Audit of NTIA’s Review of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program’s Planning Phase Deliverables

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Title Full

Date Issued

Thursday, April 30, 2026

Submitting OIG

Department of Commerce OIG

Agencies Reviewed/Investigated

Department of Commerce

Components

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Report Number

OIG-26-018-A

Report Description

Our objective was to determine whether NTIA has an adequate review process to ensure that states’ and territories’ plans meet the BEAD program’s planning phase requirements. We found that NTIA did not have an adequate review process to ensure that states’ and territories’ plans met the BEAD program’s planning phase requirements. Specifically, we found that NTIA did not have complete and accurate documentation to support its decisions for the BEAD program planning phase deliverables and experienced delays during its review of the required planning phase deliverables for the BEAD program grant awards.

We made five recommendations to NTIA to provide adequate oversight of its review of the deliverables and establish milestones or performance metrics for completing its reviews of planning phase deliverables. NTIA concurred with our recommendations and is working to implement them.

Report Type

Audit

Agency Wide

Yes

Number of Recommendations

Questioned Costs

Funds for Better Use

Report updated under NDAA 5274

External Link

https://www.oig.doc.gov/reports/?entry=68347

Open Recommendations

This report has 5 open recommendations.

Recommendation Number	Significant Recommendation	Recommended Questioned Costs	Recommended Funds for Better Use
2	No	$0	$0
We recommend that for future broadband grant programs administered by NTIA, the Associate Administrator for NTIA, Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth, ensure that the program office conducts reviews to confirm that initial, merit, and programmatic reviews are completed, ensuring applications meet program requirements.
3	No	$0	$0
We recommend that for future broadband grant programs administered by NTIA, the Associate Administrator for NTIA, Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth, ensure that training is developed and implemented for grant file reviewers that, at a minimum, addresses the responsibility for (1) evaluating applications and (2) maintaining official grant award files that are consistent and complete.
4	No	$0	$0
We recommend that for future broadband grant programs administered by NTIA, the Associate Administrator for NTIA, Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth, ensure that following the implementation of the training (described in recommendation 3), grant file reviewers complete the training and retain documentation in the grant files that support that the training was completed.
5	No	$0	$0
We recommend that the Associate Administrator for NTIA, Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth develop milestones and performance metrics for reviewing future broadband program planning phase deliverables during program planning and design as required by Office of Management and Budget circular A-11. The performance metrics should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely for measuring performance against the established review timelines.
1	No	$0	$0
We recommend that for future broadband grant programs administered by NTIA, the Associate Administrator for NTIA, Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth, ensure that NTIA FPOs confirm that the official award files are complete and accurate before they are submitted to the grants officer.