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t BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />COUNTY OF KITTITAS <br />STATE OF WASHINGTON <br />RESOLUTION NO. 2025 - IAb <br />AUTHORIZING APPLICATIONS FOR SEVEN PROJECT ARBAS IN I{TTITAS COT]NTY TO <br />THE WASHINGTON STATE BROADBAND OF'F'ICE FOR THE BROADBAND EQUITY <br />ACCESS DEPLOYMENT (BEAD) GRANT PROGRAM ROUND 3 IN THE TOTAL AMOIIT{T <br />oF uP TO $60,000,000. <br />WHEREAS:The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has awarded <br />Washington State $1.2 Billion in funding for broadband deployment under the Broadband <br />Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD); and <br />WIIEREASz In20l9, under RCW 43.330.532, the Washington State Department of Commerce <br />created the Washington State Broadband Office (WSBO) to administer Broadband <br />Infrastructure Programs; and <br />WIIEREAS: The Washington State legislature has approved funding to support a twenty-five (25) <br />percent match to Federal BEAD funding for qualifying public projects to fulfill the match <br />contribution requirement for BEAD applications (WSBO Match); and <br />WHEREAS: Kittitas County is qualified to apply for this match funding; and <br />WHEREAS: Collectively, BEAD and the WSBO Match shall be referred to herein as the "Grants"; <br />and <br />WHEREAS: Kittitas County has partnered with broadband service providers to apply to WSBO for <br />BEAD funding to build broadband networks in Kittitas County; and <br />WIIEREAS: WSBO has planned three rounds of grant applications for BEAD funding; and <br />WIIEREAS: Kittitas County submitted applications for BEAD funding for Round I and2 and <br />received notice ofprovisional awards; and <br />WHEREAS: The NTIA has revised their project criteria, resulting in all provisional awards to be <br />rescinded and a third round of applications, identified as "Benefit of the Bargain" round <br />to be submitted; and <br />WHEREAS: Kittitas County has seven project areas eligible to submit applications to WSBO for the <br />current process to obtain BEAD funding; and <br />WHEREAS: The Grant requires an authorizing resolution of the Board of County Commissioners prior <br />to submitting applications for project areas; and <br />WIIEREAS: Grants require a Performance Bond equal to seventy-five (75) percent of project cost; and <br />WIIEREAS: The cost of the Performance Bond is a quaiified expense for reimbursement under the <br />grant, if awarded. <br />NOW, THEREFORB BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of County Commissioners, in the best interest <br />of the public, does hereby authorize submittal of up to seven (7) project area applications <br />in WSBO Round 3, Benefit of the Bargain, of the BEAD Grant program, and if awarded <br />and accept grant funding up to $60,000,000 for project areas; and