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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 166 / Tuesday, August 31, 2021 / Rules and Regulations finds the changes requested by RWA
would be inconsistent with the Commissions rules.
10. Administrative and Form Consistency Changes. The Bureau will further require, as proposed, that applicants obtain and identify in their applications an FCC Registration Number FRN issued by the Commission Registration System CORES, a Data Universal Numbering System DUNS number or where applicable, a DUNS+4 number, and that applicants register with the System for Award Management SAM and provide the SAM Commercial and Government Entity CAGE Code in their applications. No commenter objected to these proposals. An FRN is an identifying number that is assigned to entities doing business with the Commission. Registration in the SAM
provides the Commission with an authoritative source for information necessary to provide funding to applicants and to ensure accurate reporting pursuant to the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act. The DUNS number or, where applicable, the DUNS+4
number, provides necessary banking information to assist the Commission in the electronic payment of funds to program recipients.
11. Separately, to reflect changes adopted in the 2021 Supply Chain Order, the Bureau modifies the question on the FCC Form 5640 concerning whether the applicant has obtained covered communications equipment or services. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 CAA
amended the Secure Networks Act to modify the covered communications equipment and services eligible for the Reimbursement Program. The Commission in the 2021 Supply Chain Order, implemented these changes by changing its rules to limit equipment and services eligible for the reimbursement to communications equipment or services produced or provided by Huawei and ZTE that are purchased, leased, or otherwise obtained on or before June 30, 2020.
Accordingly, the Bureau has made the necessary changes to the FCC Form 5640 to ask the applicant whether it has previously purchased, leased or otherwise obtained communications equipment or services on the Covered List that were produced or provided by Huawei or ZTE, including their affiliates and subsidiaries, on or before June 30, 2020.
12. The Bureau has also added a question for applicants to indicate whether the cost estimate provided by the applicant includes a technology
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upgrade over a comparable replacement.
This information will help the Bureau and the Reimbursement Program Fund Administrator identify requests involving technology upgrades. As the Commission stated in the 2021 Supply Chain Order, participants may obtain Reimbursement Program support for an amount equivalent to the cost estimate of a comparable replacement but noted that if a participant ultimately decides to upgrade to a higher quality, more advanced, non-comparable replacement, then the program participant will bear the difference in cost between the comparable replacement and the technology upgrade solution chosen.
The added question will help identify participants seeking a technology upgrade solution so that the Reimbursement Program Fund Administrator and the Bureau can review the applications accordingly.
Participants are reminded that, when seeking a technology upgrade, they will need to include a vendor quote for the comparable replacement in addition to a vendor quote for the upgrade they wish to purchase. Finally, the Bureau has also made minor changes to the language of certain questions to improve clarity and assist applicants.
13. The Bureau strongly encourages interested participants to collect the information needed to prepare the application in advance of the opening of the filing window. Taking proactive steps will facilitate the submission process for applicants and help them identify and overcome potential challenges in advance of a filing deadline. Incomplete applications may be dismissed by the Bureau, which could prevent a provider from participating in the Reimbursement Program.
14. As proposed, the Bureau will use an online filing portal to receive and process Application Requests for Funding Allocation and to coordinate the interactions between program participants, the Reimbursement Program Fund Administrator, and the Bureau. No commenters addressed this approach. Applicants and recipients will electronically submit all filings related to the Reimbursement Program, including the Application Request for Funding Allocation, using an online filing portal. The Bureau will allow applicants to submit applications at either the holding company level or individual/subsidiary level as proposed.
The Bureau strongly recommends, however, that applicants file a single application at the holding company level to optimize administrative efficiency by reducing the number of filings requiring processing.

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15. Commenters supported the Commissions proposal to consider the use of Excel batch uploads of information to facilitate the completion of applications. To facilitate application preparation and ease the filing burden on applicants, the Bureau will develop the capability to allow batch uploads for targeted and specific portions of the applications. Additionally, some commenters requested that the Commission ensure there will be sufficient support for issues associated with filings in the portal. The Bureau agrees and will make support available to applicants for issues with the portal.
Specifically, a Reimbursement Program Fund Administrator helpline and an email address will be designated for Reimbursement Program applicants to address questions related to their application and reimbursement request submissions. The Bureau will also provide additional details on the online filing process through webinars and other outreach activities.
16. Timing and Length. The Bureau adopts its proposals related to the Application Request for Funding Allocation filing window. Per 1.50004b of the Commissions rules, the Bureau will announce the opening of an initial filing window in a subsequent public notice when the online filing portal is ready to begin accepting applications. In that public notice, the Bureau will also announce the duration of the initial filing window.
Consistent with the 2021 Supply Chain Order, the Bureau has discretion to set the length of the initial filing window, which is not limited to 30 days and may be longer if the Bureau finds that applicants need help navigating the application filing portal to compile the necessary documentation required for the filing requirements. RWA, in its comments, indicated a 60-day filing window would ensure that applicants could timely file their Application Requests for Funding Allocation. The Bureau agrees with RWA that applicants would benefit from having a longer filing window and will consider this comment when it determines the duration of the filing window. The Bureau is working toward a target date of late October for the opening of the filing window. The Bureau anticipates that the filing window period will run at least 60 days, and potentially longer.
Until the filing window closes, the Bureau will allow applicants to initiate, save, submit, and make changes to submitted applications as proposed.
17. In the 2021 Supply Chain Order, the Commission amended its rules to align eligibility for the Reimbursement Program with the CAAs amendments to
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