[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 231 (Friday, December 2, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74147-74148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-26299]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-1252; FR ID 116158]


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 January 
31, 2023. 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, (202) 418-2991.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Control Number: 3060-1252.
    Title: Application to Participate in Rural Digital Opportunity Fund 
Auction, FCC Form 183.
    Form Number: FCC Form 183.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, Not-for-profit 
institutions, and State, Local or Tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 500 respondents and 500 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 7 hours.

[[Page 74148]]

    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. 154, 214, 254 and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 3,500 hours.
    Total Annual Costs: No cost.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Although most information 
collected in FCC Form 183 will be made available for public inspection, 
the Commission will withhold certain information collected in FCC Form 
183 from routine public inspection. Specifically, the Commission will 
treat certain technical and financial information submitted in FCC Form 
183 as confidential and as though the applicant has requested that this 
information be treated as confidential trade secrets and/or commercial 
information. In addition, an applicant may use the abbreviated process 
under 47 CFR 0.459(a)(4) to request confidential treatment of certain 
financial information contained in its FCC Form 183 application. 
However, if a request for public inspection for this technical or 
financial information is made under 47 CFR 0.461, and the applicant has 
any objections to disclosure, the applicant will be notified and will 
be required to justify continued confidential treatment of its request. 
To the extent that a respondent seeks to have other information 
collected in FCC Form 183 withheld from public inspection, the 
respondent may request confidential treatment pursuant to 47 CFR 0.459.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: The Commission will use the information collected 
to determine whether applicants are eligible to participate in the 
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. On January 30, 2020 the Commission 
adopted the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Order, WC Docket Nos. 19-
126, 10-90, FCC 20-5 set a budget of up to $20.4 billion to support 
broadband networks in rural America.
    To implement the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction, the 
Commission adopted rules for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund 
auction, including the adoption of a two-stage application process. Any 
entity that wished to participate in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund 
auction was required to submit the FCC Form 183 short-form application 
to demonstrate its qualifications to bid. Accordingly, the Commission 
collects this information pursuant to section 54.804(a) of the 
Commission's rules 47 CFR 54.804(a). Based on the Commission's 
experience with auctions and consistent with the record, this two-stage 
collection of information balances the need to collect information 
essential to conduct a successful auction with administrative 
efficiency.
    Under this information collection, the Commission will collect 
information that will be used to determine whether an applicant is 
legally qualified to participate in an auction for Rural Digital 
Opportunity Fund support. To aid in collecting this information, the 
Commission will use FCC Form 183, which the public will use to provide 
the necessary information and certifications. Commission staff will 
review the information collected on FCC Form 183 as part of the pre-
auction process, prior to the start of the auction, and determine 
whether each applicant satisfies the Commission's requirements to 
participate in an auction for Rural Digital Opportunity Fund support. 
Without the information collected on FCC Form 183, the Commission will 
not be able to determine if an applicant is legally qualified to 
participate in the auction and has complied with the various applicable 
regulatory and statutory auction requirements for such participation. 
Any additional revisions or new collections for OMB review that address 
other reforms adopted in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Order will 
be submitted at a later date.

    Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-26299 Filed 12-1-22; 8:45 am]
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