[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 247 (Thursday, December 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 66712]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-28125]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0384]


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority

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, 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 February 
25, 2019. 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: 3060-0384.
    Title: Sections 64.901, 64.904 and 64.905, Auditor's Attestation 
and Certification.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 1 respondent, 1 response.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5-250 hours.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority is contained in Sections 1, 4, 201-205, 215, and 
218-220 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 
Sections 151, 154, 201-205, 215, and 218-220.
    Frequency of Response: On-occasion, biennial, and annual reporting 
requirements.
    Total Annual Burden: 255 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $1,200,000.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature of Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission is not 
requesting that the respondents submit confidential information to the 
FCC. Respondents may, however, request confidential treatment for 
information they believe to be confidential under 47 CFR Section 0.459 
of the Commission's rules.
    Needs and Uses: Section 64.904(a) states that each incumbent LEC 
required to file a cost allocation manual shall elect to either have an 
attest engagement performed by an independent auditor every two years, 
covering the prior two year period, or have a financial audit performed 
by an independent auditor biennially. In either case, the initial 
engagement shall be performed in the calendar year after the carrier is 
first required to file a cost allocation manual. See Section 64.904(a)-
(c). Instead of requiring mid-sized carriers to incur the expense of a 
biennial attestation engagement, they now file a certification with the 
Commission stating that they are in compliance with 47 CFR 64.901 of 
the Commission's rules, which sets out the rules regarding allocation 
of costs. The certification must be signed, under oath, by an officer 
of the incumbent LEC, and filed with the Commission on an annual basis. 
Such certification of compliance represents a less costly means of 
enforcing compliance with our cost allocation rules. See 47 CFR 64.905 
of the Commission's rules. The requirements are imposed to ensure that 
the carriers are properly complying with Commission rules. They serve 
as an important aid in the Commission's monitoring program. Section 
64.905 requires mid-sized LECs to file a certification with the 
Commission stating that they are complying with section 64.901. The 
certification must be signed, under oath, by an officer of the mid-
sized LEC, and filed with the Commission on an annual basis at the time 
that the mid-sized incumbent LEC files the annual reports required by 
section 43.21(e)(2).

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-28125 Filed 12-26-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P