RFSTUF

 NTIA BTOP Grant Opening for Public Safety 700 MHz FCC Waivers

   On May 11, 2010, the FCC adopted an order authorizing the early 
deployment of public safety broadband networks in the 700 MHz public 
safety broadband spectrum for a number of entities that had petitioned 
for waiver authority for such relief.\5\ To further the objectives of 
the Recovery Act and to help ensure that the core statutory purposes of 
BTOP are achieved, NTIA finds that, given these extraordinary 
circumstances, a limited reopening of the CCI application filing window 
is in the best interest of the federal government.\6\ Accordingly, NTIA 
reopens the CCI application filing window to those entities that meet 
the eligibility criteria in the Second NOFA and that have received 
authority from the FCC by the date of this Notice to seek to use the 
700 MHz public safety broadband spectrum to deploy a public safety 
broadband system.\7\ NTIA is limiting eligibility under this Notice to 
this group of entities to help ensure that all BTOP grant funds can be 
obligated by the statutory deadline of September 30, 2010; \8\ to 
provide the public safety community with the opportunity to obtain 
funding for an initial set of networks to support current NTIA efforts 
to test new standards and technologies that eventually will support a 
nationwide interoperable public safety broadband network; and to 
provide an opportunity to submit an application to entities that may 
have been discouraged from applying for BTOP funding because they did 
not have the legal authority to use the 700 MHz spectrum. Entities that 
received a FCC waiver and that already have applied for the second 
round of BTOP funding are not required to reapply during this new 
window.