Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 77 - PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS (§§ 77-1-1 — 77-NEW-NEW-004) › Chapter 19 - BROADBAND EXPANSION AND ACCESSIBILITY OF MISSISSIPPI (BEAM) › Section 77-19-15 - Information to be included on application; scoring and consideration of applications; publication of preliminary determinations on BEAM website; consideration of comments or objections; confidentiality of certain information submitted as part of application

(1)
An applicant for funding under this chapter shall provide the following information at a minimum on the application:
(a)
The location of the project by use of a shapefile;
(b)
The type and amount of broadband infrastructure to be deployed for the project, including the amount the applicant intends to invest in the project from private funds;
(c)
Evidence regarding the unserved or underserved nature of the community in which the project is to be located;
(d)
The number of households that will have access to broadband service as a result of the project, or whose Internet access service will be upgraded to broadband service as a result of the project;
(e)
The significant community institutions that will benefit from the proposed project;
(f)
Evidence of community support for the project with a narrative on the impact that the investment will have on community and economic development efforts in the area;
(g)
The total cost of the project and a detailed budget and schedule for the project, including the submission of a business plan that provides for the use of funds provided under this chapter. Funds shall not be used to support the operational expenses of the network or to subsidize any other service provided by the applicant; and
(h)
The broadband service provider's experience and financial capabilities.
(2)
After scoring and considering all applications, the Office of Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi (BEAM) shall make its preliminary determinations. Within thirty (30) days after the preliminary determinations have been made, BEAM shall publish on its website the applications, the proposed geographic broadband service area illustrated by a shapefile, and the proposed broadband service speeds for each application that receives a preliminary determination.
(3)
Within thirty (30) days from the date the preliminary determinations are published on BEAM's website, BEAM shall accept comments or objections concerning each application and investigate each of them as appropriate. BEAM shall consider all comments and objections received and the investigative findings in determining whether an applicant is eligible for a final determination and award.
(4)
BEAM shall not make a final determination and award to an applicant if verifiable information is made available that shows the proposed project includes an area where broadband services currently are deployed, or where construction of a network to deploy broadband service is underway by a provider other than the applicant, and the construction is scheduled to be completed within one (1) year after the date of the application.
(5)
An applicant's or challenging party's trade secrets, financial information and proprietary information submitted under this chapter as part of an application or challenge are exempt from disclosure under the Mississippi Public Records Act, Section
25-61-1
et seq.
(6)
Any contractor deploying broadband infrastructure for a project that has been awarded grant monies by BEAM is encouraged to use Mississippi employment to the fullest extent possible.
Added by Laws, 2022, ch. 397, HB 1029,§ 8, eff. 4/14/2022.