Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority, 12932 [2023-04200]

Agencies

• FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 1, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 12932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-04200]



[[Page 12932]]

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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-1274; FR ID 128818]


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority

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 May 1, 
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 
[email protected] and to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Nicole Ongele, (202) 418-2991.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1274.
    Title: Application for the Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and the 
Connect USVI Fund Stage 2 Fixed Support.
    Form Number: FCC Form 5634.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, Not-for-profit 
institutions, and State, Local or Tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 20 respondents; 30 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2-80 hours.
    Frequency of Response: One-time and annual reporting requirements.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. 151-154, 214, and 254.
    Total Annual Burden: 1,620 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Although some information 
collected in FCC Form 5634 will be made available for routine public 
inspection, the Commission will withhold certain information collected 
in FCC Form 5634 from routine public inspection. Specifically, the 
Commission will treat certain financial and technical information 
submitted in FCC Form 5634 as confidential. However, if a request for 
public inspection for this technical or financial information is made 
under 47 CFR 0.461, and the applicant has any objections to disclosure, 
the applicant will be notified and will be required to justify 
continued confidential treatment. To the extent that an applicant seeks 
to have other information collected in FCC Form 5634 or during the 
post-selection review process withheld from public inspection, the 
applicant may request confidential treatment pursuant to 47 CFR 0.459.
    Needs and Uses: In the Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and Connect USVI 
Fund Order, the Commission comprehensively reformed the high-cost 
program within the universal service fund to focus support on networks 
capable of providing advanced, hardened voice and broadband services in 
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (collectively, the 
Territories). Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and the Connect USVI Fund, WC 
Dockets Nos. 18-143 et al., Report and Order and Order on 
Reconsideration, 34 FCC Rcd 9109 (PR-USVI Order). As part of the PR-
USVI Order, the Commission adopted a single-round competitive proposal 
process to award Stage 2 support for fixed telecommunications networks 
in the Territories (Stage 2 Competition).
    For the Stage 2 Competition, service providers will compete to 
receive high-cost support of up to $504.7 million in Puerto Rico and 
$186.5 million in the U.S. Virgin Islands over 10 years to offer fixed 
voice and broadband services to all locations in the Territories in 
accordance with the framework adopted in the PR-USVI Order. The 
information collection requirements reported under this collection are 
the result of the competitive proposal process adopted by the PR-USVI 
Order to award support to winning applicants. The Commission adopted 
various rules regarding the eligibility of service providers and the 
term of support. In addition, the Commission adopted rules to govern 
the competitive proposal process, which includes information to be 
submitted by parties as part of their competitive proposals and 
information that must be submitted by winning bidders seeking to become 
authorized to receive Stage 2 fixed support. The Commission concluded, 
based on its experience with awarding high-cost support and consistent 
with the record, that this single-stage competitive proposal process 
balances the need to collect information essential to awarding support 
and authorizing Stage 2 fixed support with administrative efficiency.
    The Commission estimates that approximately 20 parties will apply 
and approximately 10 will be selected as winning applicants. The 
Commission is therefore seeking approval from the OMB to extend the 
collection on FCC Form 5634 of the information, disclosures, and 
certifications adopted by the Commission. This information collection 
addresses the burdens associated with these requirements.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-04200 Filed 2-28-23; 8:45 am]
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