71 economists explain why the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and The Rural Utilities Service should use competitive procurement auctions to allocate the broadband stimulus grants. The economists, in comments submitted to the NTIA and RUS, explain “why procurement auctions are more efficient and more consistent with the stimulus goals of allocating funds quickly than a traditional grant review process.”
The signatories are economists who have studied telecommunications, auctions, and competition policy and include two Nobel Laureates and three winners of the John Bates Clark medal for the best economist under 40. The comments were coordinated by Paul Milgrom, Gregory Rosston, and Andrzej Skrzypacz of Stanford University, and Scott Wallsten of the Technology Policy Institute. Thomas Lenard of TPI is one of the signers of the comments.