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

This notice announces a public meeting of the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (Committee). The Committee provides advice to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on spectrum management policy matters.

The Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program was established in November 2021 through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known (and referred to subsequently herein) as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Under the BEAD Program, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is responsible for administering $42.45 billion in grants to the States, Territories, and the District of Columbia (Eligible Entities) with the principal focus of ensuring that every American has access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet service. Various stakeholders have requested NTIA to consider exemptions of certain provisions of OMB's Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) from application to grants and subgrants awarded under the BEAD Program. In this Notice, NTIA seeks public comment on the issues raised by stakeholders and other questions relating to the relationship between the Uniform Guidance and the BEAD Program.

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 to help 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.

This notice announces a public information session following the launch of the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund's first Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The event will provide an opportunity for the program team to discuss the technical aspects of the NOFO, as well as best practices for applicants navigating the federal awards process. The session will also provide interested applicants with the opportunity to ask questions.

The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the 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 the submission of the collection to OMB.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will convene four virtual listening sessions on the Digital Equity Act Request for Comment. The listening sessions are designed to collect stakeholder input to help inform the development and administration of the State Digital Equity Capacity and State Digital Equity Competitive grant programs.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (``NTIA'') proposes to follow First Responder Network Authority's (``FirstNet Authority'') National Environmental Policy Act (``NEPA'') procedures on an interim basis with modifications to account for NTIA's internal organization and establish 33 categorical exclusions (``CEs'') in compliance with NEPA, the Council on Environmental Quality (``CEQ'') regulations, and other related authorities. NTIA's proposed CEs cover administrative, real property and facility, and operational actions that individually or cumulatively do not have a significant effect on the human environment. This process is intended to further NTIA's compliance with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (``IIJA'') and increase NTIA's efficiency in environmental analysis and decision making while fully meeting NEPA's requirements.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will hold two public listening sessions to assist in its preparation of a National Spectrum Strategy (NSS) for the United States. NTIA is seeking input from the public as it develops a Strategy that identifies the actions needed to maximize the potential of our nation's spectrum resources. Access to spectrum contributes to technological innovation and economic growth and is critical to national security, public safety, and other national priorities. The agendas and other information regarding the events will be posted at [https://ntia.gov].

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, also known (and referred to subsequently herein) as IIJA or the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, includes a historic investment of $65 billion to help close the digital divide and ensure that everyone in America has access to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet service. The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is responsible for distributing more than $48 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding through several different programs. NTIA is requesting comments on the $2.75 billion Digital Equity Act of 2021 Program, and on the design and implementation of two components of that grant program: the $1.44 billion State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program and the $1.25 billion Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. NTIA seeks broad input and feedback from all interested stakeholders across the nation, including Tribal entities, and has established multiple avenues for the public to offer input to bolster NTIA's work and to improve the number and quality of ideas under consideration as the agency develops Notices of Funding Opportunity for each of the Digital Equity Capacity Grant and Digital Equity Competitive Grant Programs to be implemented by NTIA pursuant to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This includes a series of public virtual listening sessions which will be announced at a later date.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) requests comments addressing issues at the intersection of privacy, equity, and civil rights. The comments, along with information gathered through the three listening sessions that NTIA held on this topic, will inform a report on whether and how commercial data practices can lead to disparate impacts and outcomes for marginalized or disadvantaged communities.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will convene a virtual industry roundtable listening session on the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund. The listening session is designed to collect stakeholder input to help inform the development and administration of the Innovation Fund grant program.

This notice announces a public meeting of the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (Committee). The Committee provides advice to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on spectrum management policy matters.

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 a symposium on September 19, 2022, focusing on continued innovation in the use of radio- frequency spectrum, the evolution of new techniques and technologies to manage its use domestically and internationally, and principles for the development and execution of a national spectrum strategy.

The Department of Commerce, following the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the 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. This Notice of Information Collection is for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program Baseline Report, Performance Report and Annual Report. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding the submission of the collection to OMB.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will host a pre-Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) technical assistance webinar series in March-May 2022 in connection with the five new broadband grant programs authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA): 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 pre-NOFO technical assistance webinars are designed to help prospective applicants understand NTIA's IIJA broadband grant programs and to assist applicants to prepare high quality grant applications.

On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 into law, also known (and referred to subsequently herein) as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which includes a historic investment of $65 billion to help close the digital divide and ensure that all Americans have access to reliable, affordable, high-speed broadband. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), is responsible for distributing more than $48 billion in BIL broadband funding through several different programs. NTIA has established multiple avenues for the public to offer input to inform program design and implementation. This includes a series of public virtual listening sessions (see ADDRESSES below) as well as the opportunity for stakeholders across the nation to make their views known in response to this Notice and Request for Comment (Notice). NTIA welcomes input from all interested parties.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will convene three virtual Listening Sessions about issues and potential solutions at the intersection of privacy, equity, and civil rights. The sessions will help to provide the data for a report on the ways in which commercial data flows of personal information can lead to disparate impact and outcomes for marginalized or disadvantaged communities.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will host Technical Assistance (TA) sessions in connection with the Connecting Minority Communities (CMC) Pilot Program authorized and funded by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. The CMC TA Sessions are designed to help prospective applicants understand the eligibility and programmatic requirements of the CMC Pilot Program and to assist applicants prepare high quality grant applications before the application deadline on December 1, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). The CMC program team will address live questions during these technical assistance sessions to aid prospective CMC Pilot Program applicants.

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