Oneida County Seeks Proposals From Internet Providers to Expand Broadband Service

County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced today that Oneida County is seeking Request for Proposals from internet providers to expand broadband service to underserved areas.

“For the past 18 months, Oneida County has been working diligently to assess our broadband needs and identify the areas that have been underserved,” Picente said. “We are now ready to partner with Internet Service Providers to deliver broadband to more residents and businesses so that everyone has an equal chance to succeed. Oneida County will be there every step of the way to guide and support these projects in any way that is needed.”

Oneida County created a $2 million capital account utilizing American Rescue Act funding to provide broadband internet service in underserved areas of the county. In 2018, the county finalized an Inventory of Broadband Assets which contained information regarding vertical assets, public and emergency facilities, commercial and industrial growth areas, downtown districts and other vital data to be utilized in developing a feasibility study for an expanded broadband internet network.

The county partnered with the Mohawk Valley Economic Development District to conduct a survey in the summer of 2021 to test internet speeds and assess the broadband needs of residents and businesses. The survey was used in part to develop a map of 52 underserved areas of the county, each of which contains 25 or more homes that that are without broadband internet.

Oneida County now seeks to partner with one or more established Internet Service Provider (ISP) to build out underserved areas and is asking for a Fiber-to-the-Home solution in order to maximize the life of its investment. Oneida County will financially support the successful ISP(s) with grant funding and other support needed to make each project financially feasible. This includes seeking municipal partners to add to the total available funding.

The full RFP document can be accessed here.

Respondents are also invited to visit Oneida County’s mapping portal here.

Interested and qualified ISPs must submit their proposals to:

Jeff Quackenbush

Deputy Commissioner of Planning

Oneida County Planning Department of Planning

Union Station, 321 Main Street

Utica, NY 13350

All proposals must be received by the Department of Planning no later than 3 p.m. on March 15, 2023. Proposals received after this date will not be accepted.

Questions regarding this RFP must be submitted to Jeff Quackenbush via email (jquackenbush@ocgov.net) or letter and received no later than 5 p.m. on February 23, 2023. Responses to any questions will be provided to all proposers.

Municipalities interested in creating a partnership to expand broadband in their areas may also contact the Planning Department at 315-798-5710.