Oregon Broadband Office announces preliminary awardees for reassigned BEAD projects, preserving broadband expansion across the state
As a result of the two-round replacement process, every eligible location included in the declined awards has been reassigned to a preliminary awardee.
Business Oregon's Oregon Broadband Office (OBO) today announced the preliminary awardees selected to assume Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) projects that were voluntarily declined by their original awardees. Through a structured replacement process and strong collaboration with broadband providers across Oregon, OBO has successfully identified preliminary awardees to serve all eligible locations affected by the declined awards, ensuring broadband deployment remains on schedule.
Following two rounds of competitive reassignment, six preliminary awardees were selected to deliver broadband service across the affected project areas.
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The reassignment process was initiated after four original awardees declined a total of 15 projects prior to the June 10, 2026, Notice of Intent to Award acceptance deadline. Those declined project represented 13,381 broadband serviceable locations (BSLs), approximately $122.9 million in requested grant funding, and more than $39.1 million in matching contributions.
Using the replacement procedures outlined in Oregon's approved BEAD Initial Proposal and consistent with National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) guidance, OBO conducted a phased reassignment process that prioritized qualified applications already participating in the BEAD program.
During Round 1, completed June 24, five preliminary awardees assumed responsibility for nine declined projects, securing service for 8,187 locations with approximately $80.5 million in grant funding and $26.8 million in matching contributions.
During Round 2, completed June 30, Amazon LEO accepted the remaining project areas not awarded during the first round, securing service for an additional 5,192 locations with approximately $4.2 million in grant funding and $1.06 million in matching contributions.
"The successful reassignment of these projects demonstrates the strength of Oregon's broadband partnerships and the resilience of the state's BEAD implementation process," said Nick Batz, director of Oregon Broadband Office. "By following a transparent, competitive replacement process, Oregon has ensured that communities will continue moving toward universal access to reliable, high-speed internet."
The reassignment process followed Oregon's approved BEAD Final Proposal procedures, beginning with outreach to priority applicants that previously applied for each declined project area, followed by outreach to other qualified priority applicants and, if necessary, qualified non-priority applicants.
The preliminary awards remain subject to final review and approval under the BEAD program. OBO will continue working with the selected providers to complete the award process.
