82 FR 11915 - Information Concerning the Assignment Phase of the Forward Auction (Auction 1002), Including the Schedule for Practice and Mock Auctions; Availability of Assignment Phase User Guide and Online Tutorial; Assignment Phase Bidding Begins March 6, 2017

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 37 (February 27, 2017)

In this document, the Incentive Auction Task Force (Task Force) and Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) announce information regarding the assignment phase of the forward auction (Auction 1002), including the schedule for the practice and mock auctions. Specifically, the Task Force and Bureau announce the availability of the assignment phase bidding system and assignment phase data; the assignment phase practice and mock auction design and schedule; the start date, and scheduled conclusion date, for assignment phase bidding; and the availability of educational and informational materials to help bidders prepare for the assignment phase.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 37 (Monday, February 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11915-11918]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03830]


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

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[GN Docket No. 12-268; AU Docket No. 14-252; WT Docket No. 12-269; DA 
17-142]


Information Concerning the Assignment Phase of the Forward 
Auction (Auction 1002), Including the Schedule for Practice and Mock 
Auctions; Availability of Assignment Phase User Guide and Online 
Tutorial; Assignment Phase Bidding Begins March 6, 2017

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: In this document, the Incentive Auction Task Force (Task 
Force) and Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) announce 
information regarding the assignment phase of the forward auction 
(Auction 1002), including the schedule

[[Page 11916]]

for the practice and mock auctions. Specifically, the Task Force and 
Bureau announce the availability of the assignment phase bidding system 
and assignment phase data; the assignment phase practice and mock 
auction design and schedule; the start date, and scheduled conclusion 
date, for assignment phase bidding; and the availability of educational 
and informational materials to help bidders prepare for the assignment 
phase.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the 
practice and mock auctions, contact Melissa Dunford, 
[email protected], (202) 418-0617, or Jonathan McCormack, 
[email protected], (202) 418-1065. For general auction 
questions, contact Linda Sanderson, [email protected], (717) 338-
2868. For forward auction legal questions, contact Valerie Barrish, 
[email protected], (202) 418-0660, or Scott Mackoul, 
[email protected], (202) 418-0660. Press contact: Charles Meisch, 
[email protected], (202) 418-2943. For technical support 
questions, contact the FCC Auctions Technical Support Hotline at (877) 
480-3201, option nine; (202) 414-1250; or TTY: (202) 414-1255 (open 
8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), Monday through Friday).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's 
document, AU Docket No. 14-252, GN Docket No. 12-268, WT Docket No. 12-
269; DA 17-142, released February 14, 2017. The complete text of this 
document is available for public inspection and copying from 8:00 a.m. 
to 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday or from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 
ET on Fridays in the FCC Reference Information Center, 445 12th Street 
SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. The complete text is also 
available on the Commission's Web site at http://wireless.fcc.gov, the 
Auction 1000 Web site at http://www.fcc.gov/auctions/1000, or by using 
the search function on the ECFS Web page at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Alternative formats are available to persons with disabilities 
by sending an email to [email protected] or by calling the Consumer & 
Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 
(TTY).

