These resources provide the necessary information to successfully manage the administrative and programmatic requirements throughout the life cycle of a BTOP grant. The documents and links provided include introductory grant information, community outreach resources, and other relevant materials.

NOTE: For American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) guidance and Department of Commerce grants policy, go to the Compliance section of this site.

Fact Sheets

Below is a comprehensive list of all post-award recipient fact sheets.
Click here for a zip file of all fact sheets.

• BTOP Sale, Lease, Transfer, Disposition, and Mortgage of Infrastructure Project Assets Fact Sheet (April 2015)
• ARRA Reporting Fact Sheet (updated August 2010) – See the Reporting section for more information.
• Audit Fact Sheet (updated November 2010)
• Automated Standard Application for Payment (ASAP) Registration Process Fact Sheet (updated August 2010)
• Buy American Requirement Fact Sheet (March 2012) - See the Department of Commerce Grants Policy and Guidance section for more information.
• Contract Flow-down of Award Terms Fact Sheet (February 2012) - Overview and guidance for recipients incorporating certain terms and conditions of their BTOP awards to contracts negotiated with a contractor or vendors.
• Davis-Bacon Act Requirements Fact Sheet (updated July 2012) - Explains ARRA requirement that BTOP grant award recipients, subrecipients, contractors, and subcontractors comply with Davis-Bacon Act wage requirements.
• Endangered Species Act Fact Sheet (updated August 2010) – See the Environmental Compliance section for more information.
• Federal Interest Requirements Fact Sheet (updated July 2011) – See the Department of Commerce Grants Policy and Guidance section for more information.
• Historic Preservation Act Fact Sheet (updated September 2010) – See the Compliance section for more information.
• Indirect Cost Rates Fact Sheet (November 2010) - See the Department of Commerce Grants Policy and Guidance section for more information.
• Non-Duplication of E-Rate Funding Fact Sheet (June 2011) – See the Financial Requirements and Cost Principles for more information.
• Nondiscrimination and Interconnection Obligations Fact Sheet (November 2010)
• Post Award Modifications Fact Sheet (updated August 2010)
• Program Income Fact Sheet (January 2012) - See the Financial Requirements and Cost Principles section for more information.
• Recipient and Third-Party In-Kind Contributions Fact Sheet (updated December 2011) - See the Financial Requirements and Cost Principles section for more information.
• Signage Guidance Fact Sheet (updated September 2010)
• Subrecipients and Contractors Fact Sheet (updated August 2010)
• Subrecipient Monitoring Fact Sheet (March 2011)
• Use of Recovery Act Logo Fact Sheet (updated August 2010)
• Useful Life Schedule Fact Sheet (August 2010) - See the Department of Commerce Grants Policy and Guidance section for more information.
• 700 MHz Low Risk Project Fact Sheet (May 2012)
• BTOP Public Safety Broadband Fact Sheet (May 2012)
• Match Documentation Fact Sheet (July 2012)
• Sale/Lease Restriction, Indefeasible Rights-of-Use, and Fiber Swaps Fact Sheet (August 2013)
• BTOP Treatment of Property During and After Closeout Fact Sheet (March 2014)
• Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Documentation Renewal Process (August 2014) – Checklist to assist recipients in understanding their obligations under the BTOP grant award regarding the UCC renewal process.
• Ongoing Post-Closeout Requirements (February 2015) – Guidance to help recipients understand their ongoing obligations after their BTOP award is officially closed.

Recipient Handbook and Welcome Packet

Each recipient must comply with various requirements over the life of the project, from accepting the award through project completion and award closeout. These documents contain initial award information and serve as reference guides for general questions and information about the grant completion process.

