Congress, through the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act, directed the Department of
Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) and DOC's NTIA to
expand broadband access to unserved and underserved communities
across the U.S., increase jobs, spur investments in technology and
infrastructure, and provide long-term economic benefits.
This emergency is
requested to achieve the following goal: For the next round of
funding, NTIA is contemplating the use of a "comprehensive
communities" strategy aimed at funding middle-mile projects to
anchor institutions in the community, ideally with commitments from
last-mile providers who would connect the middle-mile projects to
residential end users. NTIA decided, in coordination with the White
Houses Open Government Initiative that seeks to promote
transparency, openness and collaboration, to create a tool that
would allow larger anchor institutions, smaller satellite
organizations, internet service providers and technical experts to
find one another and create mutually beneficial proposals. The
information submitted to the tool by potential BTOP applicants will
be used by other applicants to seek partners. The information would
be relevant to applicants between the tools launch in mid December
2009 and the close of the second-round window, roughly in mid-March
2010.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.