PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 14-199 Released: February 14, 2014 FCC SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT ON REPORT ON PROCESS REFORM GN Docket No. 14-25 COMMENTS DUE: March 31, 2014 The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) today released to the public a Report on FCC Process Reform (Report). The Report was prepared by a staff working group led by Diane Cornell, Special Counsel to Chairman Tom Wheeler, and includes a comprehensive list of the group’s proposed recommendations for process reform at the Commission. With this Public Notice, the Commission formally solicits public comment on the Report on Process Reform and the proposed recommendations contained in the Report. The Report seeks to further the goal of having the agency operate in the most effective, efficient and transparent way possible. It examines the agency’s internal operations with the aim of improving the overall functioning of the agency and its service to the public. Based on both internal and external suggestions for process reform, the Report identifies initial steps in what will be an ongoing process of reexamining, and revising, the way the Commission does its work. The Report proposes more than 150 process reform recommendations covering a wide range of specific topics. These recommendations, if implemented, would enable the Commission to work faster, smarter, more efficiently, more transparently, and more inclusively. The Report includes recommendations to advance the following goals: · Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the FCC’s decision-making process by streamlining the internal FCC review process, improving tracking accountability, and reducing backlogs; · Processing items before the agency more quickly and more transparently by accelerating the overall speed of disposal of both routine and more complex matters, and ensuring the public is provided more information regarding the status of particular matters; · Streamlining agency processes and data collections, including reworking essential processes such as licensing activities, internal distribution and release procedures, handling of informal consumer complaints, compliance with statutory requirements such as the Paperwork Reduction Act, and examining the FCC’s data collection practices to 2lessen burdens where possible, while ensuring the agency’s data collection practices are effectively tailored to evolving market conditions; · Eliminating or streamlining outdated rules that are candidates for modification or elimination as a result of marketplace or technology changes that render the rules no longer necessary in the public interest; · Improving interactions with external stakeholders by enhancing the FCC’s public outreach and transparency, exploring innovative mechanisms for developing policy proposals, and updating the drafting process for policy documents; · Maximizing the Commission’s tools and resources by ensuring effective internal communications, human resource management, and training; and · Modernizing the Commission’s information technology infrastructure to improve its website functionality, data management, and tracking capability. Interested parties may file comments on the Report and the proposed recommendations on or before March 31, 2014. All comments should reference GN Docket No. 14-25. Parties may file comments using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies. · Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/. · Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing. If more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, filers must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number. o Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. o All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445 12th St., SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. The filing hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. o Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. o U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail must be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, Washington DC 20554. · People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty). 3Address all filings to the Commission’s Secretary, Marlene H. Dortch, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. Parties shall also serve one copy with the Commission’s copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc. (BCPI), Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554, (202) 488-5300, or via e-mail to fcc@bcpiweb.com. The Report on FCC Process Reform is available through ECFS at ecfs@fcc.gov. Process Reform documents in GN Docket No. 14-25 are available for public inspection and copying during business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th St. SW, Room CY A257, Washington, D.C. 20554. The documents may also be purchased from BCPI, telephone (202) 488-5300, facsimile (202) 488-5563, TTY (202) 488-5562, email fcc@bcpiweb.com. This matter shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules. See 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1200, 1.1206. Persons making ex parte presentations must file a copy of any written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any oral presentation within two business days after the presentation. Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentation must (1) list all persons attending or otherwise participating in the meeting at which the ex parte presentation was made, and (2) summarize all data presented and arguments made during the presentation. If the presentation consisted in whole or in part of the presentation of data or arguments already reflected in the presenter’s prior written comments, memoranda or other filings, the presenter may provide citations to such data or arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other filings (specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where such data or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the memorandum. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must be filed consistent with rule 1.1206(b). In proceedings governed by rule 1.49(f) or for which the Commission has made available a method of electronic filing, written ex parte presentations and memoranda summarizing oral ex parte presentations, and all attachments thereto, must be filed through the electronic comment filing system available for that proceeding, and must be filed in their native format (e.g., .doc, .xml, .ppt, searchable .pdf). Participants in this proceeding should familiarize themselves with the Commission’s ex parte rules. The working group will continue to accept additional ideas for process reform at in the future in the above-captioned docket. For further information regarding this matter, contact David Strickland at (202) 418-0977 or e mail David.Strickland@fcc.gov. - FCC -