Telecommunications Relay Services and Sppech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities

Approved by OMB

TRS Fund State Form Jan. 2024 Version

OMB Control Number 3060-0463

Estimated Average Burden Hours Per Response: 1.0 Hour

Interstate TRS Fund

Annual State Data Request

Filing Instructions

PRIVACY ACT AND PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENTS 

 

The FCC is authorized under the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, to collect the information we request in this form. If we believe there may be a violation or a potential violation of a FCC statute, regulation, rule or order, your certification may be referred to the Federal, state, or local agency responsible for investigating, prosecuting, enforcing, or implementing the statute, rule, regulation, or order. In certain cases, the information in your certification may be disclosed to the Department of Justice or a court or adjudicative body when a) the FCC; or b) any employee of the FCC; or c) the United States Government is a party of a proceeding before the body or has an interest in the proceeding.  

 

We have estimated that this collection of information will take 1.0 hour annually. Our estimate includes the time to read the instructions, look through existing records, gather and maintain required data, and actually complete and review the form or response. If you have any comments on this estimate, or on how we can improve the collection and reduce the burden it causes you, please write the Federal Communications Commission, Office of Managing Director, AMD-PERM, Washington, DC 20554, Paperwork Reduction Act Project (3060-0463). We will also accept your PRA comments if you send an e-mail to PRA@fcc.gov.  

 

Please DO NOT SEND COMPLETED FORMS TO THIS ADDRESS. You are not required to respond to a collection of information sponsored by the Federal government, and the government may not conduct or sponsor this collection, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number and/or we fail to provide you with this notice. This collection has been assigned an OMB control number of 3060-0463.  

 

THIS NOTICE IS REQUIRED BY THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974, PUBLIC LAW 93- 579, DECEMBER 31, 1974, 5 U.S.C. SECTION 552a(e)(3) AND THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1995, PUBLIC LAW 104-13, OCTOBER 1, 1995, 44 U.S.C. SECTION 3507. 

Contents

Definitions 4

Introduction 4

Overview 5

Annual Filing Rules 5

Traditional Services 5

Annual Filing Forms 5

Preparation of Forms 5

Filing Schedule and Submission 7

Definitions

Please see the table below for a list of acronyms and definition.

Acronym	Definition
FCC	Federal Communications Commission
TRS	Interstate Telecommunications Relay Service
MARS	Multistate Average Rate Structure
TTY/TT	Teletype/Text Telephone
STS	Speech-to-Speech
CTS	Captioned Telephone Service
RSDR	Relay Service Data Request

Introduction

On November 19, 2007, the FCC released a Report and Order (FCC 07-186) adopting new cost recovery methodologies for the various forms of TRS. For TTY, STS, and CTS services, the Commission adopted the MARS Plan. One MARS rate is calculated for interstate TTY and STS services, and one MARS rate is calculated for interstate CTS service.

As administrator of the TRS Fund, Rolka Loube oversees the collection and analysis of cost and demand data. Rolka Loube has created a form and associated instructions for the submission of the annual filing data. If you have questions regarding these instructions, please email TRSDataRequest@rolkaloube.com.

Overview

The purpose of this document is to provide a complete detailed set of instructions to state TRS administrators to submit rate and minute data. Following these instructions, each state will submit accurate annual rate and minute data to Rolka Loube.

Annual Filing Rules

In accordance with FCC 07-186, each state TRS Administrator is to provide rate and minute data for TTY, STS, and CTS service for the reporting period.

Traditional Services

State TRS Administrators that held a contract to receive TTY, STS, and/or CTS services during the reporting period must complete the following worksheets: Flat Rate Revenue, Per Minute Revenue, Add. Revenue Paid to Provider.

