National Telecommunications and Information Administration 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will host broadband grant program public virtual listening sessions in connection with the five new broadband grant programs authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program; the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program; and the Digital Equity Act Programs, which include the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. These public virtual listening sessions are designed to collect stakeholder input to help inform program development and implementation.

The FirstNet Authority Board will convene an open public meeting of the Board and Board Committees.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), U.S. Department of Commerce, will host an online symposium on September 21, 2021, focusing on national spectrum policy development and the evolution of new techniques and technologies for federal spectrum management, including spectrum sharing.

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issue this joint Public Notice to provide information about the cooperative sharing framework for federal and non-federal coordination in certain, defined areas where and when federal incumbents require continued access in the 3.45-3.55 GHz band. The Public Notice provides information and guidance on the overall coordination process, as contemplated by the 3.45 GHz Band 2d R&O, including informal pre-coordination discussions, the formal process of submitting coordination requests, and receiving results from relevant federal incumbents. The Public Notice also provides a streamlined coordination process for high-power radar sites.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (the ``Act'') appropriated $285 million to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to establish the Connecting Minority Communities (CMC) Pilot Program. The CMC Pilot Program will provide grants to eligible historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs); Tribal Colleges or Universities (TCUs); and Minority-serving institutions (MSIs) in anchor communities for broadband internet access service, equipment, or to hire information technology personnel to facilitate educational instruction including remote instruction, and to lend or provide equipment to eligible students or patrons. This final rule describes NTIA's programmatic scope, eligibility criteria, and general guidelines for the CMC Pilot Program as authorized by the Act. NTIA will subsequently publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) on www.grants.gov that will provide more details regarding the CMC eligibility guidelines, application instructions, and program requirements.

The Executive Order on Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity directs the Department of Commerce, in coordination with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), to publish the minimum elements for a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM). Through this Notice, following from the Executive Order, NTIA is requesting comments on the minimum elements for an SBOM, and what other factors should be considered in the request, production, distribution, and consumption of SBOMs.

As the United States prepares for the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-2021) scheduled for November 8-19, 2021, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration is working closely with the U.S. Department of State, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), other federal agencies, and members of the U.S. private sector. The WTDC-2021 will set the priorities and activities for the ITU Telecommunication Development Sector in areas such as connectivity and digital inclusion. Through this Notice, NTIA is seeking public comments regarding activities, priorities, and policies that advance telecommunications and information and communications technology (ICT) development worldwide to assist the U.S. government in the development of its position for the conference.

The FirstNet Authority Board will convene an open public meeting of the Board and Board Committees.

The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

On March 4, 2021, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) published a notice seeking expressions of interest in an appointment to the Board of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority). The notice established a deadline of April 5, 2021, for the transmittal of expressions of interest. This notice extends the period for submission of expressions of interest until April 15, 2021.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will host a webinar series in April through July 2021 in connection with the three new broadband grant programs authorized and funded by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021: The Broadband Infrastructure Program, the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, and the Connecting Minority Communities Program. The webinars are designed to help prospective applicants understand the grant programs and to assist applicants to prepare high quality grant applications.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issues this Notice to initiate the annual process to seek expressions of interest from individuals who would like to serve on the Board of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority Board or Board). The terms of 11 of the 12 non-permanent members to the FirstNet Authority Board will be available for appointment and reappointment in 2021.

Through this Notice of Inquiry, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, under sponsorship of and in collaboration with the Department of Defense 5G Initiative, is seeking comments and recommendations from all interested stakeholders to explore the creation of a 5G Challenge that would accelerate the development of the open 5G stack ecosystem in support of Department of Defense missions.