Notice2022-26938
Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund Implementation
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Published
December 13, 2022
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Telecommunications and Information Administration
Abstract
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is requesting comment on the implementation of the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund, as directed by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Through this Notice and Request for Comment (Notice), NTIA seeks broad input and feedback from all interested stakeholders--including private industry, academia, civil society, and other experts--on this grant program to support the promotion and deployment of open, interoperable, and standards-based radio access networks (RAN).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 238 (Tuesday, December 13, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 238 (Tuesday, December 13, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76182-76185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-26938]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
[Docket No. 221202-0260]
RIN 0693-XC053
Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund Implementation
AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration,
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice, request for comment.
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SUMMARY: The National Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA) is requesting comment on the implementation of the Public
Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund, as directed by the CHIPS and
Science Act of 2022. Through this Notice and Request for Comment
(Notice), NTIA seeks broad input and feedback from all interested
stakeholders--including private industry, academia, civil society, and
other experts--on this grant program to support the promotion and
deployment of open, interoperable, and standards-based radio access
networks (RAN).
DATES: Submit written comments on or before 5 p.m. Eastern Standard
Time on January 27, 2023.
ADDRESSES: All electronic public comments on this action, identified by
<a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a> docket number NTIA-2022-0003, may be submitted through
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. The
docket established for this rulemaking can be found at
<a href="http://www.Regulations.gov">www.Regulations.gov</a>, NTIA-2022-0003. Click the ``Comment Now!'' icon,
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
In addition to inviting written submissions through this Notice,
NTIA is hosting a public virtual listening session. More information
about the listening session can be found at <a href="https://www.ntia.doc.gov/">https://www.ntia.doc.gov/</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please direct questions regarding this
Notice to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#422b2c2c2d3423362b2d2c24372c26022c362b236c252d34"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="29404747465f485d4046474f5c474d69475d4048074e465f">[email protected]</span></a>, indicating ``Notice and Request for
Comment'' in the subject line, or, if by mail, addressed to National
Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; or by
telephone to Sarah Skaluba, 202-482-3806. Please direct media inquiries
to (202) 482-7002, or NTIA's Office of Public Affairs, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1a6a687f69695a746e737b347d756c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="addddfc8dedeedc3d9c4cc83cac2db">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
On August 9, 2022, President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act
of 2022 into law, appropriating $1.5 billion for the Public Wireless
Supply Chain Innovation Fund (referred to subsequently herein as the
``Innovation Fund''), to support the promotion and deployment of open,
interoperable, and standards-based radio access networks (RAN) (Pub. L.
117-167, Div. A, Sect. 106, 136 Stat. 1392). The Innovation Fund was
previously authorized under section 9202(a)(1) of the William M. (Mac)
Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021
(Pub. L. 116-283; 47 U.S.C. 906(a)(1)).
With the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, Congress has
taken a proactive step in driving the adoption of open, interoperable,
and standards-based RAN and supporting a more competitive and diverse
telecommunications supply chain. This historic $1.5 billion investment
aims to support U.S. leadership in the global telecommunications
ecosystem, foster competition, lower costs for consumers and network
operators, and strengthen our supply chain.
Today's fifth generation wireless technology (known as ``5G'')
infrastructure market is highly consolidated, with a small group of
vendors making up the majority of the marketplace. This lack of
competition can reduce supply chain resilience and security, contribute
to higher prices, make it challenging for new, innovative U.S.
companies to break into the market, and ultimately will exacerbate the
digital divide. Additionally, certain equipment and services produced
or provided by particular vendors in this marketplace have been deemed
to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United
States.\1\ Some of these vendors, including Chinese telecommunications
companies Huawei Technologies Company and ZTE Corporation, have been
shown to have links to the Chinese government and/or the Chinese
Communist Party, giving rise to security risks.\2\ Those risks are
compounded by financial support from the government of China and
preferential access to the Chinese
[[Page 76183]]
market, which enable them to offer lower cost financing terms and, in
some cases, below-market export credit subsidies to foreign mobile
operators to purchase their equipment. The United States Government is
working to mobilize the full range of department and agency tools and
coordinating with like-minded partners to support network operators in
procuring trusted, secure RAN.
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\1\ See the Federal Communications Commission's List of
Equipment and Services Covered by Section 2 of The Secure Networks
Act, <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist">https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist</a>.
\2\ See, e.g., Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, U.S.
House of Representatives, Investigative Report on the U.S. National
Security Issues Posed by Chinese Telecommunications Companies Huawei
and ZTE at iv (Oct. 8, 2012), <a href="https://republicans-intelligence.house.gov/sites/intelligence.house.gov/files/documents/huaweizte%20investigative%20report%20">https://republicans-intelligence.house.gov/sites/intelligence.house.gov/files/documents/huaweizte%20investigative%20report%20</a>(final).pdf.
