HC CAF Small Discussion Group Feedback

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 3060-1149)

TITLE OF THE STUDY: Generic Clearance for the collection of stakeholder input and feedback on ways to document compliance with broadband deployment obligations for the Connect America Fund (CAF) programs.

PURPOSE:

USAC is designing a compliance process to verify broadband deployment by carriers receiving Connect America Fund (CAF) support. The FCC directed USAC to review participants’ compliance to ensure CAF support is being used as intended. The purpose of reaching out to stakeholders is to gather stakeholder input and feedback on ways to document compliance with broadband deployment obligations.

Background: Carriers participating in Connect America programs must report broadband deployment data via USAC’s new High Cost Universal Broadband (HUBB) portal showing where they are building out service by precise location (latitude/longitude coordinates).¹ The HUBB performs a number of automated checks to validate this data (e.g., such as determining whether a location’s latitude/longitude coordinates fall within a carrier’s eligible area). In order to verify the accuracy of the information submitted, USAC is also designing an in-depth review of compliance for a subset of participants. This in-depth review could include, but is not limited to, confirming service availability through customer subscription records or online service qualification tools showing that service is available at a particular sample of locations within the state. USAC is seeking stakeholder input on ways it can implement an in-depth verification process that is not overly burdensome for participants but will provide sufficient documentation to ensure proper use of CAF monies.

As part of this outreach effort, USAC will hold a series of one-on-one meetings, small discussion groups, and listening sessions with key stakeholders. USAC will use these sessions to gather information about how carriers design their networks, how they track deployment and measure broadband speed, what types of documentation exist that could evidence deployment, and whether there is a role for outside engineers, consultants or construction firms to provide independent confirmation of carrier build-out. Stakeholders will be able to participate in these discussions either in person at USAC’s headquarters or remotely via telephone or WebEx, as is most convenient and least burdensome for participants.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:

The respondents will include carriers that participate in CAF programs, engineering and cost consultants, mapping services providers, billing services providers, network construction firms and industry trade associations.

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [ ] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software [ X ] Small Discussion Group

[ ] Focus Group [ ] Other:

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.

Name:

To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [ x ] No

2. If Yes, will any information that is collected be included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? N/A

3. If Yes, has an up-to-date System of Records Notice (SORN) been published? N/A

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants? [ ] Yes [ x ] No

BURDEN HOURS:

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
Carriers participating in CAF programs	50	2 hours	100 hours
Engineering and cost consultants	5	1 hour	5 hours
Mapping services providers	3	2 hours	6 hours
Billing services providers	5	1 hour	5 hours
Network construction firms	15	1 hour	15 hours
Industry Trade groups	6	3 hours	18 hours
Totals	84	10 hours	149 hours

FEDERAL COST: There will be few, if any additional costs to the Commission because notice, enforcement, and policy analysis associated with the Universal Service Fund are already part of the Commission’s duties.  Moreover, there will be minimal cost to the Federal government since a third party (USAC) will administer the program.

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions: N/A

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe? [X] Yes [ ] No

If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)? If the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them?

USAC has a list of points of contact for CAF program participants, cost and engineering consultants, mapping services vendors, billing services providers, network construction firms and industry trade groups. USAC will randomly select participants from these lists to invite to participate in the small discussion group feedback sessions. While these contacts include the potential group of respondents, we do not anticipate that all respondents will choose to participate in the feedback sessions.

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[ ] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[X] Telephone

[X] In-person

[ ] Mail

[X] Other, Explain: WebEx

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [X] Yes [ ] No

Please make sure that all instruments, instructions, and scripts are submitted with the request.

1 See OMB Control No. 3060-1228, ICR Reference. No. 201612-3060-022 (2017).

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