2013-24758. Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. 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 December 23, 2013. 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 the Federal Communications Commission via email to [e-mail] and [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information about the information collection, contact Cathy Williams at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control No.: 3060-0800.

Title: FCC Application for Assignments of Authorization and Transfers of Control: Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and/or Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau.

Form No.: FCC Form 603.

Type of Review: Revision to a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Individuals or households; business or other for-profit entities; not-for-profit institutions; State, local or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 2,447 respondents; 2,447 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.5-1.75 hours.

Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement; occasion reporting requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in 47 U.S.C. 4(i), 154(i), 303(r) and 309(j).

Total Annual Burden: 2,754 hours.

Total Annual Cost: $366,975.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general there is no need for confidentiality. On a case by case basis, the Commission may be required to withhold from disclosure certain information about the location, character, or ownership of a historic property, including traditional religious sites.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: Yes.

Needs and Uses: FCC Form 603 is a multi-purpose form used to apply for approval of assignment or transfer of control of licenses in the wireless services. The data collected on this form is used by the FCC to determine whether the public interest would be served by approval of the requested assignment or transfer. This form is also used to notify the Commission of consummated assignments and transfers of wireless and/or public safety licenses that have previously been consented to by the Commission or for which notification but not prior consent is required. This form is used by applicants/licensees in the Public Mobile Services, Personal Communications Services, General Wireless Communications Services, Private Land Mobile Radio Services, Broadcast Auxiliary Services, Broadband Radio Services, Educational Radio Services, Fixed Microwave Services, Maritime Services (excluding ships), and Aviation Services (excluding aircraft).

The purpose of this form is to obtain information sufficient to identify the parties to the proposed assignment or transfer, establish the parties basic eligibility and qualifications, classify the filing, and determine the nature of the proposed service. Various technical schedules are required along with the main form applicable to Auctioned Services, Partitioning and Disaggregation, Undefined Geographical Area Partitioning, Notification of Consummation or Request for Extension of Time for Consummation.

The form 603 is being revised to add a National Security Certification that is applicable to applicants for licenses issued as a result of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (2012 Spectrum Act). Section 6004 of the 2012 Spectrum Act, 47 U.S.C. 1404, prohibits a person who has been, for reasons of national security, barred by any agency of the Federal Government from bidding on a contract, participating in an auction, or receiving a grant from participating in any auction that is required or authorized to be conducted pursuant to the 2012 Spectrum Act.

On June 27, 2013, the Commission released a Report and Order (R&O), FCC 13-88, WT Docket No. 12-357, in which it established service rules and competitive bidding procedures for the 1915-1920 MHz and 1995-2000 MHz bands. See Service Rules for the Advanced Wireless Services H Block-Implementing Section 6401 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 Related to the 1915-1920 MHz and 1995-2000 MHz Bands, Report and Order, FCC 13-88, 28 FCC Rcd 9483 (2013). The R&O also implemented Section 6004 by requiring that a party seeking to participate in any auction conducted pursuant to the 2012 Spectrum Act certify in its application, under penalty of perjury, the applicant and all of the related individuals and entities required to be disclosed on its application are not person(s) who have been, for reasons of national security, barred by any agency of the Federal Government from bidding on a contract, participating in an auction, or receiving a grant and thus statutorily prohibited from participating in such a Commission auction or being issued a license. In addition, the R&O determined that the National Security Certification required by Section 6004 extends to transfers, assignments, and other secondary market mechanisms involving licenses granted pursuant to the 2012 Spectrum Act. See H Block R&O, 28 FCC Rcd at 9555 ¶ 187. The Commission therefore seeks approval for a revision to its currently approved information collection on FCC Form 603 to include this additional certification. The revised collection will enable the Commission to determine whether an applicant's request for a license pursuant to the 2012 Spectrum Act is consistent with Section 6004.

Additionally, the form 603 is being revised to update the Alien Ownership certifications pursuant to the Second Report and Order, FCC 13-50, IB Docket 11-133, Review of Foreign Ownership Policies for Common Carrier and Aeronautical Radio Licensees under Section 310(b)(4) of the Communications Act of 1934, as Amended.

