Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program in Michigan, administered by the Michigan High-Speed Internet Office (MIHI) within the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), is designed to close the digital divide and ensure that every home, business, and community anchor institution across the state has access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet service. Michigan received $1.559 billion in federal funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to support comprehensive infrastructure deployment, mapping, and digital inclusion activities.

Eligible subgrantees include private internet service providers, electric and telephone cooperatives, nonprofit organizations, public-private partnerships, public or private utilities, public utility districts, and local government entities. Projects deployed on Tribal Lands require explicit consent from the relevant Tribal Nation. Applicants must also satisfy strict fair labor and workforce compliance requirements, including submitting records of labor law compliance for the past three years, past performance on similar infrastructure projects, staffing and contracting arrangements, prevailing wage and overtime standards, and plans for workplace safety committees.

Eligible projects focus primarily on last-mile network deployment to unserved locations (lacking 25/3 Mbps service), underserved locations (lacking 100/20 Mbps service), and eligible Community Anchor Institutions (requiring 1/1 Gbps symmetrical service). Middle-mile deployment is eligible only when integrated into a project to ensure the technical feasibility and financial sustainability of last-mile service to eligible locations; standalone middle-mile projects are ineligible. Priority Projects deploy end-to-end fiber-optic networks delivering at least 1/1 Gbps speeds, while Non-Priority Projects deploy fiber, coaxial cable, or licensed fixed wireless delivering at least 100/20 Mbps with latency under 100 milliseconds.

Michigan utilized a two-step application process consisting of mandatory pre-registration followed by project application submission. Project areas were defined using a standardized 1.5-mile hexagonal grid across the state, requiring applicants to commit to connecting all eligible locations within selected hexagons. Pre-registration opened on June 28, 2024, and Round 1 project applications ran through April 9, 2025. Following the NTIA BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice issued on June 6, 2025, MIHI administered a 'Benefit of the Bargain Round' with registrations accepted from July 7 through July 21, 2025, and final applications accepted from July 21 through August 4, 2025.