Federal Communications Commission	DA 21-340



DA 21-340
Released:  March 23, 2021

COMMENT SOUGHT ON THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION PETITION FOR A WAIVER OF TRS USER REGISTRATION RULE
CG Docket No. 03-123

Comment Date:  April 2, 2021
Reply Comment Date:  April 9, 2021
The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks comment on the General Services Administration’s (GSA) petition for waiver of the applicable user registration requirements 47 CFR § 64.611.
 for two forms of telecommunications relay services (TRS):  Internet Protocol Relay service (IP Relay) and Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS). GSA Petition for a Waiver, CG Docket No. 03-123 (filed March 11, 2021), https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/1031150110993/FCC%20Waiver%20Request_March%202021_signed.pdf (GSA Petition).
  GSA requests a waiver of these registration requirements for federal government users to relieve the burden associated with the collection of personally identifiable information (PII) for federal government users.  Instead, GSA proposes to use a registration procedure comparable to the Commission’s “enterprise registration” 47 CFR § 64.611(a)(6)(ii)(A) (“A default VRS provider for an enterprise . . . shall obtain a written certification . . . for enterprise videophones, that the . . . agency will make reasonable efforts to ensure that only persons with a hearing or speech disability are permitted to use the phone for VRS”); see also GSA Petition at 1, 4-5.
 procedure for video relay service (VRS).  Under GSA’s proposal, each federal agency’s Accommodations Official would verify that IP Relay and IP CTS services provided to the agency are used by TRS-eligible federal employees or to conduct government business with eligible TRS users. GSA Petition at 1, 4-7.
 
Filing Requirements.  Interested parties may file comments on or before the date indicated on the first page of this document. See 47 CFR §§ 1.1, 1.49.
  All filings must reference CG Docket No. 03-123.  Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, GC Docket No. 97-113, Report and Order, 13 FCC Rcd 11322 (1998).  
    
· Electronic Filers:  Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS:  https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings.  
· Paper Filers:  
o 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 Currently, the Commission does not accept any hand delivered or messenger delivered filings as a temporary measure taken to help protect the health and safety of individuals, and to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19.  In the event that the Commission announces the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, a filing window will be opened at the Commission’s office located at 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, Maryland 20701. See FCC Announces Closure of FCC Headquarters Open Window and Change in Hand-Delivery Policy, Public Notice, 35 FCC Rcd 2788 (OMD 2020). 
  
o Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.
o U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail may be addressed to 45 L Street, NE, Washington, DC 20554. 
Ex Parte Rules.  The proceeding this Notice initiates shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules. 47 CFR §§ 1.1200 et seq.
  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 (unless a different deadline applicable to the Sunshine period applies).  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 written comments, memoranda or other filings in the proceeding, 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.
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 Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice).  
Additional Information.  For further information regarding this Notice, please contact Halie Peacher, Disability Rights Office, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, at 202-418-0514 or by e-mail to Halie.Peacher@fcc.gov. 
– FCC–
2