Synopsis

    1. The Incentive Auction Task Force (Task Force) and the Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) provide information regarding the 
assignment phase of the forward auction (Auction 1002) of the broadcast 
television spectrum incentive auction. The assignment phase is designed 
to give highest priority to assigning bidders within a Partial Economic 
Area (PEA) contiguous blocks of spectrum to the extent possible and to 
simplify the bidding process. Bidders that won at least one block of 
paired spectrum in one PEA in the forward auction clock phase are 
eligible to participate in the forward auction assignment phase. 
Bidders eligible to participate in the assignment phase will be able to 
log in to the assignment phase bidding system between 10 a.m. and 6 
p.m. ET on Tuesday, February 21, 2017, to download their assignment 
phase bidding options (which correspond to their clock phase winnings), 
view the sequence and timing for the assignment rounds for all PEAs, 
and identify the assignment rounds in which they will be eligible to 
participate. Beginning the next day, Wednesday, February 22, 2017, the 
Task Force and Bureau will provide one practice auction opportunity, 
and beginning on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, will conduct one mock 
auction for the assignment phase of Auction 1002, according to the 
schedule announced below. The first round of forward auction assignment 
phase bidding will begin on Monday, March 6, 2017, and all assignment 
rounds are scheduled to conclude by Thursday, March 30, 2017.
    2. The practice and mock auctions will give clock phase winning 
bidders an opportunity to become familiar with the assignment phase 
bidding system and to ask Commission auction and technical support 
staff questions about the system and the conduct of the assignment 
phase. The Task Force and Bureau strongly recommend that all clock 
phase winning bidders participate in the practice and mock auctions for 
the assignment phase of the forward auction.
    3. The Task Force and Bureau announce the availability of the ``FCC 
Incentive Auction Forward Auction Assignment Phase Bidding System User 
Guide,'' which describes the features of the system that will be used 
to bid in the assignment phase of the forward auction and which 
provides detailed instructions for bidding and viewing results and 
payment information from the assignment phase. The Task Force and 
Bureau also announce the availability of an online tutorial on bidding 
in the forward auction assignment phase, which explains the structure 
of the assignment phase, the process for determining winning 
assignments and associated payments, and the calculation of final 
auction payments. Both the user guide and tutorial are available in 
electronic form under the ``Education'' section of the Auction 1002 Web 
site (www.fcc.gov/auctions/1002) and will remain available and 
accessible on the Auction 1002 Web page for reference. The Task Force 
and Bureau recommend that bidders eligible to participate in the 
assignment phase thoroughly review the user guide and the tutorial to 
prepare for bidding in the assignment phase.

I. Assignment Phase Bidding System Availability and Data

    4. Bidders eligible to participate in the assignment phase will be 
able to log in to the assignment phase bidding system for a preview 
period using a link for the system that will be mailed to each bidder. 
Bidders will be able to access the system during the preview period 
between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 21, 2017, the day 
before the assignment phase practice auction begins. Before the 
assignment phase begins, eligible bidders will be able to access 
information about their bidding options for each PEA in which they had 
clock phase winnings, the grouping of PEAs for bidding in each 
assignment round, and the sequencing of the assignment rounds. The 
following information will be available to bidders in the system before 
bidding in the assignment phase begins:
    5. Contiguity Outcome. The contiguity outcome for each PEA or PEA 
group will be available in the system. Because all blocks are 
contiguous and of the same category (Category 1) under the band plan 
associated with the 84 megahertz clearing target of the final stage, it 
will be possible to assign every winning bidder from the clock phase 
contiguous blocks of frequency-specific licenses, regardless of whether 
they bid in the assignment phase.
    6. Grouping of PEAs for Bidding. Bidders will be able to view 
whether any PEAs have been grouped for purposes of bidding in the 
assignment phase. PEAs will be grouped for bidding in the same 
assignment round if the same bidders won the same number of blocks in 
each of the PEAs in the group, and if all of the PEAs in the group are 
either high-demand PEAs or in the same Regional Economic Area Grouping 
(REAG) and either subject to the small market bidding credit cap or not 
subject to the cap. The same assignment will be made for all of the 
PEAs in the group.
    7. Bidding Options. Bidders can download their full list of bidding 
options provided in the ``My Bids and Options'' download. This file 
provides information about all of the bidding options available to the 
bidder for all assignment rounds in which it can bid,