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In line with the Executive Branch's policy to promote the
development of Open Radio Access Networks (or Open RAN), alongside
other policies, technologies, and architectures that support 5G vendor
diversity and foster market competition, the CHIPS and Science Act of
2022 invests $1.5 billion over 10 years to accelerate the development
and deployment of open and interoperable, standards-based RAN.
More specifically, the Innovation Fund will support the following
activities, as defined in 47 U.S.C. 906(a)(1)(C):
1. Promoting and deploying technology, including software,
hardware, and microprocessing technology, that will enhance
competitiveness in 5G and successor wireless technology supply chains
that use open and interoperable interface radio access networks.
2. Accelerating commercial deployments of open interface,
standards-based, interoperable equipment, such as equipment developed
pursuant to the standards set forth by organizations such as the O-RAN
Alliance, the Telecom Infra Project, [3rd Generation Partnership
Project (3GPP)], the Open-RAN Software Community, or any successor
organizations.
3. Promoting and deploying compatibility of new 5G equipment with
future open standards-based, interoperable equipment.
4. Managing integration of multi-vendor network environments.
5. Identifying objective criteria to define equipment as compliant
with open standards for multi-vendor network equipment
interoperability.
6. Promoting and deploying security features enhancing the
integrity and availability of equipment in multi-vendor networks.
7. Promoting and deploying network function virtualization to
facilitate multi-vendor interoperability and a more diverse vendor
market.
NTIA, in consultation with the Federal Communications Commission,
the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Department of
Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and the Intelligence
Advanced Research Projects Activity of the Office of the Director of
National Intelligence, is responsible for establishing the grant
criteria and administering the program. As such, NTIA has established
multiple avenues for the public to offer input to inform program design
and implementation. This includes a public virtual listening session
(see ADDRESSES), as well as the opportunity for stakeholders across the
nation to make their views known in response to this Notice. NTIA
welcomes input from all interested parties.
As the Executive Branch agency statutorily responsible for advising
the President on telecommunications policy issues and managing federal
spectrum, this investment will leverage NTIA's leadership in the areas
of 5G and future generation telecommunications, supplier diversity, and
spectrum management, among others. The program will also build upon the
Department's grantmaking expertise, as NTIA continues to advance the
$65 billion internet for All program to connect every American to high-
speed, affordable internet service.
This critical investment will help drive U.S. wireless innovation,
foster competition, and strengthen supply chain resilience. It will
also help unlock opportunities for U.S. companies, particularly small
and medium enterprises, to compete in a market historically dominated
by a few foreign suppliers, including high-risk suppliers that raise
security concerns. In comparison to traditional telecommunications
networks, which utilize a single supplier's proprietary equipment, open
and interoperable, standards-based RAN prevents vendor lock-in by
facilitating competition. This competition allows operators to procure
the best solutions for their specific needs by mixing and matching
network components, rather than procuring proprietary end-to-end
solutions from a single supplier. Open and interoperable, standards-
based RAN may also reduce costs for consumers and network operators in
the long run by improving efficiency through automation, supporting
more seamless network updates, and potentially lowering capital
expenditures (CapEx) and operating expenses (OpEx).
II. Objectives of This Notice
This Notice offers an opportunity for all interested parties to
provide vital input and recommendations for consideration in the
development and implementation of NTIA's Innovation Fund grant program.
NTIA seeks public input and feedback from a wide array of stakeholders
to inform the implementation of the Innovation Fund grant program. This
is a historic investment, requiring the combined efforts of the Federal
government, state and local governments, the U.S. private sector, non-
governmental organizations, and likeminded partners from around the
world.
This Notice seeks public comment to bolster NTIA's work and to
improve the number and quality of ideas under consideration as the
agency develops Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs). These formal
announcements (NOFOs) will be used to solicit applications for
Innovation Fund grants and will provide information about the size of
the awards, who is eligible to apply, the evaluation criteria for
selection of an awardee, required components of an application, and how
to submit an application.
This Notice also offers an opportunity for stakeholders to provide
detailed comments and recommendations on the kinds of projects and
programs the Innovation Fund should aim to support. Rather than
focusing on the benefits of open, interoperable, and standards-based
network deployments, such as Open RAN, or more general policy general
policy recommendations detailed in previous FCC and NTIA processes,\3\
this Notice particularly welcomes comment on: (1) practical solutions
to the key challenges to adoption of open and interoperable, standards-
based RAN; (2) recommendations for the kinds of projects that the
Innovation Fund should support; and (3) the kinds of criteria that
should inform how Innovation Fund grants are awarded.