The addition of the National Security Certification and the revision to the Alien Ownership certification result in no change in burden for the revised collection. The Commission estimates that the additional certification will not measurably increase the estimated average amount of time for respondents to complete FCC Form 603 across the range of applicants or for Commission staff to review the applications.

OMB Control No.: 3060-1058.

Title: FCC Application or Notification for Spectrum Leasing Arrangement: Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and/or Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau.

Form No.: FCC Form 608.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; not-for-profit institutions; State, Local or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 991 respondents; 991 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour.

Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement and on occasion reporting requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 154(j), 155, 158, 161, 301, 303(r), 308, 309, 310, 332 and 503.

Total Annual Burden: 991 hours.

Annual Cost Burden: $1,282,075.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general there is no need for confidentiality. On a case by case basis, the Commission may be required to withhold from disclosure certain information about the location, character, or ownership of a historic property, including traditional religious sites.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: Not applicable.

Needs and Uses: FCC Form 608 is a multipurpose form. It is used to provide notification or request approval for any spectrum leasing arrangement (`Leases') entered into between an existing licensee (`Licensee') in certain wireless services and a spectrum lessee (`Lessee'). This form also is required to notify or request approval for any spectrum subleasing arrangement (`Sublease'). The data collected on the form is used by the FCC to determine whether the public interest would be served by the Lease or Sublease. The form is also used to provide notification for any Private Commons Arrangement entered into between a Licensee, Lessee, or Sublessee and a class of third-party users (as defined in Section 1.9080 of the Commission's Rules).

The form 608 is being revised to add a National Security Certification that is applicable to applicants for licenses issued as a result of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (2012 Spectrum Act). Section 6004 of the 2012 Spectrum Act, 47 U.S.C. 1404, prohibits a person who has been, for reasons of national security, barred by any agency of the Federal Government from bidding on a contract, participating in an auction, or receiving a grant from participating in any auction that is required or authorized to be conducted pursuant to the 2012 Spectrum Act.

On June 27, 2013, the Commission released a Report and Order (R&O), FCC 13-88, WT Docket No. 12-357, in which it established service rules and competitive bidding procedures for the 1915-1920 MHz and 1995-2000 MHz bands. See Service Rules for the Advanced Wireless Services H Block-Implementing Section 6401 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 Related to the 1915-1920 MHz and 1995-2000 MHz Bands, Report and Order, FCC 13-88, 28 FCC Rcd 9483 (2013). The R&O also implemented Section 6004 by requiring that a party seeking to participate in any auction conducted pursuant to the 2012 Spectrum Act certify in its application, under penalty of perjury, the applicant and all of the related individuals and entities required to be disclosed on its application are not person(s) who have been, for reasons of national security, barred by any agency of the Federal Government from bidding on a contract, participating in an auction, or receiving a grant and thus statutorily prohibited from participating in such a Commission auction or being issued a license. In addition, the R&O determined that the National Security Certification required by Section 6004 extends to transfers, assignments, and other secondary market mechanisms involving licenses granted pursuant to the 2012 Spectrum Act. See H Block R&O, 28 FCC Rcd at 9555 ¶ 187. The Commission therefore seeks approval for a revision to its currently approved information collection on FCC Form 608 to include this additional certification. The revised collection will enable the Commission to determine whether an applicant's request for a license pursuant to the 2012 Spectrum Act is consistent with Section 6004.

Additionally, the form 608 is being revised to update the Alien Ownership certifications pursuant to the Second Report and Order, FCC 13-50, IB Docket 11-133, Review of Foreign Ownership Policies for Common Carrier and Aeronautical Radio Licensees under Section 310(b)(4) of the Communications Act of 1934, as Amended.

The addition of the National Security Certification and the revision to the Alien Ownership certification result in no change in burden for the revised collection. The Commission estimates that the additional certification will not measurably increase the estimated average amount of time for respondents to complete FCC Form 608 across the range of applicants or for Commission staff to review the applications.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.