[[Page 11917]]

based on its winnings in the clock phase. This file can also be used to 
upload bids. Consistent with the contiguity outcome described above, 
each bidder's bidding options for a PEA will be all of the contiguous 
options consistent with the bidder's clock phase winnings.
    8. Detailed Schedule of Rounds. The full schedule of assignment 
rounds will be available for viewing in the system. The assignment 
rounds will begin on Monday, March 6, 2017. The bidding system has 
already determined that there will be seventy-four assignment rounds 
based on the number of PEAs that can be grouped together for bidding. 
We expect to conduct four assignment rounds per day; therefore, we 
anticipate that the assignment phase will conclude on Thursday, March 
30, 2017. The high-demand PEAs will be assigned first--in decreasing 
order of weighted pops--one PEA (or PEA group) per assignment round. 
Once the high-demand PEAs have been assigned, the remaining PEAs within 
each of the six REAGs will be assigned, with parallel bidding taking 
place for a PEA (or PEA group) in as many as six REAGs during the same 
assignment bidding round. Within each REAG, bidding will take place in 
order of decreasing weighted pops.
    9. Access to the actual assignment phase data will be suspended 
during the practice and mock auction, but will become available again 
at 10:00 a.m. ET on Friday, March 3, 2017--three days before bidding in 
the assignment phase begins. During the practice and mock auctions, 
bidders will continue to log in using the same link they use for 
assignment phase bidding.

II. Assignment Phase Practice Auction

    10. For the assignment phase practice auction, the bidding system 
will use the actual PEAs in the incentive auction, but bidders will not 
necessarily be assigned PEAs in which they have clock phase winnings. 
Each clock phase winning bidder will be assigned a randomly-selected 
set of PEAs on which it may bid. Each bidder's assigned practice PEAs 
will determine the assignment rounds in which it may bid in the 
practice auction. Bidding in the practice auction will not predict 
actual bidding in the assignment phase of the forward auction.

A. Practice Auction Design

    11. Each bidder will be randomly assigned practice winnings in PEAs 
to provide an opportunity to participate in at least the same number 
rounds in the practice auction as it will have in the actual assignment 
phase, up to a maximum of five rounds. For example, if a clock phase 
winner has actual winnings in PEAs in four rounds of the assignment 
phase, it will be randomly assigned PEAs in at least four rounds for 
the practice auction. If a clock phase winner has actual winnings in 
PEAs in more than five rounds of the assignment phase, it will be 
randomly assigned PEAs in five rounds for the practice auction.
    12. Bidders' assigned practice winnings will enable them to 
simulate the experience they will have in the assignment phase. 
Accordingly, if a bidder's clock phase winnings include any blocks in 
any of the high-demand PEAs, then the bidder will be randomly assigned 
practice winnings in one high-demand PEA or PEA group. A bidder that 
does not have clock phase winnings in any high-demand PEA will not be 
assigned practice winnings in a high-demand PEA and will not be able to 
practice bidding in an assignment round for a high-demand PEA or PEA 
group. If a bidder has clock phase winnings in multiple REAGs that will 
be assigned in the same assignment round, its assigned practice 
winnings will include PEAs or PEA groups in multiple REAGs that will be 
assigned in the same round. If a bidder does not have clock phase 
winnings in multiple REAGs that will be assigned in the same assignment 
round, its assigned practice winnings may or may not include PEAs or 
PEA groups in multiple REAGs that will be assigned in the same round.
    13. In each PEA, a bidder will be randomly assigned either one or 
two blocks, and each bidder's practice clock phase winnings will 
include both reserved and unreserved blocks in at least one PEA. Each 
bidder will be eligible for its actual forward auction bidding credit 
in the practice auction.

