§ 54.1005 - Application process.

§ 54.1005 Application process.

(a) Application to participate in competitive bidding for Mobility Fund Phase I support. In addition to providing information specified in § 1.21001(b) of this chapter and any other information required by the Commission, an applicant to participate in competitive bidding for Mobility Fund Phase I support also shall:

(1) Provide ownership information as set forth in § 1.2112(a) of this chapter;

(2) Certify that the applicant is financially and technically capable of meeting the public interest obligations of § 54.1006 in each area for which it seeks support;

(3) Disclose its status as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier in any area for which it will seek support or as a Tribal entity with a pending application to become an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier in any such area, and certify that the disclosure is accurate;

(4) Describe the spectrum access that the applicant plans to use to meet obligations in areas for which it will bid for support, including whether the applicant currently holds a license for or leases the spectrum, and certify that the description is accurate and that the applicant will retain such access for at least five (5) years after the date on which it is authorized to receive support;

(5) Certify that it will not bid on any areas in which it has made a public commitment to deploy 3G or better wireless service by December 31, 2012; and

(6) Make any applicable certifications required in § 54.1004.

(b) Application by winning bidders for Mobility Fund Phase I support -

(1) Deadline. Unless otherwise provided by public notice, winning bidders for Mobility Fund Phase I support shall file an application for Mobility Fund Phase I support no later than 10 business days after the public notice identifying them as winning bidders.

(2) Application contents.

(i) Identification of the party seeking the support, including ownership information as set forth in § 1.2112(a) of this chapter.

(ii) Certification that the applicant is financially and technically capable of meeting the public interest obligations of § 54.1006 in the geographic areas for which it seeks support.

(iii) Proof of the applicant's status as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier or as a Tribal entity with a pending application to become an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier in any area for which it seeks support and certification that the proof is accurate.

(iv) A description of the spectrum access that the applicant plans to use to meet obligations in areas for which it is the winning bidder for support, including whether the applicant currently holds a license for or leases the spectrum, and a certification that the description is accurate and that the applicant will retain such access for at least five (5) years after the date on which it is authorized to receive support.

(v) A detailed project description that describes the network, identifies the proposed technology, demonstrates that the project is technically feasible, discloses the budget and describes each specific phase of the project, e.g., network design, construction, deployment, and maintenance. The applicant shall indicate whether the supported network will provide third generation (3G) mobile service within the period prescribed by § 54.1006(a) or fourth generation (4G) mobile service within the period prescribed by § 54.1006(b).

(vi) Certifications that the applicant has available funds for all project costs that exceed the amount of support to be received from Mobility Fund Phase I and that the applicant will comply with all program requirements.

(vii) Any guarantee of performance that the Commission may require by public notice or other proceedings, including but not limited to the letters of credit required in § 54.1007, or a written commitment from an acceptable bank, as defined in § 54.1007(a)(1), to issue such a letter of credit.

(viii) Certification that the applicant will offer service in supported areas at rates that are within a reasonable range of rates for similar service plans offered by mobile wireless providers in urban areas for a period extending until five (5) years after the date on which it is authorized to receive support.

(ix) Any applicable certifications and showings required in § 54.1004.

(x) Certification that the party submitting the application is authorized to do so on behalf of the applicant.

(xi) Such additional information as the Commission may require.

(3) Application processing.

(i) No application will be considered unless it has been submitted in an acceptable form during the period specified by public notice. No applications submitted or demonstrations made at any other time shall be accepted or considered.

(ii) Any application that, as of the submission deadline, either does not identify the applicant seeking support as specified in the public notice announcing application procedures or does not include required certifications shall be denied.

(iii) An applicant may be afforded an opportunity to make minor modifications to amend its application or correct defects noted by the applicant, the Commission, the Administrator, or other parties. Minor modifications include correcting typographical errors in the application and supplying non-material information that was inadvertently omitted or was not available at the time the application was submitted.

(iv) Applications to which major modifications are made after the deadline for submitting applications shall be denied. Major modifications include, but are not limited to, any changes in the ownership of the applicant that constitute an assignment or change of control, or the identity of the applicant, or the certifications required in the application.

(v) After receipt and review of the applications, a public notice shall identify each winning bidder that may be authorized to receive Mobility Fund Phase I support after the winning bidder submits a Letter of Credit and an accompanying opinion letter as required by § 54.1007, in a form acceptable to the Commission, and any final designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier that any Tribally-owned or -controlled applicant may still require. Each such winning bidder shall submit a Letter of Credit and an accompanying opinion letter as required by § 54.1007, in a form acceptable to the Commission, and any required final designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier no later than 10 business days following the release of the public notice.

(vi) After receipt of all necessary information, a public notice will identify each winning bidder that is authorized to receive Mobility Fund Phase I support.