California Advanced Services Fund

In order to file an application, you must have a login account. If you do not have a login account, you may request one by sending an e-mail to: CASF_Application_Questions@cpuc.ca.gov. To expedite the approval of your account, please be sure to include the following information: Your company name Your full name Your phone number After your account has been approved, you will receive an e-mail containing your user name and password. Applications need to be submitted online and hard copies also must be mailed separately (postmarked by the date or earlier of the online application submission) to: Communications Division   Attn: California Advanced Services Fund California Public Utilities Commission 505 Van Ness Ave. San Francisco, CA  94102 AND to: Office of Ratepayer Advocates Re: California Advanced Services Fund California Public Utilities Commission 505 Van Ness Ave. San Francisco, CA  94102 The mailed document should follow the format of the checklist and conform to Rule 1.5 of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure. Documents tendered for filing must be typewritten, printed, or reproduced on paper 8 ½ inches wide and 11 inches long.  Any larger attachments must be legibly reduced or folded to the same size.  The type must be no smaller than 10 points.  The impression must use 1 ½ -line or double spacing, except that footnotes and quotations in excess of a few lines may be single-spaced.  Both sides of the paper may be used.  A document of more than one page must be bound on the left side or upper left-hand corner.  If a transmittal letter is submitted (see Rule 1.13(a)), it must not be bound to the tendered document.  All copies must be clear and permanently legible. Applicants must also submit their project summaries to a distribution list maintained by Communications Division staff. Prospective applicants who have questions about the application process may send an email to CASF_Application_Questions@cpuc.ca.gov.

Description:

The online application allows you to file for funding from the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF).  Please make your best effort to file complete and accurate information.  The filing requirements are summarized below, but you should familiarize yourself with Appendix 2 in Resolution T-17443 regarding grant applications and Appendix 2 in Decision 12-02-015 regarding loan applications.  Additionally, please refer to Decision 14-02-018 and Resolution T-17443 regarding the rules applicable for non-telephone corporations applying for CASF funding. 

If you have any questions regarding these requirements, please contact CASF_Application_Questions@cpuc.ca.gov.

Before filing:

Please review the following information before filing an application.  Be sure that you have the data and files listed below needed to complete the online application process (Note that only one file is allowed to be uploaded per item; therefore, if you have more than one file per item, .ZIP the files so that one file can be uploaded).

Information Requirements for CASF Applications:

