Federal Communications Commission DA 21-827 DA 21-827 Released: July 14, 2021 WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU ANNOUNCES KEY DEADLINES FOR CONNECTED CARE PILOT PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WC Docket No. 18-213 On June 21, 2021, the Federal Communications Commission released a Second Report and Order for the Connected Care Pilot Program (Pilot Program), which offered further guidance on the administration of the Pilot Program, including guidance on eligible services, competitive bidding, invoicing, and data reporting for selected participants. The Second Report and Order was published in the Federal Register on July 14, 2021, and will become effective on August 13, 2021. Federal Communications Commission, Promoting Telehealth for Low-Income Consumers, 86 Fed. Reg. 37061 (July 14, 2021). See Promoting Telehealth for Low-Income Consumers, Second Report and Order, FCC 21-74, at 22, para. 51 (June 21, 2021) (Second Report and Order) (stating that the Report and Order will become effective thirty days after publication in the Federal Register). This Public Notice summarizes Pilot Program deadlines, For detailed information on all deadlines and requirements, applicants should consult the Second Report and Order. Note that Pilot projects will not follow the traditional funding year process for the Rural Health Care Program. Thus, to avoid missing deadlines, participants should pay careful attention to dates contained in official correspondence and deadlines posted on web pages of the FCC and Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). See Second Report and Order, at 5, para. 12. See also FCC, Connected Care Pilot Program, https://www.fcc.gov/wireline-competition/telecommunications-access-policy-division/connected-care-pilot-program (last visited July 14, 2021); USAC, Connected Care Pilot Program, https://www.usac.org/rural-health-care/connected-care-pilot-program/ (last visited July 14, 2021). including filing dates for key forms. The Pilot Program will use rules and procedures for the Rural Health Care Healthcare Connect Fund Program to the extent feasible, though USAC will develop new versions of the FCC Form 461 (Request for Services Form), FCC Form 462 (Funding Request Form), and FCC Form 463 (Invoice and Request for Disbursement Form). See Second Report and Order at 8, para. 19. The following dates are applicable to all projects announced in January and June 2021: See Federal Communications Commission Announces Initial Projects Selected for the Connected Care Pilot Program, Public Notice, 36 FCC Rcd 593 (2021) (January Selection Public Notice); Federal Communications Commission Announces Second Set of Projects Selected for the Connected Care Pilot Program, Public Notice, FCC 21-71 (June 17, 2021) (June Selection Public Notice). · August 27, 2021 – Deadline for participants to provide updated contact information to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). See Second Report and Order at 18, para. 39 and n.100. · January 17, 2022 – Last day to post initial FCC Form 461 (Request for Services Form) to the USAC website. This date is based on the requirement that the Form 461 must be posted on USAC’s website for a minimum of 28 days, and the requirement that the initial Form 462 be submitted to USAC within 6 months of the effective date of the Second Report and Order. See Second Report and Order at 8-13, paras. 20, 23, 26. · February 14, 2022 – Deadline for selected Projects to submit initial FCC Form 462 (Funding Request Form) to USAC. See id. at 8-13, paras. 20, 26. In addition to these dates, which apply to all Pilot Program selections announced in January and June 2021, participants should take careful note of the following timelines and deadlines, which will be calculated separately for each project. Each Pilot project is encouraged to create its own start-to-finish timeline of requirements based on the information in this Public Notice. In addition, we remind selected projects that they must maintain records demonstrating compliance with program rules and supporting documentation for annual reports for at least five years after the conclusion of their Pilot project. See id. at 19, para. 40. · Project Start Date o Upon receipt of a Funding Commitment Letter (FCL) from USAC, Pilot projects may begin receiving supported services. Note that this is the earliest date for Pilot participants to begin receiving recurring services. See id. at 14, para. 28. Pilot participants may install equipment or pay for other non-recurring services before receipt of an FCL, but may not invoice for this equipment or services before receipt of an FCL. An FCL will only be issued by USAC following review of a Pilot participant’s FCC Form 462. o No later than six months after receipt of the FCL, Pilot projects must start to receive supported, recurring services. See id. at 8-9, para. 20. · Service Delivery and Invoice Deadline o The service delivery deadline date will be specified in the FCL. See id. o All funding commitments shall end three years from the first date of service for the respective Pilot project, and by no later than June 30, 2025. See id. at 8-14, paras. 20, 28. o The deadline for submission of invoices is 120 days after the service delivery deadline, but no later than six months after a Project’s conclusion. See id. at 16-17, para. 34. For further information, please contact Matthew Baker, Wireline Competition Bureau, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, at (202) 418-0556 or via e-mail at Matthew.Baker@fcc.gov. – FCC – 2