[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 84 (Tuesday, April 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34243-34244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-09215]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0804; FR ID 216172]


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

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.

DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before July 1, 
2024. 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: 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.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0804.
    Title: Universal Service--Rural Health Care Program.
    Form Numbers: FCC Forms 460, 461, 462, 463, 465, 466, 467, and 469.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-profit 
institutions; Federal Government; and State, Local, or Tribal 
governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 12,854 unique respondents; 
117,071 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.30-17 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, one-time, annual, and monthly 
reporting requirements.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in 
sections 1-4, 201-205, 214, 254, 303(r), and 403 of the Communications 
Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151-154, 201-205, 214, 254, 303(r), 
and 403, unless otherwise noted.
    Total Annual Burden: 442,389 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission seeks OMB approval of a revision of 
this information collection as a result of the 2023 Promoting 
Telehealth Third Report and Order, FCC 23-110, rel. December 14, 2023 
(2023 Third Report and Order) (89 FR 1834, January 11, 2024). This 
collection is utilized for the RHC support mechanism of the 
Commission's universal service fund (USF). The collection of this 
information is necessary so that the Commission and the Universal 
Service Administrative Company (USAC) will have sufficient information 
to determine if entities are eligible for funding

[[Page 34244]]

pursuant to the RHC universal service support mechanism, to determine 
if entities are complying with the Commission's rules, and to promote 
program integrity. This information is also necessary in order to allow 
the Commission to evaluate the extent to which the RHC Program is 
meeting the statutory objectives specified in section 254(h) of the 
1996 Act, and the Commission's performance goals for the RHC Program.
    This information collection is being revised to: (1) extend some of 
the existing information collection requirements for the Healthcare 
Connect Fund and Telecom Programs; (2) revise some of the information 
collection requirements for the Healthcare Connect Fund and Telecom 
Programs as a result of the 2023 Third Report and Order; and (3) add a 
new information collection requirement for the Healthcare Connect Fund 
and Telecom Programs as a result of the 2023 Third Report and Order. As 
part of this information collection, the Commission is also revising 
the FCC Form 460 Template, the FCC Form 461 Template, the FCC Form 465 
Template, the FCC Form 466 Template, and the Post-Commitment Template. 
We propose to make changes to the Post-Commitment Template effective 
funding year 2024. We propose to make changes to the FCC Form 460 
Template, the FCC Form 461 Template, the FCC Form 465 Template, and the 
FCC Form 466 Template effective funding year 2025. The FCC Form 467 and 
Telecom Invoice Form will not be used after funding year 2023.
    As part of this information collection, the Commission is 
harmonizing the RHC Program eligibility determination process by using 
the FCC Form 460 for eligibility determinations in both the Telecom 
Program and the HCF Program, eliminating the eligibility determination 
portion from FCC Form 465, which was previously used for eligibility 
determinations in the Telecom Program. The FCC Form 460 will also be 
amended to seek information applicable to conditional approvals of 
eligibility, which will enable health care providers to engage in 
competitive bidding and request funding (but not receive disbursements) 
before they become eligible. Additionally, the FCC Form 466 will be 
amended effective to reflect a streamlined process for calculating 
urban rates. Finally, the information collection will be updated to 
allow health care providers to update the time period covered by 
evergreen contract designations.
    The Healthcare Connect Fund Program currently includes FCC Forms 
460, 461, 462, and 463. Effective funding year 2024, the Telecom 
Program includes FCC Forms 465, 466, and 469 and will include the FCC 
Form 460 starting in funding year 2025. The information on the FCC Form 
templates is a representative description of the information to be 
collected via an online portal and is not intended to be a visual 
representation of what each applicant or service provider will see, the 
order in which they will see information, or the exact wording or 
directions used to collect the information. Where possible, information 
already provided by applicants from previous filing years or that was 
pre-filed in the system portal will be carried forward and auto-
generated into the form to simplify the information collection for 
applicants.

    Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-09215 Filed 4-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P