Accelerating Digital Equity

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In Los Angeles County, it is estimated that approximately 320,000 households lack broadband internet service. The disproportionate impacts are mostly located in lower income communities and among populations that are predominantly Black and Latino/a/x. Several government initiatives are underway to address this crisis, yet digital inequities persist in both rural and urban areas. The County of Los Angeles (County) Board of Supervisors (Board) directed the County Internal Services Department to assess viable options for the County of Los Angeles to facilitate residential access to reliable broadband service in low-income communities where greater than 20% of the households lack internet service, based on data from the United States Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. The purpose of this website is to provide relevant information to the public on this topic, process, and programs.

Board Actions & Reports:

On August 31, 2021, the Board unanimously adopted a motion to assess options for the County of Los Angeles to facilitate residential access to reliable broadband service in low-income communities that lack affordable, high-speed internet service.
On September 30, 2021, ISD submitted a report outlining options for the Board to consider, including the option to deploy Community Broadband Networks.
On November 16, 2021, the Board unanimously approved a motion to advance the Community Broadband Networks by instructing ISD to coordinate implementation.
On February 7, 2022, ISD submitted its first quarterly progress report on the status of the various workstreams.
On May 13, 2022, ISD submitted its second quarterly progress report on the status of the various workstreams.
On July 7, 2022, ISD submitted a progress report on the status of the various workstreams.
On August 11, 2022, ISD submitted its third quarterly progress report on the status of the various workstreams.
On November 10, 2022, ISD submitted its fourth quarterly progress report on the status of the various workstreams.
On February 10, 2023, ISD submitted its fifth quarterly progress report on the status of the various workstreams.
On May 11, 2023, ISD submitted its sixth quarterly progress report on the status of the various workstreams.
On August 9, 2023, ISD submitted its seventh quarterly progress report on the status of the various workstreams.
On November 8, 2023, ISD submitted its eighth quarterly progress report on the status of the various workstreams.
On February 8, 2024, ISD submitted its ninth quarterly progress report on the status of the various workstreams.
On May 13, 2024, ISD submitted its tenth quarterly progress report on the status of the various workstreams.

Maps & Data:

https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ cb6759c16c9c4093b5254f065828fb39

Affordable Connectivity Program:

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a federal benefit program that provides, among other things, a $30 per month discount toward internet service for qualifying households. Launched at the end of 2021, the ACP is a $14.2 billion broadband affordability program authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.
On January 11, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued notice that funding for ACP was projected to run out in April 2024, unless Congress appropriates additional funding. As Congress has not provided additional funding at the time of this website update, ACP households may receive a partial ACP discount from their internet company in May 2024. Consequently, the FCC began taking steps to wind-down the ACP program, including:
- No new ACP enrollments will be accepted after February 7, 2024.
- Households enrolled in ACP prior to February 7, 2024, will continue to receive program benefits until the funding ends.
- After funds expire, households will no longer receive ACP subsidies.
- Internet service providers are required to send three written notices to their ACP households beginning in January 2024.
- If Congress approves more funding for the ACP, the FCC will provide further guidance and instructions on how the ACP will proceed.
The FCC requires that internet service providers notify subscribers that the program is ending, impact on their bill, date when the last bill will include the ACP benefit, and the opportunity to change their service or opt-out of continuing service. Additionally, the Universal Service Administrative Company as the FCC’s program administrator will provide notification to enrolled households.
As of February 2024, more than 983,000 of the estimated 1.6 million eligible households had enrolled in ACP. Los Angeles County has the most enrollments of any county in the nation and has more enrollments than 45 states.
For more information on ACP and the FCC’s Wind-Down Order, please visit https://www.fcc.gov/acp

Community Broadband Network:

The Community Broadband Network is one of the strategies that the Board has directed the County to pursue to accelerate digital equity.
The County’s Community Broadband Networks will rely potentially on landlines and/or radio links, leveraging equipment mounted to public buildings, streetlights, and other community real estate assets to deliver high-speed connections to households or other end users who are equipped to receive the signal.
On January 7, 2022, as part of the planning process, the County of Los Angeles released a Request for Comments (RFC) seeking input from market participants to inform the solicitation requirements, network structure, technical specifications, evaluation metrics, and any other topics that will be instructive to facilitating a competitive solicitation. The responses to the RFC can be found here.
On March 21, 2022, the County released a Request for Statement of Qualifications for the Installation and Operation of Community Wireless Networks to Deliver Residential Broadband Services. The Internal Services Department will be continuously accepting Statements of Qualifications through September 13, 2027. Qualified vendors may Download a copy of the Community Broadband Network RFSQ and apply at any time through September 13, 2027.
On July 13, 2022, the County released an addendum to the RFSQ to clarify and rename it to: “Request for Statement of Qualifications for the Installation and Operation of Community Broadband Networks to Deliver Residential Broadband Services.”
Download a copy of the Community Broadband Network RFSQ
In order to protect the integrity and confidentiality of the solicitation process, any questions related to the RFSQ should be directed to CommunityBroadband@isd.lacounty.gov.

Community Broadband Network Services Master Agreement (CBNSMA)

May 14, 2024, Update

To date, ISD has released three Work Order Solicitations (WOS) under the CBNSMA, covering demonstration projects in East Los Angeles, South Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, and Southeast Los Angeles. Under these solicitations, the County is seeking qualified Community Broadband Network Services Master Agreement Vendors to deploy and to operate retail broadband internet service that is affordable, highly reliable, and high quality within certain underserved communities experiencing the digital divide in Los Angeles County. All three WOS are now closed to proposals and are either pending award decisions or have been awarded.

