Digital Equity Act of 2021; Request for Comments

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, also known (and referred to subsequently herein) as IIJA or the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, includes a historic investment of $65 billion to help close the digital divide and ensure that everyone in America has access to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet service. The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is responsible for distributing more than $48 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding through several different programs. NTIA is requesting comments on the $2.75 billion Digital Equity Act of 2021 Program, and on the design and implementation of two components of that grant program: the $1.44 billion State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program and the $1.25 billion Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. NTIA seeks broad input and feedback from all interested stakeholders across the nation, including Tribal entities, and has established multiple avenues for the public to offer input to bolster NTIA's work and to improve the number and quality of ideas under consideration as the agency develops Notices of Funding Opportunity for each of the Digital Equity Capacity Grant and Digital Equity Competitive Grant Programs to be implemented by NTIA pursuant to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This includes a series of public virtual listening sessions which will be announced at a later date.