[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11105-11106]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-04263]



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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Information Collection Being Submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget for Review and Approval

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden 
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment 
on the following information collection(s). 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 burden for 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 OMB control number. No 
person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a 
collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) 
that does not display a valid OMB control number.

DATES: Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be 
submitted on or before March 31, 2014. If you anticipate that you will 
be submitting PRA comments, but find it difficult to do so within the 
period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the FCC 
contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Submit your PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of 
Management and Budget, via fax at 202-395-5167 or via Internet at 
[email protected] and to Benish Shah, Federal 
Communications Commission, via the Internet at [email protected]. To 
submit your PRA comments by email send them to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Benish Shah, Office of Managing 
Director, (202) 418-7866.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0057.
    Title: Application for Equipment Authorization, FCC Form 731.
    Form Number: FCC 731.
    Type of Review: Extension of currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for profit.
    Number of Respondents: 3,740 respondents; 22,250 responses.
    Time per Response: 35 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement and third 
party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in the 
47 U.S.C. 154(i), 301, 302, 303(e), 303(f) and 303(r).
    Total Annual Burden: 778,750 hours.
    Total Annual Costs: $ 34,465,000.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Minimal exemption from the 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4) and FCC 
rules under 47 CFR 0.457(d) is granted for trade secrets which may be 
submitted as attachments to the application FCC Form 731. No other 
assurances of confidentiality are provided to respondents.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this expiring 
information collection (IC) to the OMB during this comment period. 
There is an increase in respondents/burden estimates in this 
information collection.
    Commission rules require that manufacturers of certain radio 
frequency (RF) equipment file FCC Form 731 to obtain approval prior to 
marketing their equipment. Manufacturers may then market their RF 
equipment based on a showing of compliance with technical standards 
established in the FCC Rules for each type of equipment or device 
operated under the applicable FCC Rule part. The following types of 
equipment are regulated (a) the RF equipment is regulated under certain 
rule sections of 47 CFR Part 15 and Part 18, and (b) in addition, rules 
governing certain RF equipment operating in the licensed services also 
require equipment authorization as established in the procedural rules 
in 47 CFR Part 2. The RF equipment manufacturers comply with the 
information collection requirements by (a) Filing FCC Form 731 
electronically with the Commission, or (b) Submitting the information 
to a Telecommunications Certification Body (TCB), which acts on behalf 
of the FCC to issue grants of certification and may issue grants more 
expeditiously than the FCC. The TCBs have flexibility in the format in 
which they require the collection of information (i) TCBs may require 
applicants to submit the required information in FCC Form 731 format or 
in another format selected by the TCB, but (ii) whatever the 
information collection method, the information required is governed by 
the procedural rules in 47 CFR Part 2 and a showing of compliance with 
the FCC technical standards for the specific type of equipment. RF 
manufacturer applicants for equipment certification may also request 
``expedited authorization'' to market their equipment by: (a) Choosing 
to pay the fee levied by a TCB, and (b) submitting their request to a 
TCB in order for expedited authorization to market. The TCB processes 
the RF equipment manufacturer's application as follows: (i) The TCB 
receives and reviews the RF manufacturer's information submission/
application; and (ii) the TCB enters the information into the FCC 
Equipment Authorization System database using an interface that 
provides the TCB with the tools to issue a standardized Grant of 
Equipment Authorization. Whichever method the RF manufacturers choose 
to submit their information--via either the FCC on FCC Form 731 or the 
TCB, FCC Rules require that applicants supply the following data: (a) 
Demographic information including Grantee name and address, contact 
information, etc.; (b) information specific to the equipment including 
FCC Identifier, equipment class, technical specifications, etc.; and 
(c) attachments that demonstrate compliance with FCC Rules that may 
include any combination of the following based on the applicable Rule 
parts for the equipment for which authorization is requested: (1) 
Identification of equipment (47 CFR 2.925); (2) attestation statements 
that may be required for specific equipments; (3) external photos of 
the equipment for which authorization is requested; (4) block diagram 
of the device; (5) schematics; (6) test report; (7) test setup photos; 
(8) Users Manual; (9) Internal Photos; (10) Parts List/Tune Up 
Information; (11) RF Exposure Information; (12) Operational 
Description; (13) Cover Letters; and, (14) Software Defined Radio/
Cognitive Radio Files.
    In general, an applicant's submission is as follows: (a) FCC Form 
731 includes approximately two pages covering the demographic and 
equipment identification information; and (b)

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applicants must supply additional documentation and other information, 
as described above, demonstrating conformance with FCC Rules, which may 
range from 100-1,000 pages. The supplemental information is essential 
to control potential interference to radio communications, which the 
FCC may use, as is necessary, to investigate complaints of harmful 
interference. In response to new technologies and in allocating 
spectrum, the Commission may establish new technical operating 
standards: (a) RF equipment manufacturers must meet the new standards 
to receive an equipment authorization, and (b) RF equipment 
manufacturers must still comply with the Commission's requirements in 
FCC Form 731 and demonstrate compliance as required by 47 CFR Part 2 of 
FCC Rules. Thus, this information collection applies to a variety of RF 
equipment: (a) That is currently manufactured, (b) that may be 
manufactured in the future, and (c) that operates under varying 
technical standards. On July 8, 2004, the Commission adopted a Report 
and Order, Modification of Parts 2 and 15 of the Commission's Rules for 
Unlicensed Devices and Equipment Approval, ET Docket No. 03-201, FCC 
04-165. The change requires that all paper filings required in 47 CFR 
Sections 2.913, 2.926(c), 2.929(c), and 2.929(d) of the rules are 
outdated and now must be filed electronically via the Internet on FCC 
Form 731. The Commission believes that electronic filing speeds up 
application processing and supports the Commission in further 
streamlining to reduce cost and increase efficiency. Information on the 
procedures for electronically filing equipment authorization 
applications can be obtained from the Commission's rules, and from the 
Internet at: http://transition.fcc.gov/oet/ea/ea_app_info.htm.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.
[FR Doc. 2014-04263 Filed 2-26-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P