On April 25, 2024, and pursuant to the CBNSMA and Work Order Solicitation #1, ISD executed two Work Orders with WeLink Communications, Inc., to deploy and operate retail broadband internet service in East Los Angeles & Boyle Heights and South Los Angeles. The project is expected to begin construction in Summer 2024 and with initial service rolling out beginning in the Fall 2024. The infrastructure build-out is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Major funding is provided by the American Rescue Plan Act. Also, funding for this project has been provided in part through a grant for Local Agency Technical Assistance from a program administered by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

For more information on the East Los Angeles & Boyle Heights and South Los Angeles CBN internet service: https://www.deletethedivide.org/affordable-internet/
Press inquiries: Angel Thompson, Public Information Specialist, athompson@isd.lacounty.gov
Solicitation and Contracts communications only: CommunityBroadband@isd.lacounty.gov

Definitions

The following terms are commonly used in the Purchasing and Contracting process:

Addendum

A written document attached or added to a solicitation after it has been released, to clarify, modify, or support the information in the original document. An addendum becomes part of the solicitation document.

Amendment

A change to a contract made by adding, modifying, or omitting a certain provision or term. Amended contracts, when properly executed (signed by all parties concerned), retain the legal validity of the original contract.

Bid

A document submitted by a Bidder in response to an Invitation for Bids or Request for Bids.

Bidder

One who responds to a solicitation with a bid.

Board of Supervisors

The five-member governing body of the County of Los Angeles.

Cash Discount

An allowance or deduction granted by the vendor that reduces the price of goods received. This is typically used as an incentive to pay an invoice within a specific time frame.

Commodity

A commercial article (goods).

Conference, Bidders'/Proposers

An open forum for vendors to receive clarification on the points outlined in the solicitation and ask questions concerning the solicitation.

Contract/Agreement

A legal, binding document between the County and a vendor as a result of a solicitation process. A contract may also result by a sole source determination.

Contractor

A vendor with whom the County has entered into a contractual relationship.

County

The County of Los Angeles.

Department

The departments, commissions, or committees under the jurisdiction of the County of Los Angeles.

Director

The department head.

Evaluation

The process by which the County reviews and analyzes bids/proposals in comparison to established criteria and which result in the recommended selection of a contractor.

Invitation for Bids (IFB)/Request for Bids (RFB)

A solicitation based on a very specific and non-negotiable statement of work. Contract award is made to the lowest most responsible and responsive bidder.

Job Walk/Site Visit

An on-site visit by potential bidders/proposers to a location to observe the operation, layout of a facility, a system or equipment.

Living Wage

A program that requires contractors to pay its full-time employees, who provide Proposition A and Cafeteria services to the County, the applicable living wage pursuant to Los Angeles County Code, Chapter 2.201.

Master Agreement

A legal, binding document between the County and a contractor as a result of a Request for Statement of Qualifications solicitation process. The Terms and Conditions of a Master Agreement are not negotiable.

Non-responsibility

Finding a vendor incapable of performing as a responsible County contractor, based on performance history or other relevant documentation.

Non-responsive

The failure of a vendor to comply with all solicitation requirements making the Proposal/Bid/SOQ ineligible for consideration during the evaluation/review process.

Oral Interview

An interview between the Evaluation Committee and the Proposer to clarify the contents of the proposal or to conduct a product demonstration.

Proposal

A document submitted by a Proposer in response to a Request for Proposals. A Proposal provides services and/or solutions to an identified need at a particular price under given Terms and Conditions.

Proposer(s)

One who responds to a solicitation with a proposal.

Proposition A

Contracts subject to Los Angeles County Code, Chapter 2.121, which permits contracting when more economical or feasible.

Quotation

A statement of price, terms of sale, and description of goods or services offered by a vendor to the County.

Request for Information

A market survey used to solicit information and/or interest level from potential vendors, gather information on new developments/ technology in certain industries, and/or identify project price estimates for budgeting purposes. An RFI does not result in contract award.

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Solicitation based on proposed solutions in response to a defined need of the County. Contract recommended for award to the proposer who submits the proposal deemed to be in the overall best interest of the County (generally the highest-ranking proposer).

Request for Statement of Qualifications (RFSQ)

Solicitation based on establishing a pool of pre-qualified contractors to provide services on an as needed basis through Master Agreements.

Responsible

A bidder/proposer that has conducted themselves in an acceptable manner as determined by the Board of Supervisors (see County Code 2.202.030), and has the financial and managerial ability to perform the required work.

Responsive

Vendor who submits a bid/proposal to the County that complies with all solicitation requirements.

Service

Work activity performed by a vendor to fulfill the needs of the County.

Solicitation Document

A document developed by the County to obtain bids, proposals, and other information from bidders/proposers.

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ)

A document submitted by a vendor in response to a Request for Statement of Qualifications. SOQs provide information on the vendor’s background, experience, and financial capability in order to qualify for a Master Agreement.

Statement of Work (SOW)

A detailed statement of the services being provided or requested.

Submission Deadline

The time and date specified by the County for receipt of bids/proposals.

Vendor

An organization/company submitting a bid or proposal in response to the County's solicitation for goods and/or services.

WebVen

The County’s database and website, hosted by the Internal Services Department, used by vendors to register to do business with the County of Los Angeles.

Work Order

A document, which includes a Statement of Work, requesting bids for specific services from a pre-qualified pool of contractors that have Master Agreements. An executed Work Order becomes part of the Master Agreement.