8119 - PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP FOR FILLING BROADBAND GAPS

Washtenaw County seeks proposals for the deployment of infrastructure that will provide affordable, equitable, high-speed broadband access to all residents, businesses, and anchor institutions in unserved areas of the County and support economic development. The County understands that supplementary funding will be required to fill today’s service gaps and intends to secure such funding, including by providing potential County funds and by working with respondents to seek grant funding. The County will be guided in its decisions by the recommendations of its Broadband Task Force.

Broadband access is defined as service of at least 25 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload, but the County strongly prefers investments in network infrastructure that can deliver at least 100 Mbps download speeds, ideally with symmetrical upload speeds, from wireline technology to accommodate present and future bandwidth-hungry applications.