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\3\ Whereas the FCC's Notice of Inquiry on Promoting the
Deployment of 5G Open Radio Access Networks (March 2021), NTIA's
Industry Listening Session on Vendor Diversity for 5G Security
(February 2021), and NTIA's National Strategy to Secure 5G
Implementation Plan (January 2021), explored the current status of
Open RAN, its costs and benefits, and policy recommendations, more
generally; this Request seeks comment on tangible solutions and
recommendations to inform development and implementation of the
Innovation Fund.
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III. Request for Comment
NTIA welcomes input on any matter that commenters believe is
important to NTIA's Innovation Fund implementation efforts. Commenters
are invited to comment on the full range of issues presented by this
Notice and are encouraged to address any or all of the following
questions, or to provide additional information relevant to
implementation of the Innovation Fund. We invite commenters who intend
to apply or who have experience with
[[Page 76184]]
other funding programs (whether domestic or international) to offer
suggestions for how to effectively implement the Innovation Fund, based
on their experiences.
Commenters are not required to respond to all questions. When
responding to one or more of the questions below, please note in the
text of your response the number of the question to which you are
responding. Commenters are welcome to provide specific actionable
proposals, rationales, and relevant facts.
Commenters should include a page number on each page of their
submissions. Please do not include in your comments information of a
confidential nature, such as sensitive personal information or
proprietary information. All comments received are a part of the public
record and will generally be posted to <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a> without change.
All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address) voluntarily
submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Information
obtained as a result of this notice may be used by the federal
government for program planning on a non-attribution basis.
Questions on the State of the Industry
Understanding the current state of the telecommunications industry
is important to determining how any topics should be prioritized in the
Innovation Fund, and what level of funding a topic should receive.
1. What are the chief challenges to the adoption and deployment of
open and interoperable, standards-based RAN, such as Open RAN? Are
those challenges different for public vs. private networks?
a. What are the challenges for brownfield deployments, in which
existing networks are upgraded to incorporate open, interoperable, and
standards-based equipment?
2. What ongoing public and private sector initiatives may be
relevant to the Innovation Fund?
a. What gaps exist from an R&D, commercialization, and standards
perspective?
b. How might NTIA best ensure funding is used in a way that
complements existing public and private sector initiatives?
3. What kind of workforce constraints impact the development and
deployment of open and interoperable, standards-based RAN, such as Open
RAN? How (if at all) can the Innovation Fund help alleviate some of
these workforce challenges?
4. What is the current climate for private investment in Open RAN,
and how can the Innovation Fund help increase and accelerate the pace
of investment by public and private entities?
5. How do global supply chains impact the open, interoperable, and
standards-based RAN market, particularly in terms of procuring
equipment for trials or deployments?
Questions on Technology Development and Standards
Understanding the current state of open and interoperable,
standards-based RAN and the standards that inform its development will
assist NTIA in maximizing the impact of grants. Questions in this
section will be used to assess the maturity of the technology and
related standards to help determine which topics should receive
additional investment.
6. What open and interoperable, standards-based network elements,
including RAN and core network elements, would most benefit from
additional research and development (R&D) supported by the Innovation
Fund?
7. Are the 5G and open and interoperable RAN standards environments
sufficiently mature to produce stable, interoperable, cost-effective,
and market-ready RAN products? If not:
a. What barriers are faced in the standards environment for open
and interoperable RAN?
b. What is required, from a standards perspective, to improve
stability, interoperability, cost effectiveness, and market readiness?
c. What criteria should be used to define equipment as compliant
with open standards for multivendor network equipment interoperability?
8. What kinds of projects would help ensure 6G and future
generation standards are built on a foundation of open and
interoperable, standards-based RAN elements?
Questions on Integration, Interoperability, and Certification
Challenges associated with systems integration and component
interoperability can hinder the adoption of open and interoperable,
standards-based RAN. This section will help NTIA structure the NOFOs in
a way that most effectively addresses these challenges and facilitates
adoption. NTIA also welcomes feedback on the effectiveness of
certification regimes in driving open and interoperable, standards-
based RAN adoption.
9. How can projects funded through the Innovation Fund most
effectively support promoting and deploying compatibility of new 5G
equipment with future open, interoperable, and standards-based
equipment?
a. Are interoperability testing and debugging events (e.g.,
``plugfests'') an effective mechanism to support this goal? Are there
other models that work better?
10. How can projects funded through the program most effectively
support the ``integration of multi-vendor network environments''?
11. How do certification programs impact commercial adoption and
deployment?
a. Is certification of open, interoperable, standards-based
equipment necessary for a successful marketplace?
b. What bodies or fora would be appropriate to host such a
certification process?
