Emergency PRA Letter

Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554
December 30, 2019
Mr. Alexander Hunt
Chief, Information Policy Branch
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
Office of Management and Budget
Washington, D.C. 20503
Dear Mr. Hunt:
The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) requests OMB approval to submit the
information collection described herein under the “emergency processing” provision of the Paperwork
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (5 C.F.R. § 1320.13). The Commission is requesting clearance for a new
information collection entitled: Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications
Supply Chain Through FCC Programs. We respectfully request OMB approval for this collection by
January 31, 2020.
On November 22, 2019, the Commission adopted a Report and Order, Further Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking and Order, WC Docket No. 18-89, FCC 19-121 (Protecting Against National Security
Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs). The Report and Order prohibits
future use of Universal Service Fund (USF) funds to purchase equipment or services from any
communications equipment or service providers identified as posing a national security risk to
communications networks or the communications supply chain. It also initially designates two entities –
Huawei Technologies Company (Huawei) and ZTE Corporation (ZTE), along with their affiliates,
subsidiaries, and parents – as covered companies posing such a national security threat. In the Further
Notice, the Commission proposes to require eligible telecommunications carriers receiving USF support
to remove and replace covered equipment and services from carriers’ networks. The Further Notice
proposes to make the requirement to remove and replace covered equipment and services contingent on
the availability of a funded reimbursement program, in an effort to mitigate the impact on affected
entities. Thus, in the accompanying Information Collection Order, the Commission proposes to establish
an information collection to determine the extent to which prohibited equipment exists in current
networks, and the costs associated with removing such equipment and replacing it with equivalent
equipment.
The Commission proposes to initiate this collection to gather information from eligible
telecommunications carriers as to whether they own equipment or services from Huawei or ZTE, the cost
to purchase and/or install such equipment or services, and the cost to remove and replace such equipment
or services. In addition, respondents must demonstrate how they arrived at any cost estimates they
provide in response to this information collection.
Requiring the Commission to seek OMB’s approval for this new collection under the regular PRA
processing procedures would significantly delay the Commission’s efforts to address the serious and
immediate risk to national security posed by Huawei and ZTE. The rules and related requirements
adopted in the Report and Order are intended to promote expeditious removal of existing national
security vulnerabilities in communications networks and their supply chains. The Commission also has a
responsibility to ensure that the public funds in the USF are not spent on equipment or services from
companies that present a risk to the communications supply chain. In order to promptly address these
national security concerns and fulfill its statutory obligations, the Commission must determine the extent