Officials say BEAD/BEED contracts ready; department aims to close remaining gaps

Department of Development staff told the State Controlling Board the pace of federal guidance and a June 6 restructuring notice delayed grant encumbrances under the federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment program, pushing significant dollars into the current fiscal year. Riley Eberhardt and Peter Voderberg said the overall BEAD/BEED program in Ohio is roughly $800 million and that deployment plus administrative/compliance needs are just over $300 million; they said first grant agreements were signed the prior week and that the department hopes some projects will break ground by year‑end pending weather and local readiness.