[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 20, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64461-64463]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22522]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-XXXX]


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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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 Commission) 
invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this 
opportunity to comment on the following information collections. 
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 Commission may not conduct or sponsor a 
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) 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 OMB 
control number.

DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before October 
20, 2016. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but 
find it

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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 Cathy Williams, FCC, via email 
[email protected] and to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 3060-XXXX.
    Title: National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: New collection.
    Respondents: Individuals or households; businesses or other for-
profit entities; not-for-profit institutions; state, local, or tribal 
governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 78 respondents; 3,631 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 hours (30 minutes) to 40 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annual, semiannual, quarterly, monthly, one 
time, and on occasion reporting requirements; recordkeeping 
requirement; third-party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefit. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 
sections 1, 4(i), 4(j), and 719 of the Communications Act, as amended, 
47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 154(j), and 620.
    Total Annual Burden: 7,995 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $600.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Confidentiality is an issue 
to the extent that individuals and households provide personally 
identifiable information, which is covered under the Commission's 
system of records notice (SORN), FCC/CGB-3, ``National Deaf-Blind 
Equipment Distribution Program,'' which became effective on February 
28, 2012.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: The Commission completed a Privacy 
Impact Assessment (PIA) on December 31, 2012. The PIA may be reviewed 
at http://www.fcc.gov/omd/privacyact/Privacy_Impact_Assessment.html. 
The Commission is in the process of updating the PIA with respect to 
the Commission's adoption of rules in document FCC 16-101 on August 4, 
2016, which converted the pilot program to a permanent program without 
change to the PII covered by these information collections.
    Needs and Uses: Section 105 of the Twenty-First Century 
Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) added section 
719 to the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act). Pub. L. 
111-260, 124 Stat. 2751 (2010); Pub. L. 111-265, 124 Stat. 2795 (2010) 
(making technical corrections); 47 U.S.C. 620. Section 719 of the Act 
requires the Commission to establish rules that define as eligible for 
up to $10,000,000 of support annually from the Interstate 
Telecommunications Relay Service Fund (TRS Fund) those programs that 
are approved by the Commission for the distribution of specialized 
customer premises equipment designed to make telecommunications 
service, Internet access service, and advanced communications, 
including interexchange services and advanced telecommunications and 
information services, accessible by low-income individuals who are 
deaf-blind. 47 U.S.C. 620(a), (c). Accordingly, on April 6, 2011, the 
Commission released a Report and Order, document FCC 11-56, adopting 
rules to establish the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution 
Program (NDBEDP) as a pilot program. See 47 CFR 64.610(a) through (k). 
The FCC's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB or Bureau) 
launched the pilot program on July 1, 2012. In an Order released on May 
27, 2016, document FCC 11-69, the Commission extended the pilot program 
to June 30, 2017, at which time distributing equipment and providing 
related services under the pilot program will cease.
    On August 5, 2016, the Commission released a Report and Order, 
document FCC 16-101, adopting rules to establish the NDBEDP, also known 
as ``iCanConnect,'' as a permanent program. See 47 CFR 64.6201 through 
64.6219. In document FCC 16-101, the Commission clarified that the 
pilot program will not terminate until after all reports have been 
submitted, all payments and adjustments have been made, and all wind-
down activities have been completed, and no issues with regard to the 
NDBEDP pilot program remain pending. Information collections related to 
NDBEDP pilot program activities are included in OMB Control Number 
3060-1146, Implementation of the Twenty-first Century Communications 
and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, Section 105, Relay Services for 
Deaf-Blind Individuals, CG Docket No. 10-210, which will expire June 
30, 2018.
    Rules for the NDBEDP permanent program that are subject to the PRA 
will become effective on the date specified in a notice published in 
the Federal Register announcing OMB approval. At that time, in 
accordance with document 16-101, the Bureau will announce the timing of 
the 60-day period for new and incumbent entities to apply for 
certification to participate in the permanent NDBEDP. To minimize any 
disruption of service in the transition between the pilot program and 
the permanent program, the Bureau will announce its selection of the 
entities certified to participate in the NDBEDP permanent program as 
soon as possible, but certifications to participate in the NDBEDP 
permanent program will not become effective before July 1, 2017.
    Because the information collection burdens related to NDBEDP pilot 
program activities overlap in time with the information collection 
burdens related to NDBEDP permanent program activities, the Commission 
is seeking approval for a new collection for the information burdens 
associated with the permanent NDBEDP.
    In document FCC 16-101, the Commission adopted rules requiring the 
following:
    (a) Entities must apply to the Commission for certification to 
receive reimbursement from the TRS Fund for NDBEDP activities.
    (b) A program wishing to relinquish its certification before its 
certification expires must provide written notice of its intent to do 
so.
    (c) Certified programs must disclose to the Commission actual or 
potential conflicts of interest.
    (d) Certified programs must notify the Commission of any 
substantive change that bears directly on its ability to meet the 
qualifications necessary for certification.
    (e) A certified entity may present written arguments and any 
relevant documentation as to why suspension or revocation of 
certification is not warranted.
    (f) When a new entity is certified as a state's program, the 
previously certified entity must take certain actions to complete the 
transition to the new entity.
    (g) Certified programs must require an applicant to provide 
verification that the applicant is deaf-blind.
    (h) Certified programs must require an applicant to provide 
verification that the applicant meets the income eligibility 
requirement.
    (i) Certified programs must re-verify the income and disability 
eligibility of an equipment recipient under certain circumstances.
    (j) Certified programs must permit the transfer of an equipment 
recipient's account when the recipient relocates to another state.

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    (k) Certified programs must include an attestation on consumer 
application forms.
    (l) Certified programs must conduct annual audits and submit to 
Commission-directed audits.
    (m) Certified programs must document compliance with NDBEDP 
requirements, provide such documentation to the Commission upon 
request, and retain such records for at least five years.
    (n) Certified programs must submit reimbursement claims as 
instructed by the TRS Fund Administrator, and supplemental information 
and documentation as requested. In addition, the entity selected to 
conduct national outreach will submit claims for reimbursement on a 
quarterly basis.
    (o) Certified programs must submit reports every six months as 
instructed by the NDBEDP Administrator. In addition, the entity 
selected to conduct national outreach will submit an annual report.
    (p) Informal and formal complaints may be filed against NEDBEDP 
certified programs, and the Commission may conduct such inquiries and 
hold such proceedings as it may deem necessary.
    (q) Certified programs must include the NDBEDP whistleblower 
protections in appropriate publications.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-22522 Filed 9-19-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P