Flat Rate Costs

If a state TRS Administrator established a service contract to receive TTY, STS, and/or CTS at a flat rate (independent of the number of minutes serviced) during the reporting period, use the Flat Rate Costs worksheet to report the costs. Amounts provided should include only those revenues associated with provisioning TTY, STS, and/or CTS services. Additional costs associated with programs such as outreach, administration, or billing should be reported on the Add. Costs Paid to Provider worksheet and not in the reported flat rate amount. See Flat Rate Costs for instructions on completing this worksheet.

Per Minute Costs

If a state TRS Administrator established a service contract to receive TTY, STS, and/or CTS at a per minute rate (dependent on the number of minutes serviced) during the reporting period, use the Per Minute Costs worksheet to report the costs. Amounts provided should include only those revenues associated with provisioning the TTY, STS, and/or CTS services. Additional costs associated with programs such as outreach, administration, or billing should be reported on the Add. Costs Paid to Provider worksheet and not in the reported per minute rate. See Per Minute Costs for instructions on completing this worksheet.

Additional Costs Paid to Provider

If a state TRS Administrator paid funds during the reporting period for programs that support TTY, STS, and/or CTS in addition to those associated with provisioning the services, use the Add. Revenue Paid to Provider worksheet to report the revenue. See Additional Costs Paid to Provider for instructions on completing this worksheet.

Annual Filing Forms

Preparation of Forms

Filing Information

To complete the Filing Information worksheet, follow the steps below:

1. Select state or territory name for the jurisdiction.

2. Enter the preparer’s name, contact email address, and contact telephone number.

3. Select the year for the filing period.

4. Enter the name and title of the senior officer attesting to the completion and accuracy of the filing.

5. Enter the signature and signature date of the senior officer.

Flat Rate Costs

To complete the Flat Rate Costs worksheet, follow the steps below:

1. Select the provider associated with the flat rate. If the appropriate value is not available, email TRSDataRequest@rolkaloube.com.

2. For each of the services, indicate if the flat rate contract covers the provision of TTY, STS, and/or CTS service minutes.

3. Enter the start and end date associated with the flat rate contract.

4. Select Annual if the amount is for the entire contract period or Monthly if the amount reported is per each month of the contract period.

5. Enter the flat rate amount, rounding to the nearest dollar.

6. Enter the TTY, STS, and/or CTS conversation minutes for services received during the contract period.

Per Minute Costs

To complete the Per Minute Costs worksheet, follow the steps below:

1. Select the provider associated with the per minute contract.

2. Select the service (TTY, STS, or CTS) covered by the per minute contract.

3. Enter the start and end date associated with the per minute contract.

4. Indicate whether the per minute rate applies to reported session minutes or conversation minutes.

5. Enter the per minute rate.

6. Enter the conversation and session minutes received during the contract period.

Additional Costs Paid to Provider

To complete the Add. Costs Paid to Provider worksheet, follow the steps below:

1. Select the provider associated with the additional cost.

2. For each of the services, indicate if the additional costs cover the programs for TTY, STS, and/or CTS service.

3. Enter the start and end date associated with the additional costs contract.

4. Select Annual if the amount is for the entire contract period or Monthly if the amount reported is per each month of the contract period.

5. Enter the additional cost amount, rounding to the nearest dollar.

6. Select a program that best describes the revenue reported.

If Other is selected, then enter a description of the program covered by the revenue.

Filing Schedule and Submission

Submission Process

Rolka Loube is using BOX for the secure transmission of files containing confidential cost and demand data. To submit a completed filing, visit BOX.com and log in with your BOX credentials. If you do not have credentials to BOX, please email TRSDataRequest@rolkaloube.com. After logging into BOX, you will see a folder for Annual Filings and the option to upload files to this folder.

Filing Schedule

All forms must be submitted to Rolka Loube on or before February 23, 2024.

Filing Name Convention

All filing submissions must be named XX_2023_Annual_V.xlsx where:

• XX is the two-character state/territory abbreviation

• V is the single digit version number starting at zero (0) and incrementing by one (1) for each replacement submission.