📋 Tender Overview
U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the Department is investing 40 million to provide high-speed internet access for people living and working in rural areas in New Mexico.Todays investments are made possible because of funding from President Bidens historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which provides 65 billion to expand reliable affordable high-speed internet to all communities across the U.S. The announcement reflects the goals of President Bidens Investing in America agenda to rebuild our economy from the middle-out and bottom-up through investments such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has given USDA unprecedented resources to close the digital divide in rural America Secretary Vilsack said. Connecting rural Americans to reliable high-speed internet helps farmers and businesses operate more efficiently and break into new markets. It helps build and keep wealth in rural communities. USDA is committed to making sure that people no matter where they live have access to high-speed internet. Thats how you grow the economy not just in rural communities but across the nation.The 40 million in grants comes from the fourth funding round of the ReConnect Program. The Department will announce additional investments in the coming weeks. USDA has invested 1.7 billion since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration through the ReConnect Program to bring high-speed internet access to rural Americans.The three projects being announced today in New Mexico areThe Western New Mexico Telephone Company Inc. is receiving a 23.8 million grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to provide high-speed internet access to people in Catron County. The company will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the Federal Communications Commissions FCC Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Programs ACP. It also will provide a 34.99 monthly plan with 75 megabits per second upload and download speeds for subscribers within the project area who are enrolled in the ACP.The E.N.M.R. Telephone Cooperative is receiving a 2.6 million grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to provide high-speed internet access to people in De Baca Guadalupe Harding Quay San Miguel Socorro and Union counties. E.N.M.R. will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the FCCs Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Programs. This project will serve socially vulnerable communities in De Baca Guadalupe San Miguel and Socorro counties.The Peasco Valley Telephone PVT Cooperative is receiving a 13.9 million grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to provide high-speed internet access to 550 people 48 farms and 11 businesses in Chaves Eddy Otero and Lincoln counties. PVT will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the FCCs Affordable Connectivity Program ACP. PVT also offers a program that can provide free internet for households participating in the ACP. This project will serve socially vulnerable communities in Chaves Eddy and Otero counties.
