RU Ready For A New Grant Application?

The NTIA has announced the launch of the second round of the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund's grant opportunity window. The money in play is $420 million, with a key focus on driving the adoption of Open RAN Radio Units (or O-RUs) among major operators like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and others, as outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

According to data from the Wireless Infrastructure Association, there were roughly 153 thousand cell towers in the United States as of April 2024. If we focus solely on these towers (excluding small cells, micro towers, or other radio housing locations) and assume an average of three sectors per tower, each with about 1.5 tenants or operators, and each tenant deploying at least two radios per sector to cover various frequency bands, the total exceeds 1.3 million radios.?

Although these are conservative estimates, they are sufficient to understand why the NTIA is targeting the adoption of Open RAN.

To encourage this adoption, the NTIA is offering grants of up to $40 million to RU manufacturers who can onboard operators to deploy O-RUs in their networks. Additionally, the NTIA is offering research grants across the industry up to $10 million for companies to improve the capabilities and performance of those radios to further incentivize adoption.

Did a Year Really Make a Difference?

Last year, the NTIA's release required 51 days to complete the application. Fortunately, this year, we have seen a slight improvement of 64 days, which continues to fall under the normal window of 90 days. Either set of days is going to cause heart palpitations!

The deadline for submissions is July 10th, potentially requiring work over the holiday.

This year's application requires up to 50 pages, including a 20-page Technical Proposal, a 20-page Work Plan, and a 10-page Commercial Transition Plan, a significant increase from the 20-page requirement in 2023. Despite the extended time requirement, document creation has gone from ~2.5 days per page to 1.3 days per page, leading to more heart palpitations!

Five Tips to Navigate the RU Grant Application Process

Like every other government grant window or announcement, this one creates a frenzy of panic, fear, excitement, and activity. Many are looking for help to navigate the next 60 days.

Unfortunately, I cannot support every company that wants to submit a grant. However, I wanted to share five high-level tips to help guide you through the process.

Tip #1: Read the NOFO carefully

The NOFO is your guide. It explains exactly how your concept will be evaluated and what you need to include and gives clues about what the NTIA is really hoping to achieve. It's important to read it thoughtfully a few times, make notes, and flag the points that are most important to you.

Tip #2: Don't apply if it doesn't fit

This will save you more time, expense, and angst than anything else. If you don't have a clear idea or concept that fits the NOFO, don't apply! I've seen too many companies pursue the grant because it's there, but it doesn't make sense for them. They then create massive spin and stress in their organization, all to be told "no" at the end. Be smart!

Tip #3: Get moving on "long-lead" items

If you decide to move forward, it's essential to get moving on what I would consider to be "long-lead" or high-risk items. These are the less sexy parts of the submission package, but they will absolutely make you fail the deadline if they aren't in place. These are things like,

• Setting up your grants.gov workspace
• Start any forms that will take time to complete, like the SF-328
• Reaching out to partners to start negotiations for letters of commitment

Tip #4: Don't start writing immediately

I counsel every client before they start writing any technical application, answering questions to clearly document your concept in a simple way that focuses on a few big questions, such as,

• What are you proposing?
• What problem are you solving with your proposal, and why does that fit the NOFO?
• What are the benefits of your proposal, and how does it solve the NOFO's problem set?
• What will it take?
• Why you?

This will become the strategic element of your response and get you into the headspace of writing for the benefit of the reviewer, not for your internal team. Once you have all the information to answer the NOFO, start writing your first drafts.

Tip #5: Don't wait until the last minute to submit

It is a well-known fact that grants.gov will slow down the closer you get to the submission timeline as all applicants begin uploading voluminous amounts of material. If you don't want to add a risk to your application, simply target submission a week earlier. While it makes your timelines even tighter, it also reduces a significant risk factor.

The point of all this is not to panic. If you want to place an application for the grant, it is very doable, but you have to maintain a laser-like focus on staying in line with the NOFO, answering what they want to know, and removing anything superfluous from your way.

How are you preparing for the NOFO?

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