12. What existing gaps or barriers are presented in the current RAN
and open and interoperable, standards-based RAN certification regimes?
a. Are there alternative processes to certification that may prove
more agile, economical, or effective than certification?
b. What role, if any, should NTIA take in addressing gaps and
barriers in open and interoperable, standards-based RAN certification
regimes?
Questions on Trials, Pilots, Use Cases, and Market Development
A key aim of the Innovation Fund is to promote and deploy
technologies that will enhance competitiveness of 5G and successor open
and interoperable, standards-based RAN. We have seen a range of Open
RAN trials, pilots, and use cases underway across the United States and
internationally to date. This section will inform the types of NOFOs
NTIA publishes and administers as the Department works to accelerate
adoption.
13. What are the foreseeable use cases for open and interoperable,
standards-based networks, such as Open RAN, including for public and
private 5G networks? What kinds of use cases, if any, should be
prioritized?
14. What kinds of trials, use cases, feasibility studies, or proofs
of concept will help achieve the goals identified in 47 U.S.C.
906(a)(1)(C), including accelerating commercial deployments?
a. What kinds of testbeds, trials, and pilots, if any, should be
prioritized?
15. How might existing testbeds be utilized to accelerate adoption
and deployment?
16. What sort of outcomes would be required from proof-of-concept
pilots and trials to enable widespread adoption and deployment of open
and
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interoperable, standards-based RAN, such as Open RAN?
Questions on Security
Strengthening supply chain resilience is a critical benefit of open
and interoperable, standards-based RAN adoption. In line with the
Innovation Fund's goal of ``promoting and deploying security features''
to enhance the integrity and availability of multi-vendor network
equipment, and Department priorities outlined in the National Strategy
to Secure 5G Implementation Plan, this section will inform how NTIA
incorporates security into future Innovation Fund NOFOs.
17. ``Promoting and deploying security features enhancing the
integrity and availability of equipment in multi-vendor networks,'' is
a key aim of the Innovation Fund (47 U.S.C 906(a)(1)(C)(vi)). How can
the projects and initiatives funded through the program best address
this goal and alleviate some of the ongoing concerns relating to the
security of open and interoperable, standards-based RAN?
a. What role should security reporting play in the program's
criteria?
b. What role should security elements or requirements, such as
industry standards, best practices, and frameworks, play in the
program's criteria?
18. What steps are companies already taking to address security
concerns?
19. What role can the Innovation Fund play in strengthening the
security of open and interoperable, standards-based RAN?
20. How is the ``zero-trust model'' currently applied to 5G network
deployment, for both traditional and open and interoperable, standards-
based RAN? What work remains in this space?
Questions on Program Execution and Monitoring
The Innovation Fund is a historic investment in America's 5G
future. As such, NTIA is committed to developing a program that results
in meaningful progress toward the deployment and adoption of open and
interoperable, standards-based RAN. To accomplish this, we welcome
feedback from stakeholders on how our program requirements and
monitoring can be tailored to achieve the goals set out in 47 U.S.C.
906.
21. Transparency and accountability are critical to programs such
as the Innovation Fund. What kind of metrics and data should NTIA
collect from awardees to evaluate the impact of the projects being
funded?
22. How can NTIA ensure that a diverse array of stakeholders can
compete for funding through the program? Are there any types of
stakeholders NTIA should ensure are represented?
23. How (if at all) should NTIA promote teaming and/or encourage
industry consortiums to apply for grants?
24. How can NTIA maximize matching contributions by entities
seeking grants from the Innovation Fund without adversely discouraging
participation? Matching requirements can include monetary contributions
and/or third-party in-kind contributions (as defined in 2 CFR 200.1).
25. How can the fund ensure that programs promote U.S.
competitiveness in the 5G market?
a. Should NTIA require that grantee projects take place in the
U.S.?
b. How should NTIA address potential grantees based in the U.S.
with significant overseas operations and potential grantees not based
in the U.S. (i.e., parent companies headquartered overseas) with
significant U.S.-based operations?
c. What requirements, if any, should NTIA take to ensure
``American-made'' network components are used? What criteria (if any)
should be used to consider whether a component is ``American-made''?
26. How, if at all, should NTIA collaborate with like-minded
governments to achieve Innovation Fund goals?
Additional Questions
NTIA welcomes any additional input that stakeholders believe will
prove useful to our implementation efforts.
27. Are there specific kinds of initiatives or projects that should
be considered for funding that fall outside of the questions outlined
above?
28. In addition to the listening session mentioned above and
forthcoming NOFOs, are there other outreach actions NTIA should take to
support the goals of the Innovation Fund?
Dated: December 7, 2022.
Josephine Arnold,
Senior Attorney-Advisor.
[FR Doc. 2022-26938 Filed 12-12-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-P
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