I bet some of you are begging to be unplugged from the Matrix at this point as you scramble about trying to put together the best possible Round 2 Application you can in this very short window of time .
Well I have been told that I have been conspicuously silent amidst the melee (better known as utter BS) that has been ensuing these past few weeks.
Alas, I have awoken from my slumber (that is work for clients) to submit my two cents (for what it's worth) on recent events. My unapologetic brash take on things:
1. First, the denial to extend the deadline beyond March 15. Well just when you thought you couldn't get screwed even further by this process, we get this news that despite the fact that some of you got your rejection letters only recently and some not at all, you STILL have just a little over TWO WEEKS to prep and file your application. This is rubbish on several levels; the most obvious being that now that the government got rid of some of the ridiculous unrealistic and unreasonable requirements and definitions, you better believe there will be a very very strong pool of applicants competing for the same money this Round. I predict an increase in applications because you've got the losers from Round 1 and then those who had the luxury or foresight to sit by and watch the madness on the sidelines, learning all the while from our mistakes. All of these guys will be in this FINAL ROUND. It's not ironic that the deadline is on the Ides of March because there will indeed be many running to the death to get their applications done in time. I pity the fools...wait, I think I am one of those fools. Never mind. Just call me Titus. Beware of the ides of March, Ceasars.
2. Not getting sufficient info as to the reason for the denial. Again, how the heck is somebody or some entity supposed to fix whatever thing was wrong with their application if you don't provide ample reasoning as to what was wrong? This isn't rocket science. Heck, this isn't Rocks for Jocks Geology science. But I tell ya what, Just quit your complaining because you won't get a better answer. EVER. Stop waiting for it and get to cracking on your application already. The reason? The government given this practically insurmountable task didn't know the hell what it wanted either. So that being said, a good chunk of folks were set up for failure from the get go. I think those stupid maps and that unserved standard was to blame. People have got to realize that this entire process was a trial and error experiment for the government too. Agencies not used to dispersing this amount of cash to this many people over a short period of time were asked to perform a miracle on this one. Yeah they've messed up and messed up often, but I think we've got to cut them some slack and realize what they were up against. I have noticed that many have moved on. Let's catch up with them, shall we?
3. On landlines getting more grants than wireless and satellites and other nontraditional broadband transmission services. I am not surprised one bit. The problem though is that traditional fiber and terrestrial based projects are not QUICK to deply and wasn't one of the purposes of this all to quickly get folks connected? I imagine there will be indeed plenty of jobs created by folks having to dig trenches to start or complete a fiber ring. In the end of the day, all those wireless, broadband by powerlines, satellite and other transmission projects must realize that those mechanisms for getting broadband to the underserved and unserved are not as reliable, tested as down home wireline. So...it's not right but I think the government may have been playing it safe here in not wanting to pass out taxpayer dollars to unchartered territories that way. I don't think it's right because there are lots of innovation, creativity and unique platforms out there that I think would definitely work. Then, when you are talking for rural areas, wired services just isn't an option. Beggars can't be choosers so while the folks in urban epicenters with legacy networks firing up their broadband may have the best access, the wireless options would have been the very next best option to getting high speed access. Over time, technology will catch up sooner than expected and the QOS (quality of service) concerns will evolve and resolve themselves over time.
4. Minority , rural and Native American tribal communities not getting funded. Well you best believe there will be plenty of uproar and complaints being made on the Hill and to the White House on this one. The minority groups have a sympathetic ear at least this go round as the President is big on opening opportunities for groups not traditionally awarded these types of grants. SO NO SDB (read minority groups) got a grant though I learned that 13 of NTIA's 30 awardees said they had SDB contractors to get that one point. Whoop dee doo! And about rural communities not being funded as much as expected, well isn't that some stuff? This entire project was for those poor blokes in the first place. I'm shaking my head on that one. Finally, the Native Americans are still getting shafted, I see. What else is new?
5. Finally, I think it's high time we quit being a bunch of winey cry babies. It is what it is and us sitting around Twittering and Blogging about the Asaniness isn't gonna change a damn thing. Really, we protested, signed petitions and we couldn't even get a frigging extension of a week even. Dang it!
I haven't gotten a chance to dig into RUS's Round 2 App yet, but I have looked into and started helping out clients applying for the BTOP program. The answer to what you need to win this round I believe lies in the BTOP's "Key Metrics Dashboard" which you can download here. Within the lines of this chart which asks for various specific details about the project is the invisible SCORE SHEET we never got to see. The difference between getting a due diligence invite or not. What BTOP asks for in this document make up nice PR soundbites for a release and report to the White House. Your answer must be impressive, but REALISTIC. I do believe some Round 1 applicants started to believe their own hype and over stated what they can accomplish in their project. All it did was make them look amateurish and not qualified to pull it off. I've been wrong before but many times more right than not so...take that advice with a grain of salt.
Me? I'm going back in the trenches and hope to surface again more frequently to share news, scoops, and other deets as I get them.