Requirement	Document Type
Project Summary Project summary must include applicant’s name, contact person, project title, proposed project area location (community/county), project type (last mile or middle-mile), CASF funding requested (amount of grant/amount of loan), description of the project, map of the proposed project, list of census block groups and list of zip codes	WORD
Certification (provide one of the following): Proof of your CPCN or U Number Proof of your application for certification (if applicable) A document stating that you are seeking funding as a non-telephone corporation	PDF
Information Sheet with a Certificate of Good Standing issued by the CA Secretary of State attached (download information sheet form)	PDF
Company organizational chart	PDF
Company history and readiness to build, manage and operate broadband	PDF
Resumes of key officers and management personnel	WORD
Current Broadband Infrastructure Description (if applicable) Description of the provider's current broadband infrastructure and/or telephone service within 5 miles of the proposed project	WORD
Current Broadband Infrastructure Shapefiles (if applicable) (Archived in a .ZIP file)	ZIP
List showing number of households per CBG and per ZIP Code in project area	EXCEL
Proposed Broadband Project Description Description of proposed broadband project plan for which CASF funding is being requested, including the project size and type of technology to be employed to provide broadband, and information about whether or not the area was defined as priority as indicated in the priority area spreadsheet and map	WORD
Proposed Broadband Project Description Download and upload speed capabilities of proposed facilities by CBG and zipcode	EXCEL
Proposed Broadband Project Location Geographic locations by CBG(s) where broadband facilities will be deployed, List of CBG(s) that intersect the proposed project, Median income for each CBG that intersects the proposed project, to be based on most current U.S. Census Bureau data available, List of ZIP Code(s) that intersect the proposed project, number of households per CBG	EXCEL
Proposed Broadband Project Location Shapefiles (Archived in a .ZIP file)	ZIP
Assertion that area being proposed is Unserved or Underserved Assertion that area being proposed is Unserved or Underserved. Including figures of: Average current upload speed per CBG, Average current download speed per CBG, Average current upload speed per ZIP code, Average current download speed per ZIP code	WORD
Estimated potential subscriber size Estimated number of potential broadband households and subscribers in proposed project location by CBG, Estimated number of potential broadband households and subscribers in proposed project location by ZIP Code, Documentation of assumptions and data sources used to compile estimates	EXCEL
Estimated potential subscriber adoption plan Submit a plan on how you plan to encourage adoption of the broadband service in the proposed area(s). The plan should include the total number of households in the area, the number of households the applicant estimates will sign up for the service (the take rate), the marketing or outreach plans the applicant will employ to attract households to sign-up for the service	WORD
Deployment and Permitting Schedule Milestones Start and Ending Dates, Descriptions of Key Activities, Comments, and Risks; this schedule must include any time required for CEQA review Estimated Schedule and Activities for meeting any and all permitting requirements, incuding environmental rules associated with CEQA and NEPA (if applicable). These dates and activities should be as detailed as possible, with the understanding that they are estimates	EXCEL
Proposed Project Budget (Capital Start-Up, Permitting, Construction) Detailed breakdown of cost elements, amount of cost elements, Availability of matching funds to be supplied by applicant /certification can be attached , Amount of available funds from each individual funding source, and Amount of CASF funds requested	EXCEL
Economic Life of Assets to be Funded Identify all the equipment to be funded by the CASF by category, the type of equipment and the estimated useful life; category includes buildings, outside plant, towers and poles, network and access equipment, operating equipment, customer premise equipment; type of equipment includes new building, prefabricated building, rehab of existing building, new towers or poles, modification of existing towers and poles, broadband switching equipment, office furniture and fixture, etc.; estimated useful life is 10, 15, 20, (etc.) years.	EXCEL
Local Government and Community Support (optional, encouraged) Submit endorsements and/or letters of support from the local government, community groups, and/or anchor institutions supporting the deployment of the broadband infrastructure	PDF
Agreement to Post Performance Bond if matching funds are not from applicant's capital budget and/or in the case of non-telephone corporation applications.	PDF
Proposed Pricing Proposed 2 year monthly subscription fee, List of services, Service restrictions, Commitments and/or requirements for customers, initial service correction changes, if any, and any bundling of equipment in the proposed pricing, other recurring and non-recurring costs.	WORD
Price Commitment Period to Offer Broadband Service to All Households at Proposed Subscription Rates The required Period of Commitment to which the initial price is applicable for all households within the service area of the project	WORD
Financials CPA audited / attested financial statements for the last three years; the statements are to include the balance sheet, income statement and statement of cash flows Pro Forma financial forecast and project viability (balance sheet, income statement and statement of cash flows forecast over 5 years); include an analysis of the viability of the project and the assumptions used in the analysis such as the funding sources, subscriber data and adoption rates Annual EBIT (Earnings Before Income and Tax) projection over 5 years Schedule of all outstanding and planned debt (For Grant/Loan Combination Only) Collateral documentation (include depreciation schedule of assets) (For Grant/Loan Combination Only) Equity Requirement of 20% of the loan amount (For Grant/Loan Combination Only)  Equity requirement of 20% should be sustained throughout the life of the loan: 5 years Minimum TIER Requirement of 1.5 (For Grant/Loan Combination Only)  The minimum TIER requirement of 1.5 should be sustained throughout the life term of the loan: 5 years Non –telephone corporations that have been providing broadband service for less than 12 months must provide liquidity documentation; the applicant must show liquidity of 10% of the total project cost in cash or cash equivalents	EXCEL (for all files listed)
Availability of voice service that meets FCC standards (if applicable)	PDF
CEQA Compliance Agreement to provide the Proponent's Environmental Assessment (PEA) and identification of any other special permits required prior to requesting the first 25% of funding	PDF
Notarized Affidavit (download affidavit form for telephone corporations) / (download affidavit form for non-telephone corporations)	PDF

A WORD DOCUMENT of the above information with the application checklist can be downloaded here.

CLICK HERE TO FILE AN APPLICATION.  The general procedure to file is below.

1. In order to file an application, you must have a login account. You may request one by sending an e-mail to: CASF_Application_Questions@cpuc.ca.gov. Please include your company name, applicant name and phone number. You will receive an e-mail with a username and password.
2. Enter your contact information and create your profile.
3. Once you have a profile add your officers one at a time and make sure to apply your changes for each officer.
4. Once you have your basic information entered please go to Attach Applicant Files and attach your appropriate corporate documents.
5. Only after completing your corporate information should you proceed to enter the project Information.
6. Create a new project.
7. You should enter a name for your project and click Create to save this new project.  The name of your project should be descriptive and not only include numeric values.
8. Fill out the project information. Most of the items are attachments. You can click on the underlined attachment name to take you to the document upload screen. When the document is uploaded it will be checked for you.
9. Note: Not all checkboxes are checked automatically. You will need to check some of the checkboxes yourself as a confirmation that you have included the corresponding detail within your attachment. ALL BOXES UNDER PROJECT DETAILS MUST BE CHECKED OFF EXCEPT FOR ITEM 2, ITEM 3, ITEM 4, ITEM 10, ITEM 19 and ITEM 23, WHERE 1 OR MORE BOXES MAY BE LEFT UNCHECKED.  If for some reason an item is not applicable to your company, you must UPLOAD a document explaining why and then CHECK the box to indicate that this item has been addressed. APPLICATION SUBMITTAL WILL FAIL IF ALL BOXES (with exception to the above) ARE NOT CHECKED.
10. Once you have your application completed to your satisfaction you can submit to the PUC.
11. Only submit once. You will see a confirmation at the top of the screen that the project has been submitted. You will be allowed to submit your project again but the submission date will be that of your most recent submission.

Thank you