81 FR 2216 - Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 10 (January 15, 2016)

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), 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.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 10 (Friday, January 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2216-2217]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00679]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0856]


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3501-3520), 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 March 15, 
2016. 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 at (202) 418-2991.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0856.

[[Page 2217]]

    Title: Universal Service--Schools and Libraries Universal Service.
    Program Reimbursement Forms.
    Form Number: FCC Forms 472, 473 and 474.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, and state, 
local, or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 24,700 respondents; 168,900 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour per form.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, annual reporting requirement, 
and recordkeeping requirements.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. sections 1, 4(i), 4(j), 201-205, 214, 254, 312(d), 312(f), 403, 
and 503(b) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 168,900 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No cost.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission does not 
request that respondents submit confidential information to the 
Commission. If the Commission requests applicants to submit information 
that the respondents believe is confidential, respondents may request 
confidential treatment under 47 CFR 0.459 of the Commission's rules.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission seeks to revise OMB 3060-0856 to 
conform this information collection to changes implemented in the 
Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (E-Rate 
Modernization Order) (WC Docket No. 13-184, FCC 14-99, 79 FR 49160, 
August 19, 2014).
    Collection of the information on FCC Form 472 is necessary to 
establish the process and procedure for an eligible applicant to seek 
reimbursement from the E-rate program for the discounts on services 
paid in full to a service provider. The Universal Service 
Administrative Company (USAC) reviews the information collected on FCC 
Form 472, along with invoices from the service provider, to verify the 
eligibility of the services for E-rate support, approve the amount that 
should be reimbursed, ensure that each service provider has provided 
discounted services within the current funding year for which it 
submits an invoice to USAC, and confirm that invoices submitted from 
service providers for the costs of discounted eligible services do not 
exceed the amount that has been approved.
    Collection of information on FCC Form 473 is necessary to establish 
that the participating service provider is eligible to participate in 
the E-rate program, confirm that the invoice forms submitted by the 
service provide are in compliance with the Federal Communications 
Commission's E-rate rules, and enable the service provider to certify 
its compliance with the E-rate rules. The FCC Form 473 is also used by 
USAC to assure that the dollars paid out by the universal service fund 
go to eligible providers.
    Collection of information on FCC Form 474 is necessary to establish 
the process and procedure for a service provider to seek payment for 
the discounted costs of services it provided to billed entities for 
eligible services. After receiving an invoice from the service 
provider, together with an FCC Form 474, USAC is able to verify that 
the eligible and approved amounts can be paid. The FCC Form 474 is also 
used to ensure that each service provider has provided discounted 
services within the current funding year for which it submits an 
invoice to USAC and that invoices submitted from service providers for 
the costs of discounted eligible services do not exceed the amount that 
has been approved.
    This information collection is being revised pursuant to program 
and rule changes in the E-Rate Modernization Order that require the 
collection of information necessary to allow USAC to make direct 
payments to applicants, and add service provider certifications to the 
FCC Form 473, the Service Provider Annual Certification Form. The 
information collection is also being revised to accommodate USAC's new 
online portal and the E-Rate Modernization Order requirement that the 
forms in this collection be filed electronically.
    All of the requirements contained in this information collection 
are necessary for the Commission to ensure compliance by applicants 
and/or vendors with the requirement of the E-rate program, to protect 
the program from waste, fraud and abuse and to evaluate the extent to 
which the E-rate program is meeting the statutory objectives specified 
in section 254(h) of the 1996 Act, and the Commission's own performance 
goals established in the E-rate Modernization Order.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-00679 Filed 1-14-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P