Well I have been told that I have been conspicuously silent amidst the melee (better known as utter BS) that has been ensuing these past few weeks.
Alas, I have awoken from my slumber (that is work for clients) to submit my two cents (for what it's worth) on recent events. My unapologetic brash take on things:
1. First, the denial to extend the deadline beyond March 15. Well just when you thought you couldn't get screwed even further by this process, we get this news that despite the fact that some of you got your rejection letters only recently and some not at all, you STILL have just a little over TWO WEEKS to prep and file your application. This is rubbish on several levels; the most obvious being that now that the government got rid of some of the ridiculous unrealistic and unreasonable requirements and definitions, you better believe there will be a very very strong pool of applicants competing for the same money this Round. I predict an increase in applications because you've got the losers from Round 1 and then those who had the luxury or foresight to sit by and watch the madness on the sidelines, learning all the while from our mistakes. All of these guys will be in this FINAL ROUND. It's not ironic that the deadline is on the Ides of March because there will indeed be many running to the death to get their applications done in time. I pity the fools...wait, I think I am one of those fools. Never mind. Just call me Titus. Beware of the ides of March, Ceasars.
2. Not getting sufficient info as to the reason for the denial. Again, how the heck is somebody or some entity supposed to fix whatever thing was wrong with their application if you don't provide ample reasoning as to what was wrong? This isn't rocket science. Heck, this isn't Rocks for Jocks Geology science. But I tell ya what, Just quit your complaining because you won't get a better answer. EVER. Stop waiting for it and get to cracking on your application already. The reason? The government given this practically insurmountable task didn't know the hell what it wanted either. So that being said, a good chunk of folks were set up for failure from the get go. I think those stupid maps and that unserved standard was to blame. People have got to realize that this entire process was a trial and error experiment for the government too. Agencies not used to dispersing this amount of cash to this many people over a short period of time were asked to perform a miracle on this one. Yeah they've messed up and messed up often, but I think we've got to cut them some slack and realize what they were up against. I have noticed that many have moved on. Let's catch up with them, shall we?
3. On landlines getting more grants than wireless and satellites and other nontraditional broadband transmission services. I am not surprised one bit. The problem though is that traditional fiber and terrestrial based projects are not QUICK to deply and wasn't one of the purposes of this all to quickly get folks connected? I imagine there will be indeed plenty of jobs created by folks having to dig trenches to start or complete a fiber ring. In the end of the day, all those wireless, broadband by powerlines, satellite and other transmission projects must realize that those mechanisms for getting broadband to the underserved and unserved are not as reliable, tested as down home wireline. So...it's not right but I think the government may have been playing it safe here in not wanting to pass out taxpayer dollars to unchartered territories that way. I don't think it's right because there are lots of innovation, creativity and unique platforms out there that I think would definitely work. Then, when you are talking for rural areas, wired services just isn't an option. Beggars can't be choosers so while the folks in urban epicenters with legacy networks firing up their broadband may have the best access, the wireless options would have been the very next best option to getting high speed access. Over time, technology will catch up sooner than expected and the QOS (quality of service) concerns will evolve and resolve themselves over time.
4. Minority , rural and Native American tribal communities not getting funded. Well you best believe there will be plenty of uproar and complaints being made on the Hill and to the White House on this one. The minority groups have a sympathetic ear at least this go round as the President is big on opening opportunities for groups not traditionally awarded these types of grants. SO NO SDB (read minority groups) got a grant though I learned that 13 of NTIA's 30 awardees said they had SDB contractors to get that one point. Whoop dee doo! And about rural communities not being funded as much as expected, well isn't that some stuff? This entire project was for those poor blokes in the first place. I'm shaking my head on that one. Finally, the Native Americans are still getting shafted, I see. What else is new?
5. Finally, I think it's high time we quit being a bunch of winey cry babies. It is what it is and us sitting around Twittering and Blogging about the Asaniness isn't gonna change a damn thing. Really, we protested, signed petitions and we couldn't even get a frigging extension of a week even. Dang it!
I haven't gotten a chance to dig into RUS's Round 2 App yet, but I have looked into and started helping out clients applying for the BTOP program. The answer to what you need to win this round I believe lies in the BTOP's "Key Metrics Dashboard" which you can download here. Within the lines of this chart which asks for various specific details about the project is the invisible SCORE SHEET we never got to see. The difference between getting a due diligence invite or not. What BTOP asks for in this document make up nice PR soundbites for a release and report to the White House. Your answer must be impressive, but REALISTIC. I do believe some Round 1 applicants started to believe their own hype and over stated what they can accomplish in their project. All it did was make them look amateurish and not qualified to pull it off. I've been wrong before but many times more right than not so...take that advice with a grain of salt.
Me? I'm going back in the trenches and hope to surface again more frequently to share news, scoops, and other deets as I get them.
Do you take the RED pill (See how far the rabbit hole goes) or
the BLUE (Wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe)??
the BLUE (Wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe)??
YOUR CHOICE FOLKS!
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