2010-18864. Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Submitted for Review and Approval to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Comments Requested

July 26, 2010.

SUMMARY:

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501 - 3520. Comments are requested concerning: (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; (d) 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 (e) ways to further reduce the information collection burden for 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 Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a currently valid OMB control number.

DATES:

Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be submitted on or before September 1, 2010. If you anticipate that you will be submitting PRA comments, but find it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the FCC contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of Management and Budget, via fax at 202-395-5167 or via the Internet at [e-mail] and to the Federal Communications Commission via email to [e-mail]. To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go to the web page http://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, and (6) when the list of FCC ICRs currently under review appears, look for the title of this ICR (or its OMB Control Number, if there is one) and then click on the ICR Reference Number to view detailed information about this ICR.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Judith B. Herman, Office of Managing Director, [phone]. For additional information or copies of the information collection(s), contact Judith B. Herman, OMD, 202-418-0214 or email [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-0806.

Title: Universal Service - Schools and Libraries Universal Service Program.

Form Numbers: FCC Forms 470 and 471.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit institutions, and state, local or tribal government.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 45,000 respondents; 160,000 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 3 - 4 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion and annual reporting requirements, recordkeeping requirement and third party disclosure requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. sections 254 and Pub. L. No. 107-110, Leave No Child Behind Act of 2002.

Total Annual Burden: 325,000 hours.

Total Annual Cost: N/A.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for confidentiality.

Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this revised information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) during this comment period to obtain the full three year clearance from them. The Commission has reduced the annual burden hours by 200,003 hours (78,573 hours program change reduction and 121,430 hours adjusted due to recalculations of the burden estimates) since this was last submitted to OMB.

The Commission is revising this collection in an effort to streamline the application process for the federal universal service schools and libraries support mechanism (also referred to as the “E-rate” program) and to remove outdated and unneeded questions. We propose revising the forms by removing questions that were originally intended to assist service providers but are no longer useful; and by removing questions that are outside the scope of the information needed for the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), the administrator of the federal universal service fund and to process E-rate applications. We further proposed limiting data collection to information that is not already available through other USAC forms or review processes. Finally, applicants will be required to include their FCC Registration Number (FRN) and consultants must provide their contact information, when applicable, on FCC Forms 470 and 471.

Federal Communications Commission.

Bulah P. Wheeler,

Acting Associate Secretary,

Office of the Secretary,

Office of Managing Director.