March 2010
SUPPORTING STATEMENT
New collection: Spectrum Dashboard Customer Feedback
Justification:
Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection.
The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA), Pub. L. No. 111-5, 123 Stat 115 (2009), originally instructed the Commission to develop and submit to Congress a National Broadband Plan by February 17, 2010. The Commission sought a one-month extension to submit the National Broadband Plan to Congress no later than March 17, 2010.
As part of the Broadband Plan, the FCC has created the Spectrum Dashboard, a database of the frequency bands from 225 MHz – 3.7 GHz available for non-federal uses, including for broadband deployment across the nation. The Spectrum Dashboard also makes information transparent and readily available to interested stakeholders (e.g., service providers, manufacturers, innovators, investors, etc.) to better enable them to gain access to spectrum and to help them assist the Commission in our spectrum policy decisions. The increased accessibility to spectrum and licensing information made possible by the Spectrum Dashboard is particularly valuable at this time as multiple stakeholders search for ways to participate in the deployment of wireless broadband throughout the nation.
The purpose of this collection is to enable individuals to voluntarily provide feedback on their experience with the Spectrum Dashboard. This collection will provide the Commission with unique data on how stakeholders are using the Spectrum Dashboard and what improvements or enhancements they would like to see in future versions of the Spectrum Dashboard. Continual improvements to the Spectrum Dashboard will better inform the Commission’s spectrum management decisions. A copy of the customer feedback questions is uploaded in OMB’s ROCIS system.
The Broadband Plan was released on March 16, 2010, and the beta version of the Spectrum Dashboard was also released on March 16, 2010. In order to seek customer feedback on the Spectrum Dashboard as soon possible, the Commission cannot comply with the regular OMB approval process and is requesting emergency processing under 5 C.F.R. § 1320.13 for this collection by March 31, 2010.
As noted on the OMB Form 83i, this information collection does affect individuals or households, and the FCC has in place the requisite requirements to address these impacts, as required by the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, and OMB regulations.
Those who choose to provide feedback to the Spectrum Dashboard, including individuals and households, etc., are not required to furnish any personally identifiable information.
The FCC has a Privacy Policy that covers those who access the FCC’s webpages, at: http://www.fcc.gov/fccprivacypolicy.html. There is also a system of records, FCC/OMD-20, “Inter-office and Remote Access Internet E-mail Systems,” which was published in the Federal Register on April 5, 2006 (65 FR 17234, 17265) and a Privacy Impact Assessment at: http://www.fcc.gov/omd/privacyact/System_of_records/pia-email.pdf to cover the collection of IP addresses of those who access FCC webpages.
Indicate how, by whom and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.
The Commission will use the Spectrum Dashboard Customer Feedback to obtain voluntary feedback from the wide range of stakeholders who will use the Spectrum Dashboard (e.g., individuals, licensees, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, industry analysts, regulators, and policy makers). In this regard, the Commission plans to keep the public engaged in an open and transparent dialogue regarding the utility of the software.
The Commission will use the information collected to help determine future improvements and enhancements to the Spectrum Dashboard.
Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical or other technological techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.
The Spectrum Dashboard Customer Feedback will involve the electronic collection of information and will be accessible online where individuals can voluntarily provide their feedback.
Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in item 2 above.
To our knowledge, no effort to collect similar information exists.
If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities (item 5 of OMB Form 831), describe any methods used to minimize the burden.
Not applicable. However, a small business owner or employee may navigate to the Commission’s website and voluntarily enter information in the database.
Describe the consequences to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing the burden.
No other Commission data collection efforts are directed at user-driven future improvements and enhancements to the Spectrum Dashboard. Absent this information collection, the Commission may lack sufficient information to make improvements and enhancements to the Spectrum Dashboard that best serve the needs of target stakeholders.
Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collected in a manner inconsistent with the guidelines in 5 C.F.R. § 1320.5(d)(2).
There are no special circumstances that would cause an information collection in a manner inconsistent with the guidelines in 5 C.F.R. § 1320.5(d)(2).
If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency’s notice, required by 5 C.F.R. § 1320.5(d), soliciting comments on the information prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to those comments. Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.
This is an emergency request. The Commission is requesting a waiver of the 60 day Federal Register notice requirement under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Upon OMB approval of this emergency request, the Commission will conduct all the regular OMB processes to obtain the full three year clearance from them.
Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than enumeration of contractors or grantees.
There are no payments or gifts to the respondents.
Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
No personally identifying information will be obtained as part of this information collection, except the collection of IP addresses when an individual or other entity accesses the FCC’s webpages.
As we note in Question 1, the FCC has a Privacy Policy that covers those who access the FCC’s webpages at: http://www.fcc.gov/fccprivacypolicy.html. There is also a system of records, FCC/OMD-20, “Inter-office and Remote Access Internet E-mail Systems” (65 FR 17234, 17265) and a Privacy Impact Assessment at: http://www.fcc.gov/omd/privacyact/System_of_records/pia-email.pdf to cover the collection of IP addresses of those who access FCC webpages.
Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature.
This information collection does not address any private matters of a sensitive nature and the privacy issues are fully addressed, as noted in Questions 1 and 10.
Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. The statement should: indicate the number of respondents, frequency of responses, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated. If the hour burden on respondents is expected to vary widely because of differences in activity, size, or complexity, show the range of the estimated hour burden, and explain the reasons for the variance.
The Commission estimates that the total time burden for responding to the Spectrum Dashboard Customer Feedback form is estimated at 1,100 hours (22,000 respondents x 0.05 hours per response = 1,100 total annual burden hours).
Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information. Do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in items 12 and 14.
This information collection will impose no cost burden on respondents.
Provide estimates of annualized costs to the Federal government. Also provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff).
The Commission will administer the collection and also contract with one or more vendors on the technical development of the Spectrum Dashboard Customer Feedback. Specifically, the Commission plans to use the services of CompuTech to develop the website to host the Customer Feedback form. The cost of the contract will be approximately $11,680. The Customer Feedback form will be created by current Commission employees or contractors using funds received for the Broadband Plan effort.
Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported.
This is a new collection resulting in a program change increase of 1,100 total annual burden hours.
For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication.
The Commission may decide to publish summary results of this information collection on a periodic basis, (e.g., monthly). This publication may be through the Commission’s website or via Public Notice(s) or Press Release(s).
If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reason that a display would be inappropriate.
The Commission is seeking approval to not display the OMB expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection. This will alleviate Commission staff from having to update the OMB expiration date in the database each time it is submitted to OMB for approval. Finally, the Commission publishes a list of all OMB-approved information collections including the OMB control numbers, OMB expiration dates and titles in 47 C.F.R. 0.408.
Explain any exceptions to the statement certifying compliance with 5 C.F.R. § 1320.9(d) and the related provisions of § 1320.8(b)(3).
There are exceptions to item 19 of OMB 83i. This is an emergency request. The Commission did not publish a 60 day notice in the Federal Register due to the emergency nature of this request.
Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods:
This collection of information does not employ statistical methods.
| File Type | application/msword |
| Author | Ellen.Satterwhite |
| Last Modified By | Judith Herman |
| File Modified | 2010-03-17 |
| File Created | 2010-03-17 |