B. Practice Auction Schedule

    14. The assignment phase practice auction will begin on Wednesday, 
February 22, 2017, and continue through Friday, February 24, 2017. 
Bidders will be able to preview assignment phase practice auction data 
beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday, February 22, 2017, and three 
practice assignment rounds will be conducted that afternoon with 
bidding for assignments in high-demand PEAs. The second and third days 
of the practice auction will consist of four practice assignment rounds 
each day and will include bidding for assignments in non-high-demand 
PEAs, with bidding conducted for PEAs in up to six REAGs during each 
round.
    15. When the assignment phase practice auction data preview period 
begins, bidders will be able to access the system to download the file 
of assignment phase practice bidding options and to see the order of 
the assignment rounds for the PEAs in which they have assignment phase 
practice PEA selections.
    16. The assignment phase practice auction will occur as follows:
February 22, 2017
Preview Period--10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. ET
Practice Assignment Round--12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. ET
Practice Assignment Round--2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. ET
Practice Assignment Round--4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. ET
February 23, 2017 and February 24, 2017
Practice Assignment Round--10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. ET
Practice Assignment Round--12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. ET
Practice Assignment Round--2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. ET
Practice Assignment Round--4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. ET

    17. Bidders that participate in the assignment phase practice 
auction will have the ability to use all features of the assignment 
phase bidding system, as in the actual assignment phase bidding rounds.

III. Assignment Phase Mock Auction

    18. The assignment phase mock auction will provide winning clock 
phase bidders with a final opportunity, after their experience during 
the practice auction, to bid in simulated assignment phase rounds. As 
with the practice assignment rounds, the mock auction will allow 
participants to become more familiar with the assignment phase bidding 
system and to ask Commission staff questions they may have in advance 
of the actual assignment phase of Auction 1002.
    19. The assignment phase mock auction will begin on Tuesday, 
February 28, 2017, and continue through Thursday, March 2, 2017. As in 
the practice auction, there will be a preview period on the morning of 
the first day of the assignment phase mock auction, and three mock 
assignment rounds will be conducted that afternoon with bidding for 
assignments in high-demand PEAs. The second and third days of the mock 
auction will consist of six practice assignment rounds each day and 
will include bidding for assignments in non-high-demand PEAs, with 
bidding conducted for PEAs in up to six REAGs during each round.

[[Page 11918]]

    20. Clock phase winners will again be randomly assigned clock phase 
winnings for the assignment phase mock auction. Similar to the practice 
auction, each bidder will be randomly assigned practice winnings in 
PEAs that will provide an opportunity to participate in at least the 
same number rounds in the mock auction as it will have in the actual 
assignment phase, up to a maximum of 10 rounds. Other than the number 
of assigned rounds, the mock auction will use the same criteria for 
assigning PEAs to bidders as described above for the assignment phase 
practice auction.
    21. The assignment phase mock auction will occur as follows:
February 28, 2017
Preview Period--10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. ET
Mock Assignment Round--12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. ET
Mock Assignment Round--2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. ET
Mock Assignment Round--4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. ET
March 1, 2017 and March 2, 2017
Mock Assignment Round--10:00 a.m.-10:40 a.m. ET
Mock Assignment Round--11:00 a.m.-11:40 a.m. ET
Mock Assignment Round--12:00 p.m.-12:40 p.m. ET
Mock Assignment Round--2:00 p.m.-2:40 p.m. ET
Mock Assignment Round--3:00 p.m.-3:40 p.m. ET
Mock Assignment Round--4:00 p.m.-4:40 p.m. ET

IV. Bidder Questions During the Assignment Phase, Including the 
Practice and Mock Auctions

    22. Commission auction staff will be available during the 
assignment phase practice and mock auctions and the actual assignment 
phase bidding rounds. Only a person who has been designated as an 
authorized bidder, the contact person, or the certifying official on 
the qualified bidder's FCC Form 175 should call on behalf of a bidder. 
To place bids by telephone or to ask time-sensitive questions during 
the auction, an authorized bidder must use the FCC Auction Bidder Line 
telephone number supplied in the registration materials and have his or 
her login information and RSA SecurID[supreg] token available. Bidders 
can also use the messaging function of the bidding system for non-time-
sensitive questions or suggestions.

Federal Communications Commission.
Gary D. Michaels,
Deputy Chief, Auctions and Spectrum Access Division, WTB.
[FR Doc. 2017-03830 Filed 2-22-17; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P