Federal Communications Commission	DA 21-1131




DA 21-1131
Released:  September 10, 2021

WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU ANNOUNCES SECURE AND TRUSTED COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM HELP DESK
Help Desk Will Assist the Public and Providers with Program and Filing Questions  

WC Docket No. 18-89

By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announces the establishment of a Fund Administrator Help Desk for the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (Reimbursement Program).  The Fund Administrator Help Desk will assist the public and interested providers with questions about the Reimbursement Program and the application filing process.  Interested parties with questions on those topics may contact the Fund Administrator Help Desk by email at SCRPFundAdmin@fcc.gov or by calling (202) 418-7540 from 9:00 AM ET to 5:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays.  The Fund Administrator Help Desk will open on September 10, 2021.

The Commission created the $1.9 billion Reimbursement Program to reimburse eligible providers of advanced communications service, See 47 CFR § 1.50001 (“The term ‘advanced communications service’ means high-speed switched, broadband telecommunications capability that enables users to originate and receive high-quality voice, data, graphics, and video telecommunications using any technology with connection speeds of at least 200 kbps in either direction.”).
 with ten million or fewer customers, for the costs incurred when removing, replacing, and disposing of covered communications equipment and service from their networks that pose a national security risk. Covered communications equipment and service for purposes of the Reimbursement Program are limited to the equipment and service produced or provided by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation that was obtained on or before June 30, 2020.  Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, Third Report and Order, FCC 21-86, 2021 WL 3024271, at 21, para. 46 (Jul. 14, 2021).
  The Bureau selected Ernst & Young, LLP to act as the Reimbursement Program Fund Administrator to handle the administration and processing of applications for the Reimbursement Program.  Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a target date of no later than October 29, 2021, for the Reimbursement Program filing window to begin accepting applications. See 2021 Supply Chain Order, Stmt. of Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel at *1, https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-21-86A2.pdf.   
  The Bureau will announce in a forthcoming public notice the filing window opening and closing dates for the Reimbursement Program online portal.  

Additional Information.  Information regarding the Reimbursement Program is available on the Reimbursement Program webpage, https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain.  Additional information will also be added to the website as it becomes available.  Additionally, interested parties should review the Finalized Reimbursement Process Public Notice, which adopts the final procedures for the Reimbursement Program. 

- FCC -





2