[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 16, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8803-8804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03365]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Telecommunications and Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Broadband Infrastructure Program

AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
(NTIA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Information Collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. 
This Notice of Information Collection is for the Broadband 
Infrastructure Program Baseline Report, Performance Report and Annual 
Report. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public 
comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before April 18, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Jennifer Duane, Director, Grants Management, Administration, and 
Compliance, Office of internet Connectivity and Growth, National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Room 4887, Washington, DC 20230, 
or by email to [email protected]. Please reference BIP Data 
Collection in the subject line of your comments. Do not submit 
Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected 
information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Jennifer Duane, Director, Grants Management, Administration, and 
Compliance, via email at [email protected]; [email protected]; or via 
telephone at (202) 482-2048.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Broadband Infrastructure Program was authorized by the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Division N, Title IX, Section 
905, Public Law 116-260, 134 Stat. 1182 (Dec. 27, 2020) (ACT). This 
program seeks to provide federal funding to deploy broadband 
infrastructure to eligible service areas of the country. The program 
will make up to $288,000,000 grant available on a competitive basis to 
covered partnerships for covered broadband projects. On May 19, 2021, 
NTIA published the program's Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) on 
Grants.gov to describe the requirements under which it will award 
grants for the BIP.\1\ The NOFO required award recipients to submit 
financial reports, performance (technical) reports, and annual reports 
to the NTIA Federal Program Officer and the NOAA Grants Officer and 
Grants Specialist. Award recipients must follow the reporting 
requirements described in Sections A.01, Reporting Requirement, of the 
Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Terms and 
Conditions (dated November 12, 2020). Additionally, in accordance with 
2 CFR part 170, all recipients of a federal award made on or after 
October 1, 2010, must comply with reporting requirements under the 
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Pub. L. 
109-282).
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    \1\ See Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP) Notice of Funding 
Opportunity (NOFO) (May 19, 2021), https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html (available under the ``Related Documents'' 
tab).
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    NTIA will use the information collected from each award recipient 
to effectively administer and monitor the grant program to ensure the 
achievement of BIP program purposes and account for the expenditure of 
federal funds to deter waste, fraud, and abuse.

II. Method of Collection

Broadband Infrastructure Program

    Award recipients will be required to submit financial and 
performance reports on a semi-annual basis for the periods ending March 
31 and September 30 of each year and an annual report no later than one 
year after receiving grant funds and annually thereafter until the 
funds have been expended. NTIA will collect data through electronic 
submission.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 06XX-XXXX.
    Form Number(s): TBD.
    Type of Review: New information collection.
    Affected Public: Selected covered partnerships, defined as a 
partnership between (a) a State, or one or more political subdivisions 
of a State; and (b) a provider of a fixed broadband service.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 240.
    Estimated Time per Response: 33.22.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 12,254.4.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $407,092.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Division N, 
Title IX, Section 905, Public Law 116-260, 134 Stat. 1182 (Dec. 27, 
2020).

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department to:
    (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will have practical utility.
    (b) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the time and cost 
burden for this proposed collection, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used.
    (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected.
    (d) Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to respond, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

[[Page 8804]]

    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Department of Commerce.
[FR Doc. 2022-03365 Filed 2-15-22; 8:45 am]
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