Notice2023-08046
Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 17, 2023
Issuing agencies
Federal Communications Commission
Abstract
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested concerning: whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 73 (Monday, April 17, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 73 (Monday, April 17, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23421-23422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08046]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[OMB 3060-1270; FR ID 136147]
Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal
Communications Commission
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens,
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the
general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to
comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested
concerning: whether the proposed collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission,
including whether the information shall have practical utility; the
accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of information on the
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the
information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer
than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No
person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a
collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a
valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.
DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before June 16,
2023. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find
it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice,
you should advise the contact listed below as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f1a1a3b0b1979292df969e87"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="71212330311712125f161e07">[email protected]</span></a> and to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dbb5b2b8b4b7bef5b4b5bcbeb7be9bbdb8b8f5bcb4ad"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="deb0b7bdb1b2bbf0b1b0b9bbb2bb9eb8bdbdf0b9b1a8">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the
information collection, contact Nicole Ongele, (202) 418-2991.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 3060-1270.
Title: Protecting National Security Through FCC Programs.
Form Number: FCC Form 5640.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently-approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for profit entities.
Number of Respondents and Responses: 3,500 respondents; 6,584
responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 0.5-12 hours.
Frequency of Response: Annual, semiannual, and recordkeeping
requirements.
Obligation to Respond: Mandatory and required to obtain or retain
benefits. Statutory authority for this information collection is
contained in 47 U.S.C. 1603-1604.
Total Annual Burden: 20,236 hours.
Total Annual Cost: $472,500.
Needs and Uses: The Communications Act of 1934, as amended,
requires the ``preservation and advancement of universal service.'' 47
U.S.C. 254(b). The information collection requirements reported under
this collection are the result of the Commission's actions to promote
the Act's universal service goals.
On November 22, 2019, the Commission adopted the Protecting Against
National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through
FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, Report and Order, Order, and Further
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 34 FCC Rcd 11423 (2019) (Report and
Order). The Report and Order prohibits future use of Universal Service
Fund (USF) monies to purchase, maintain, improve, modify, obtain, or
otherwise support any equipment or services produced or provided by a
company that poses a national security threat to the integrity of
communications networks or the communications supply chain.
On March 12, 2020, the President signed into law the Secure and
Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (Secure Networks Act),
Public Law 116-124, 133 Stat. 158 (2020) (codified as amended at 47
U.S.C. 1601-1609), which, among other measures, directs the FCC to
establish the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement
Program (Reimbursement Program). This
[[Page 23422]]
program is intended to provide funding to providers of advanced
communications service for the removal, replacement and disposal of
certain communications equipment and services that poses an
unacceptable national security risk (i.e., covered equipment and
services) from their networks. The Commission has designated two
entities--Huawei Technologies Company (Huawei) and ZTE Corporation
(ZTE), along with their affiliates, subsidiaries, and parents--as
covered companies posing such a national security threat. See
Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications
Supply Chain Through FCC Programs--Huawei Designation, PS Docket No.
19-351, Memorandum Opinion and Order, 35 FCC Rcd 14435 (2020);
Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications
Supply Chain Through FCC Programs--ZTE Designation, PS Docket No. 19-
352, Memorandum Opinion and Order, DA 20-1399 (PSHSB rel. Nov. 24,
2020).
On December 10, 2020, the Commission adopted the Second Report and
Order implementing the Secure Networks Act, which contained new
information collection requirements. See Protecting Against National
Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC
Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, Second Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd
14284 (2020) (Second Report and Order). These requirements allow the
Commission to receive, review and make eligibility determinations and
funding decisions on applications to participate in the Reimbursement
Program that are filed by certain providers of advanced communications
service. These information collection requirements also assist the
Commission in processing funding disbursement requests and in
monitoring and furthering compliance with applicable program
requirements to protect against waste, fraud, and abuse. Participation
in the Reimbursement Program is voluntary, but compliance with the
information collection requirements is required to obtain Reimbursement
Program support.
On August 3, 2021, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau)
released a Public Notice adopting procedures for filing and processing
applications submitted for the Reimbursement Program. These procedures
largely tracked the procedural rules previously adopted by the
Commission in the Second Report and Order, but also adopted a new
requirement that Reimbursement Program participants notify the
Commission of changes in ownership, to ensure accurate information is
on file for participants and to help protect the Reimbursement Program
against waste, fraud, and abuse.
This submission proposes to revise this currently-approved
collection by deleting an existing question on FCC Form 5640 and
replacing it with a more detailed query. The new question will ask
program participants to describe in detail how they have spent
Reimbursement Program funds. The addition of this question will allow
the Bureau to satisfy its statutory obligations to collect information
about how Reimbursement Program funds have been spent, including
detailed accounting of the covered communications equipment and
services permanently removed and disposed of, and the replacement
equipment or services purchased, rented, leased, or otherwise obtained
using Reimbursement Program funds, as well as to combat waste, fraud,
and abuse, as required under the Secure Networks Act. The Bureau
determined that FCC Form 5640 required this revision in order to elicit
the information necessary for the Bureau to better satisfy its
statutory obligations.
This proposed addition will increase the information collected, and
will impose an additional burden on respondents, which will vary with
the number of invoices respondents submit during the relevant reporting
period. However, this submission also reflects a decrease in the
estimated total annual responses, total annual burden hours, and total
annual costs for this collection. These adjustments are due to a
reduction of the number of respondents for several categories of
information to be collected on Form 5640, based on the Bureau's
experience with the Reimbursement Program since this collection was
first approved.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-08046 Filed 4-14-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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