Establishing the Emergency Connectivity Fund Program

Forms and Documents

Document	Type	Status	Availability
Form FCC Form 471 Business or other for-profit	Form	New	Available
3060-xxxx FCC 21-58 ECF PRA Supporting Statement__final version.docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2021-05-14	Repair queued
Homework Gap PRA Emergency Letter 05142021.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2021-05-14	Missing upstream

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
247349	State, Local or Tribal Government		New
247348	Business or other for-profit	Form	New

ICR Details

OMB Control No:	ICR Reference No: 202105-3060-007
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: FCC	Agency Tracking No: WCB
Title: Establishing the Emergency Connectivity Fund Program
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Emergency	Approval Requested By: 05/20/2021
Date Submitted to OIRA: 05/14/2021

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	6 Months From Approved
Responses	132,100	0
Time Burden (Hours)	315,450	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: This collection establishes the collection requirements for the Emergency Connectivity Fund Program, as established by Congress in the American Rescue Plan and implemented in the Commission’s Report and Order, in order to obtain information from applicants that will be used to reimburse schools and libraries for the purchase of eligible equipment and/or advanced telecommunications and information services for use by students, school, staff, and library patrons who would otherwise lack the connected devices and broadband connections necessary to fully engage in remote learning during the COVID-19 emergency period.

Emergency Justfication: The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) requests Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to submit the information collection described herein under the “emergency processing” provision of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (5 CFR § 1320.13). The Commission is requesting clearance for a new information collection entitled: Establishing the Emergency Connectivity Fund Program to Close the Homework Gap. We respectfully request OMB approval for this collection by May 20, 2021. On May 10, 2020, the Commission adopted a Report and Order entitled Establishing the Emergency Connectivity Fund to Close the Homework Gap, WC Docket No. 21-93, Report and Order, FCC 21-58 (2021). The Commission established the Emergency Connectivity Fund Program funded through a $7.171 billion Congressional appropriation under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, to provide support to eligible schools and libraries for the purchases of eligible equipment, including laptop and tablet computers, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, and routers, as well as broadband Internet access services, to meet the remote learning needs of students, school staff, and library patrons who lack sufficient access to connectivity and/or devices to fully engage in remote learning during this unprecedented time. Funding will be available until the funds are expended, but not later than September 30, 2030, pursuant to section 7402 of the American Rescue Plan Act.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 47 USC 201-205, 214, 218-220, 254, Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as amended
   US Code: 47 USC 403, 405 Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as amended
   US Code: 47 USC 1, 4(i), 4(j) 151-154 Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as amended
   PL: Pub.L. 117 - 2 7402 Name of Law: American Rescue Plan Act
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments

Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 2

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Business or other for-profit	FCC Form 471	Description of Services Requested and Certification ECF
State, Local or Tribal Government

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	132,100	0	0	132,100	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	315,450	0	0	315,450	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Changing Regulations

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: The Commission is reporting program changes/increases to this new information collection. These increases to the total number of respondents of 23,000, total annual responses of 132,100, and total annual burden hours of 315,450 will be added to the OMB’s active directory.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $0

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 05/14/2021

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