Michael Baker International Selected to Support FCC Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric Project

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May 18, 2022, 13:37 ET

Firm serving as subconsultant to CostQuest Associates to support the rebuild of the FCC National Broadband Map

PITTSBURGH, May 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, planning and consulting services, today announced that the firm has been selected to support the U.S. Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) rebuild of the National Broadband Map. Specifically, Michael Baker will support the FCC Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric (BSLF) project as a subconsultant to CostQuest Associates (CQA). Under Michael Baker's Consulting and Technology Solutions (CTS) vertical, the firm will partner with CQA to support, extend and enhance the BSLF as part of the Broadband DATA Act of 2020.

"Throughout the country, there is the need for more universal broadband access," said Jeremy Jurick, GISP, National Broadband Services Director at Michael Baker International. "The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides billions of dollars for broadband planning and deployment. Michael Baker is committed to Making a Difference in the communities that we serve and the BSLF project is an important step in identifying the geographic needs related to offering increased broadband access to close the digital divide. We are thrilled to be part of such a historic broadband investment that will be unmatched in this generation."

The BSLF project is a national initiative involving all 50 U.S. States, U.S. Territories and the District of Columbia. The project's goal is to map all broadband serviceable locations nationwide and will be used to match broadband provider submissions of service availability, and associated technology attributes, to build more granular broadband location maps. The project will assist with the collection of more accurate data and unify geocoding across the broadband industry.

Michael Baker's scope of work to support CQA on the BSLF includes:

Pre-release quality assurance testing
Application Programming Interface (API) development, hosting, support and maintenance
Help Desk support
Ad-hoc support

"Michael Baker has substantial experience in broadband program management, mapping, and planning at the federal, state, regional and county levels," said David Price, GISP, Broadband Program Manager at Michael Baker International. "We look forward to supporting CQA and the FCC with this important mapping initiative that sets the stage for the distribution of billions of dollars of IIJA broadband funding."

Michael Baker has extensive experience in supporting governmental organizations in planning for and helping manage the rollout of broadband services and programs for its clients' unserved and underserved constituencies. The firm delivers broadband projects across the country by identifying unserved locations, developing the framework for affordability programs, engaging stakeholders to identify users, uses and usage, implementing connected smart city technology and coordinating broadband implementation on surface transportation improvement projects.

Michael Baker's nationwide broadband planning and implementation work is completed under the firm's newly announced Consulting and Technology Solutions (CTS) Vertical, which combines the firm's technology offerings, including Geospatial Information Technology (GIT) and GIS; DATAMARK, the public safety GIS team of Michael Baker; Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Pavement Technologies; and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). The CTS team is comprised of nearly 200 technology experts focusing on technology differentiation and innovation to support Michael Baker's growth initiatives, identifying and incubating technologies and maximizing opportunities with consulting and technology-based solutions.

About Michael Baker International
Michael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services with Practices that encompass all facets of infrastructure, including design, civil engineering, planning, architecture, environmental, construction and program management. For more than 80 years, the company has been a trusted partner to commercial clients, all branches of the military and federal, state and municipal governments, providing comprehensive services and solutions. Embracing emerging technologies and the latest innovations – like intelligent transportation and design-build project delivery, Michael Baker is an industry leader that delivers expertise and quality. The firm's more than 3,000 employees across nearly 100 locations are committed to Making a Difference for clients and communities through a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement while Reimagining Michael Baker to become a full-service engineering and consulting firm over the next five years. To learn more, visit https://mbakerintl.com/.

Disclaimer: This disclaimer is required by CostQuest's Contract No. 273FCC22C0001. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has not reviewed or approved any statement in this document for accuracy or validity. The FCC and its employees do not endorse goods or services provided by the Contractor or any other contractor.

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SOURCE Michael Baker International