Funding Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) WebsiteCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
Action Items # 03.
Copyrighted
November 6, 2023
ITEM TITLE: Funding Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Website
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending City Council approve the funding to support
the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) website and hosting
services, including analytics through December of 2024 in the amount of
$145,544.26.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
MVM Memo City Manager Memo
Funding Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Staff Memo
Website Memo to the City Manager
THE CITY
DUOF
B TEE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Funding Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Website
DATE: October 31, 2023
Dubuque
All -America City
IN
2007.2012.2013
2017*2019
Chief Information Officer Chris Kohlmann is recommending City Council approve the
funding to support the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) website and hosting
services, including analytics through December of 2024 in the amount of $145,544.26.
Chris further recommends that the funding for the ACP website and hosting services,
including analytics, be continued along with a campaign to engage households as shown
on the City of Dubuque project map beginning in the Spring of 2024. The outreach
campaign would be a coordinated effort by the City of Dubuque, (Office of Shared
Prosperity, Public Information Office, Information Technology), ImOn, and CGM, LLC.
The campaign would extend through the end of calendar year 2024 when ImOn is
expected to be complete with their build in the City of Dubuque.
The funding source is FY23 General Fund savings identified by Chief Financial Officer
Jennifer Larson.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
k�4
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
L140LWA
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Chris Kohlmann, Chief Information Officer
Jennifer Larson, Chief Financial Officer
Alexis Steger, Housing and Community Development Director
Anderson Sainci, Director Office of Shared Prosperity, and Neighborhood
Support
Dave Lyons, Sustainable Innovations Consultant
Randy Gehl Public Information Director
Mary Bridget Corken Deutsch, Community Development Specialist
THE CITY OF
DUB TE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Chris Kohlmann, Information Services Manager
SUBJECT: Funding Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Website
DATE: October 10, 2023
INTRODUCTION.
Dubuque
IIFlmeriw Cft
2007.2012.2013
2017*2019
The purpose of this memo is to provide information on funding needs to maintain the
service for hosting, and engagement for the website acp.cityofdubuque.org.
BACKGROUND.
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a program created by the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law (BIL) to lower Internet costs. ACP provides eligible households up to
$30/month (or $75/month on Tribal lands) off their Internet bills, as well as a one-time
$100 discount off a laptop, tablet, or computer. Eligible households must both apply for
the program and contact a participating provider to select a service plan. Some
providers may have an alternative application that they will ask you to complete. Not all
internet service providers participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program.
To address some of the complexities of application along with getting participants to the
provider site as easily as possible, the City of Dubuque engaged CGM, LLC (CGM), a
Georgia limited liability corporation to create a front-end web site that:
• Assists applicants in determining if their household is qualified for the program.
• Gathers initial application information.
• Provides a list of available providers in the area along with the monthly rate.
• Links applicants to provider websites to complete the application process.
CGM also collects click rate and sign-up data. Their contract includes online campaigns
using search engine analytics. The fee for hosting, website maintenance, support,
engagement, and analytics is $5000/month.
In FY2022 a budget of $100,000 was provided for this initiative, using Community
Development Block grant (CDBG) funding(180-61-0000-76-750-6170-00-02-64135
Project 6100200020-180-64135.) Expenses to date have been:
FY 2022 — 23 (website hosting, website maintenance, support, engagement, and
analytics) $80,544
FY 2024 $19,456 (carryover from FY23.)
In February 2023, was notified by Community Development Specialist Mary Bridget
Corken Deutsch that CDBG funds could no longer be used as a funding source as there
was no budget. I had paid invoices to CGM through January 2023 and have been
holding the invoices until a source of funding is determined.
DISCUSSION.
The most current data show the following metrics for households in Dubuque were
assisted by the ACP.cityofdubuque.org website and proceeded to receive the
$30/month assistance with broadband services:
• FY 22 341 Households Served
• FY 23 681 Households Served (through March 2023)
The analytics also show a high number of visitors (33%) to the site click through to a
sign-up page. In addition, engagement using both our own messaging through City of
Dubuque social media and online outreach as well as online campaigns using Google
data result in additional sign ups. Aggregately, those being served by the ACP have
received a $244,800 aggregate annual savings ($30/month/household.)
In 2022, the City focused on an analysis of broadband availability, affordability and
accessibility applying for a Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) grant.
The BEAD grant project area was determined by overlaying existing areas of financial
need, as well as proximity to Tier 1 schools. All the households within the project area
are within CDBG funding qualified locations. The target area is reflected on the map in
the yellow highlighted region and includes 286 census blocks with a population as
reflected in the 2022 census data of 12,700 and a total of 5,523 households.
The targeted project area
for broadband need is a
mix of residential and small
business customers. It is
more densely populated
than most areas of the city
and is part of Dubuque's
older residential areas.
The households consist of
multi -family, single family,
owner occupied and rental
units. The target area is
home to active businesses,
as well as offices or
facilities for businesses
headquartered in other
areas of the
community. These
businesses represent
many of the oldest and
smallest businesses in the
community including the
"Central Avenue
Corridor.". This corridor
connects Dubuque's
central downtown and
Historic Millwork District to
the city's North End. It features a wide variety of historic buildings offering commercial
and retail opportunities on the ground floor and residential spaces on upper floors. This
area also contains the highest percentage of minority owned businesses in the
community.
In 2024(March — November,) ImOn has scheduled installation of fiber to the home
(FTTH) internet services in the north -end neighborhoods of the Dubuque including the
areas identified for the grant assistance (yellow shaded area on the above map.)
It would be timely to work with ImOn to engage households located in and around the
project area for sign-up for ACP assistance. The acp.cityofdubuque.org website would
assist in a simplified signup and an ability to target marketing and engagement. The
goal would be to engage as many households as possible.
BUDGETIMPACT
As outlined in the background of this memo, in FY2023 $19,456 was available in CDBG
funding and $50,000 has been expensed to date this fiscal year, resulting in the CDBG
budget for broadband to be overspent by $30,544.26.
There is a total due to CGM of $40,000 (February - September) for invoices not paid.
If the website is to continue to be active and available through the end of calendar year
2024 $75,000 (October 23 — December 2024) would be needed.
In summary:
• Amount due to CDBG for funds overspent $30,544.26
• Amount due for outstanding invoices $40,000.00
• Budget needed to continue ACP site through December 2024 $75,000.00
• Total funds needed $145,544.26
The funding source is FY23 General Fund savings identified by Chief Financial Officer
Jennifer Larson charged to GL code: 100-77-0000-76-750-7770-00-02-64900.
RECOMMENDATION AND ACTION REQUESTED.
I recommend that the funding for the ACP website and hosting services, including
analytics, be continued along with a campaign to engage households as shown on the
City of Dubuque project map beginning in the Spring of 2024. The outreach campaign
would be a coordinated effort by the City of Dubuque, (Office of Shared Prosperity, PIO,
IT) ImOn and CGM. I can facilitate this effort. The campaign would extend through the
end of calendar year 2024 when ImOn is expected to be complete with their build in the
City of Dubuque.
I would ask that you review the memo, requested funding source and approve the
recommendation,
c.c. Jennifer Larson, Chief Financial Officer
Alexis Steger, Housing and Community Development Director
Anderson Sainci, Director of Office of Shared Prosperity, and Neighborhood
Support
Dave Lyons, Sustainable Innovations Consultant
Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer
Mary Bridget Corken Deutsch, Community Development Specialist