[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 153 (Friday, August 7, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47965-47966]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-17292]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[GN Docket No. 18-122, DA 20-828; FRS 16982]


Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Seeks Comment on Whether 
Proposed 3.7-4.2 GHz Band Relocation Payment Clearinghouse Satisfies 
Selection Criteria

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau 
(Bureau) seeks comment on whether the proposed 3.7-4.2 GHz band 
Relocation Payment Clearinghouse satisfies the selection criteria 
established by the Commission in the 3.7 GHz Report and Order.

DATES: Comments are due August 18, 2020 and reply comments are due 
August 28, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by GN Docket No. 18-122, 
by any of the following methods:
     Electronic Filers: Elections may be filed electronically 
using the internet by accessing the ECFS: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/ in 
docket number GN 18-122.
     Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must 
file an original and one copy of each filing.
    Filings can be sent by commercial overnight courier, or by first-
class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All filings must be 
addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Office of the Secretary, 
Federal Communications Commission.
     Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service 
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, 
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.U.S.
     Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail 
must be addressed to 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554.
     Effective March 19, 2020, and until further notice, the 
Commission no longer accepts any hand or messenger delivered filings. 
This is a temporary measure taken to help protect the health and safety 
of individuals, and to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19. See FCC 
Announces Closure of FCC Headquarters Open Window and Change in Hand-
Delivery Policy, Public Notice, DA 20-304 (March 19, 2020). https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-closes-headquarters-open-window-and-changes-hand-delivery-policy.
     During the time the Commission's building is closed to the 
general public and until further notice, if more than one docket or 
rulemaking number appears in the caption of a proceeding, paper filers 
need not submit two additional copies for each additional docket or 
rulemaking number; an original and one copy are sufficient.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Mort, Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau, at [email protected] or 202-418-2429.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's 
document (Public Notice), GN Docket No. 18-122, DA 20-828, released on 
August 3, 2020. The complete text of this document is available on the 
Commission's website at https://www.fcc.gov/document/wtb-seeks-comment-c-band-relocation-payment-clearinghouse-selection or by using the 
search function for GN Docket No. 18-122 on the Commission's ECFS web 
page at www.fcc.gov/ecfs.
    Pursuant to Sec. Sec.  1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, 
47 CFR 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments or reply 
comments on or before the dates indicated on the first page of this 
document.
    People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible 
formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic 
files, audio format), send an email to [email protected] or call the 
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-
418-0432 (tty).

Synopsis

    With this Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau 
(the Bureau) seeks comment on whether the proposed 3.7-4.2 GHz band 
Relocation Payment Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse) satisfies the 
selection criteria established by the Commission in the 3.7 GHz Report 
and Order.
    On March 3, 2020, the Commission released the 3.7 GHz Band Report 
and Order, which adopted new rules to make available 280 megahertz of 
mid-band spectrum for flexible use through a Commission-administered 
public auction of overlay licenses, plus a 20

[[Page 47966]]

megahertz guard band, throughout the contiguous United States by 
transitioning existing services out of the lower portion and in to the 
upper 200 megahertz of the C-band.
    The 3.7 GHz Report and Order established a search committee to 
select a Clearinghouse that would be responsible for handling all cost-
related aspects of the transition. The 3.7 GHz Report and Order 
required the search committee to select, no later than July 31, 2020, 
an entity that must be able to demonstrate its ability to perform the 
duties of the Clearinghouse, including: (1) Engaging in strategic 
planning and adopting goals and metrics to evaluate its performance, 
(2) adopting internal controls for its operations, (3) using enterprise 
risk management practices, and (4) using best practices to protect 
against improper payments and to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in its 
handling of funds. The Commission also required that the selected 
entity create written procedures for its operations and that it use the 
Government Accountability Office's (GAO) Green Book to serve as a guide 
in satisfying such requirements.
    The 3.7 GHz Report and Order required the search committee to 
ensure that the Clearinghouse adopt robust privacy and data security 
best practices in its operations, given that it will receive and 
process information critical to ensuring a successful and expeditious 
transition. The selected entity will be required to hire a third-party 
firm to independently audit and verify, on an annual basis, the 
Clearinghouse's compliance with privacy and information security 
requirements. The Clearinghouse will also be required to: Provide 
recommendations based on any audit findings; correct any negative audit 
findings and adopt any additional practices suggested by the auditor; 
and report the results to the Bureau.
    The Commission also required the search committee, in notifying the 
Commission of its selection for the Clearinghouse, to: (a) Fully 
disclose any actual or potential organizational or personal conflicts 
of interest or appearance of such conflict of interest of the 
Clearinghouse or its officers, directors, employees, and/or 
contractors; and (b) detail the salary and benefits associated with 
each position.
    On July 31, 2020, the search committee announced that they had 
selected CohnReznick and subcontractors Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP 
(Squire Patton Poggs), and Intellicom Technologies, Inc. (Intellicom), 
to serve as the Clearinghouse. We seek comment on whether CohnReznick, 
Squire Patton Boggs, and Intellicom satisfy the criteria established by 
the Commission in the 3.7 GHz Report and Order.
    As directed by the Commission in the 3.7 GHz Report and Order, 
following the comment period, the Bureau will issue an order announcing 
whether the selection criteria have been satisfied. Should the Bureau 
be unable to find that the criteria have been satisfied, the 3.7 GHz 
Report and Order required that the selection process will start over 
and the search committee will submit a new proposed entity.

Federal Communications Commission.
Amy Brett,
Chief of Staff, Competition and Infrastructure Policy Division, 
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2020-17292 Filed 8-6-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P