2023-17415. Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission

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, 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 October 13, 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 [e-mail] and to [e-mail].

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; 116,404 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: 442,117 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 Order on Reconsideration, Second Report and Order, and Order, FCC 23–6, rel. January 27, 2023 ( 2023 Order) (88 FR 17379, March 23, 2023). 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 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 Telecom Programs as a result of the 2023 Order; and (3) add a new information collection requirement for the Telecom Program as a result of the 2023 Order. As part of this information collection, the Commission is also revising the FCC Form 466 Template, terminating the Telecommunications Program Invoice Template and the FCC Form 467 Template in the Telecom Program, and adding a FCC Form 469 Template which is the new invoice form in the Telecom Program adopted by the 2023 Order to ensure that healthcare providers have adequate, predictable support, to simplify the invoicing process, and to promote program integrity in the RHC Program. These changes will be effective starting funding year 2024.

The Healthcare Connect Fund Program currently includes FCC Forms 460, 461, 462, and 463. Prior to funding year 2024, the Telecom Program includes FCC Forms 465, 466, and 467. Effective funding year 2024, the Telecom Program includes FCC Forms 465, 466, and 469. 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.

Katura Jackson,

Federal Register Liaison Officer.