Fiber and Broadband Request for Proposal

Description

The City of Gary, IN is looking to partner with a provider(s) to help deploy ubiquitous, accessible, and affordable high-speed broadband to every home and business within the City. The goal is to partner with a broadband service provider(s) (BSPs) who will leverage the City's $4.5M in ARPA funds to build, operate & maintain a government middle mile fiber ring while committing to serve all residential and business locations with last mile fiber.The City of Gary plans to work together with the chosen provider(s) to apply for last-mile residential and business broadband grant funding through Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund (CPF) funding from the US Treasury and Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Both of these sources of funding are administered by the State of Indiana. Funding from these grant applications may help BSPs make the business case for addressing the full scope of the project.The City of Gary is rebidding this RFP, previously released on 12/01/22, due to the prior awardee's last-mile subcontractor withdrawing from the project following a majority ownership change. Prior applicants as well as newcomers to this project are encouraged to apply to be the City's long-term broadband partner.