have the option and ability to resolve the overlapping unserved census blocks, shapefile areas, individual addresses, or portions thereof, through the applicants’ own volition, discussion, and efforts. Applicants working to resolve an instance of overlapping applications or project areas, following the close of the application period, shall jointly notify the office of such efforts. An acceptable resolution and amended applications or project areas will be accepted by the office until 5 PM on the 30th day of the 60-day evaluation and protest period. Such an acceptable resolution between impacted applicants shall not result in the addition of partners to a previously submitted application or project area nor the expansion of an application’s project area.
- B. Following 5 PM on the 30th day of the 60-day evaluation and protest period, should one or more applications or project areas overlap one or more other applications or project areas, relative to one or more unserved census blocks, shapefile areas, individual addresses, or portions thereof, each application or project area shall be scored independently. The application or project area receiving the highest score shall proceed to grant funding consideration with its project area boundary intact. Any application or project area, regardless of the geographical size of the application or project area, overlapping a higher scored application or project area, shall be removed from grant funding consideration. A project area being removed from grant funding consideration shall not impact scoring of other project areas within the same application, if applicable. All project areas shall be scored independently.
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).