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09/01/2025 - Gov. David M. Apatang said his administration will ask the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for more time to award the $81-million Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program contract, following a formal protest lodged by Docomo Pacific.
The telecom provider filed a complaint against the CNMI Broadband Policy and Development Office, alleging that federal cost-efficiency guidelines were ignored when a $31-million provisional award was granted to rival IT&E.
“Docomo has come out with a public statement that they want to challenge it. Well, I'm not sure what's going on yet about that. I think Docomo filed a protest on that. We have not decided what to do yet. So, until we come back from Washington, D.C., then we'll probably sit down with Broadband and find out what's going on,” Apatang told reporters at the ribbon-cutting of the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center’s solar panel project last Aug. 29.
The governor confirmed that his administration has already drafted a letter to the NTIA to formally request an extension.
“We have drafted a letter. I'm going to ask for an extension to give us time to look at the protest and see what we can do,” he said.
Pressed on whether he preferred buried or aerial cables for the CNMI’s BEAD project, Apatang said he would hold off on making any decision until the protest is resolved. Still, he emphasized the urgency of finalizing the award, particularly since the Trump administration could target the program as part of wider cost-cutting.
“I've been supporting broadband, and we want to see our people take advantage of that. It's a good program for all of us here in the Commonwealth, but we want to make sure that things are done properly,” Apatang said.
The governor is scheduled to lead the CNMI delegation to Washington, D.C., for the upcoming 902 Talks with federal counterparts.
During the Aug. 29 House session, Rep. Blas Jonathan “BJ” Attao also sounds the alarm that the CNMI risks losing the BEAD program altogether if delays continue.
“It's definitely a sensitive issue, and time is of the essence,” Attao said. “We all know that President Trump has continually pulled back on a lot of grants, and this might be one of the potential grants.”
Attao noted that the CNMI’s $80-million award would not only upgrade internet connectivity across the islands but also inject significant capital into the economy.
Rep. Vincent S. Aldan, meanwhile, urged a cautious approach, pointing out the federal oversight of the BEAD program.
“This is not something that we should be trying to push buttons on because this is a federal program with a federal jurisdiction in it,” Aldan said, adding that officials are prepared to brief the House when called upon.
Report by Mark Rabago
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