GAO Recommends NTIA Improve Tech Assistance Resources for Tribal Broadband Program

The Government Accountability Office told House and Senate Commerce committee leaders Monday it recommends NTIA improve technical assistance to Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program recipients. GAO found NTIA’s “plans for providing technical assistance throughout the funding period do not include support for recipients that are unable to implement their financial sustainability plans. In addition, over half of TBCP recipients with infrastructure projects planned to use other federal funding to support their ongoing financial sustainability. But those sources have proven difficult for Tribes to obtain or have ended.” The office recommended NTIA “provide technical assistance to recipients that are unable to implement their financial sustainability plans.” The agency should “consolidate technical assistance resources for the TBCP environmental review process in a single location” given it didn’t already include most of those resources “in its one-stop hub,” GAO said. The office also recommended NTIA report to Congress on TBCP projects’ “financial stability needs.” The agency agreed with the recommendations, GAO said.