[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 211 (Friday, October 30, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68878-68879]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24189]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[GN Docket No. 18-122; DA 20-1251; FRS 17200]


Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Announces C-Band Relocation 
Payment Clearinghouse

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau 
(Bureau) announces that CohnReznick LLP (CohnReznick) and 
subcontractors Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP (Squire Patton Boggs), and 
Intellicom Technologies, Inc. (Intellicom) satisfy the selection 
criteria established by the Commission in the 3.7 GHz Band Report and 
Order and will serve as the Relocation Payment Clearinghouse for the 
3.7-4.2 GHz transition process.

DATES: The Order was released on October 22, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20554.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Order (DA 20-1251) 
released on October 22, 2020. The complete text of the Order is 
available for viewing via the Commission's ECFS website by entering the 
docket number, GN Docket No. 18-122. The complete text of the Order is 
also available for public inspection and copying from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m. Eastern Time (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-B402, Washington, DC 20554, telephone 202-488-
5300, fax 202-488-5563, or you may contact BCPI at its website: http://www.BCPIWEB.com. When ordering documents from BCPI, please provide the 
appropriate FCC document number, for example, DA 20-1251.

Synopsis

    On March 3, 2020, the Commission released the 3.7 GHz Band Report 
and Order (FCC 20-22), which adopted new rules to make available 280 
megahertz of mid-band spectrum for flexible use, plus a 20 megahertz 
guard band, throughout the contiguous United States by transitioning 
existing services out of the lower portion and into the upper 200 
megahertz of the 3.7-4.2 GHz band (C-band). In the 3.7 GHz Report and 
Order, the Commission found that selecting a single, independent 
Clearinghouse to oversee the cost-related aspects of the transition in 
a fair and transparent manner would serve the public interest. The 
Commission specified the duties of the Clearinghouse in detail in the 
3.7 GHz Report and Order, including: (1) Collecting from all incumbent 
space station operators and all incumbent earth station operators a 
showing of their relocation costs for the transition, as well as a 
demonstration of the reasonableness of those costs; (2) apportioning 
costs among overlay licensees and distributing payments to incumbent 
space station operators, incumbent earth station operators, and 
appropriate surrogates of those parties that incur compensable costs; 
(3) resolving disputes regarding cost estimates or payments that may 
arise during the transition; and (4) providing the detailed information 
and reports to the Commission and the Bureau to facilitate oversight of 
the transition process.
    To select the Clearinghouse, the Commission appointed a search 
committee composed of nine entities that the Commission found, 
collectively, reasonably represented the interests of stakeholders in 
the transition. The Commission required the search committee to submit 
detailed selection criteria for the Clearinghouse by June 1, 2020 and 
to convene no later than June 22, 2020. The Commission directed the 
search committee to select, no later than July 31, 2020, an entity that 
demonstrated 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

[[Page 68879]]

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 search committee was also required 
to ensure that the Clearinghouse would adopt robust privacy and data 
security best practices in its operations.
    The Commission 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 any appearance of such conflicts 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 it had 
unanimously selected CohnReznick to serve as the Clearinghouse. The 
search committee also included a document detailing CohnReznick's 
qualifications, expertise, and ability to fulfill the duties of the 
Clearinghouse. As directed by the Commission in the 3.7 GHz Report and 
Order, the Bureau issued a public notice seeking comment on whether 
CohnReznick satisfies the criteria established by the Commission in the 
3.7 GHz Report and Order. The Commission received comments from Boeing, 
CohnReznick, and Vertix.
    In the 3.7 GHz Report and Order, the Commission assigned 
responsibility for finding, evaluating, and selecting a qualified 
Clearinghouse to the search committee. The Bureau's role in the 
selection process is limited to determining whether the selected entity 
has or has not satisfied the specific criteria set forth in the 3.7 GHz 
Report and Order. The search committee fulfilled its responsibility 
when it unanimously selected CohnReznick to serve as the Clearinghouse 
and provided the Bureau with detailed information regarding 
CohnReznick's qualifications and compliance with the selection 
criteria. Notably, the Search Committee Letter and attachments clearly 
demonstrate that CohnReznick: (1) Is a neutral and independent entity 
with no conflicts of interest; (2) has the requisite financial, 
accounting, auditing and industry expertise necessary to perform the 
functions of the Clearinghouse; (3) will adopt and follow all relevant 
industry best practices to facilitate the transition; and (4) will 
incorporate robust privacy and data security best practices into its 
operations. After review of the record, the Bureau finds that 
CohnReznick has satisfied the Clearinghouse selection criteria 
described in section 27.1414 of the Commission's rules and the 3.7 GHz 
Report and Order.

    Federal Communications Commission.
Amy Brett,
Associate Division Chief, Competition and Infrastructure Policy 
Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2020-24189 Filed 10-28-20; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P