2014-23785. Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to the Office of Management and Budget

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collections. 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 OMB 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 OMB control number.

DATES:

Written comments should be submitted on or before November 5, 2014. 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 contacts below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, OMB, via email [e-mail]; and to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email [e-mail] and to [e-mail]. Include in the comments the OMB control number as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information or copies of the information collection, contact Nicole Ongele at [phone].

To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go to the Web page <http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain>, (2) look for the section of the Web page called “Currently Under Review,” (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in the “Select Agency” box below the “Currently Under Review” heading, (4) select “Federal Communications Commission” from the list of agencies presented in the “Select Agency” box, (5) click the “Submit” button to the right of the “Select Agency” box, (6) when the list of FCC ICRs currently under review appears, look for the OMB control number of this ICR and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC submission to OMB will be displayed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-0855.

Title: Telecommunications Reporting Worksheets and Related Collections, FCC Forms 499-A and 499-Q.

Form Number: FCC Forms 499-A and 499-Q.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit and not-for-profit institutions.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 6,700 respondents; 41,650 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.25 hours to 25 hours per response.

Frequency of Response: Annually, quarterly, recordkeeping and on occasion reporting requirements.

Obligation to Respond: Mandatory. Statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in 151, 154(i), 154(j), 155, 157, 159, 201, 205, 214, 225, 254, 303(r), 715 and 719 of the Act, 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 154(j), 155, 157, 159, 201, 205, 214, 225, 254, 303(r), 616, and 620.

Total Annual Burden: 247,375 hours.

Annual Cost Burden: No cost.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission will allow respondents to certify that data contained in their submissions is privileged or confidential commercial or financial information and that disclosure of such information would likely cause substantial harm to the competitive position of the entity filing the FCC worksheets. If the Commission receives a request for or proposes to disclose the information, the respondent would be required to make the full showing pursuant to the Commission's rules for withholding from public inspection information submitted to the Commission.

Needs and Uses: This information collection requires contributors to the federal universal service fund, telecommunications relay service fund, and numbering administration to file, pursuant to sections 151, 225, 251 and 254 of the Act, a Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet on an annual basis (FCC Form 499-A and/or on a quarterly basis (FCC Form 499-Q). The information is also used to calculate FCC regulatory fees for interstate telecommunications service providers.

This information collection is being revised to require online electronic filing for FCC Forms 499-A and 499-Q (currently, the forms may be filed either electronically or on paper). Also, the third-party disclosure requirement is being eliminated.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

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