• BTOP Recipient Handbook (updated March 2013)

Navigate directly to Handbook sections:

• Preface
• Chapter 1: Award Recipient Responsibilities
• Chapter 2: Project Start-Up Activities
• Chapter 3: Draw Down Funds
• Chapter 4: How to Comply with Environmental SACs
• Chapter 5: Recipient Reporting
• Chapter 6: Project Modifications and Award Action Requests
• Chapter 7: Project Closeout Activities
• Chapter 8: Grant Administration Standards: Complying with Award Terms
• Chapter 9: Understanding Stakeholder and Media Relations
• Appendix A: BTOP Recipient Master Checklist of Activities
• Appendix B: Helpful Resources
• Appendix C: Glossary
• Appendix D: Acronym List
• Appendix E: Grantee Environmental Commitment Schedule Checklist
• Appendix F: Fact Sheets

Round 1 Recipient Welcome Packet (Public Computer Center and Sustainable Broadband Adoption Recipients).

• Instructions for Executing the Grant Agreement
• Grants Timeline
• Instructions for Federal Reporting
• Welcome Packet FAQs

Round 1 Recipient Welcome Packet (Infrastructure Recipients).

• Instructions for Executing the Grant Agreement
• Grants Timeline
• Instructions for Federal Reporting
• Welcome Packet FAQs

Community Outreach Resources

NTIA encourages recipients to implement community outreach activities and build relationships with local residents, community anchor institutions, businesses, schools, public safety agencies, and healthcare providers. The following toolkit provides ideas and tools for implementing outreach activities that can fit project goals, reach stakeholders, and deliver key messages.

• Community Outreach Toolkit

• Instructions for Submitting Project Achievement Information, Photos, and Videos

Signage and Logo Guidance

Primary Emblem

Projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) can use the Recovery Act emblem. This emblem is a symbol of President Obama’s commitment to invest tax dollars wisely to put Americans back to work.

All Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grantees from all funding rounds are required to use the Recovery Act emblem in display signage on construction sites. The July 2009 and January 2010 BTOP Notices of Funds Availability state the following requirement:

Grantees may satisfy the signage requirements above by using the Primary or BroadbandUSA Emblems shown here and following all guidelines for size, clear space, and color. Complete signage and graphics guidelines are provided below along with camera-ready, high-resolution emblem artwork TIF, JPEG and EPS formats.

BroadbandUSA Emblem

• Signage Guidance Fact Sheet – Detailed recipient guidance for meeting BTOP signage requirements (updated September 2010).
• Additional Uses of Recovery Logo Fact Sheet – General guidelines and specifications for using the Recovery Act logo and the BroadbandUSA emblem in project promotional and informational materials.

Graphics for Recovery Act and BroadbandUSA emblems.

Conflicts of Interest

Over the course of the application process and post-award project completion process, conflicts of interest may arise. This document identifies potential conflicts and offers suggestions on ways to mitigate any potential issues.

• Federal Assistance Law Division: It’s the Law, Volume 11, Conflicts of Interest

Subrecipients and Contractors

Each recipient may work with subrecipients, contractors, and vendors for assistance throughout the course of the awarded projects. The following documents provide guidance on role determination and the associated requirements.

• Federal Assistance Law Division: It’s the Law, Volume 13, Subawards or Contractors – Describes differences between contractors and subrecipients, and reviews the requirements that apply to each group.
• Subrecipients and Contractors Fact Sheet (updated August 2010)– Compares subrecipients and contractors to help recipients determine the role of project contributors.
• Subrecipient Monitoring Fact Sheet (March 2011)
• Monitoring Subrecipients (February 2011)

Tax Guidance

On September 23, 2010, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued new revenue procedure that applies to for-profit BTOP CCI/Infrastructure award recipients. The following documents provide more information on the guidance:

• IRS Guidance on Grant Taxation (February 2010)
• New IRS guidance: 26 CFR 601.105: Examination of returns and claims for refund, credit, or abatement; determination of correct tax liability (September 2010)

700 MHz Public Safety Program

• 700 MHz Low Risk Project Fact Sheet (May 2012) - Overview of public safety 700 MHz project investments that are likely to be at a lower risk of being incompatible with the ultimate nationwide network.
• BTOP Public Safety Broadband Fact Sheet (May 2012) - Frequently Asked Questions for conforming existing state and local 700 MHz public safety projects with the nationwide public safety network.
• 700 MHz Public Safety Projects FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions for completing negotiations with the First Responder Network Authority for use of its 700 MHz public safety broadband spectrum.