Federal Communications Commission DA 22-560 DA 22-560 Released: May 20, 2022 WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU ANNOUNCES KEY DEADLINES FOR CONNECTED CARE PILOT PROGRAM WC Docket No. 18-213 This Public Notice summarizes upcoming Connected Care Pilot Program deadlines. In addition, through this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) waives and extends the end date of the Pilot Program Promoting Telehealth for Low-Income Consumers, WC Docket No. 18-213, Second Report and Order, 36 FCC Rcd 10642, 10662, para. 48 (2021) (Second Connected Care Report and Order) (delegating authority to the Bureau to “waive certain program deadlines”). to provide all Program participants time to conduct a full three year Pilot project. Generally, the Commission’s rules may be waived for good cause shown. 47 CFR § 1.3. The Commission may exercise its discretion to waive a rule where the particular facts make strict compliance inconsistent with the public interest. Northeast Cellular Telephone Co. v. FCC, 897 F.2d 1164, 1166 (D.C. Cir. 1990); WAIT Radio v. FCC, 418 F.2d 1153, 1159 (D.C. Cir. 1969). In addition, the Commission may take into account considerations of hardship, equity, or effective implementation of overall policy on an individual basis. Northeast Cellular, 897 F.2d at 1166. On March 17, 2022, the Federal Communications Commission released a Public Notice selecting the final set of participants for the Connected Care Pilot Program. Federal Communications Commission Announces Final Set of Projects Selected for the Connected Care Pilot Program, WC Docket No. 18-213, Public Notice, FCC 22-23 (Mar. 17, 2022) (March 2022 Connected Care Public Notice). In addition to selecting the final participants, the Public Notice also waived the initial filing deadline for participants selected earlier in 2021, and establishing that all initial requests for funding must be filed with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) by September 16, 2022. In the Second Connected Care Report and Order, however, the Commission stated that Pilot projects must end three years from the first date of service and no later than June 30, 2025. Second Connected Care Report and Order, 36 FCC Rcd at 10658, para. 35. Given that some Pilot Program participants will start the projects in the fall of 2022, we find that strict compliance with the Program end date set in the Second Connected Care Report and Order is inconsistent with the public interest because it will prevent some Program participants from conducting a full three year Pilot project. Accordingly, participants must end their projects within three years of first receiving service and no later than December 31, 2025. This Public Notice summarizes Pilot Program deadlines, including filings dates for key forms. The following dates are applicable to all projects. · August 18, 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 FCC Form 461 must be posted on USAC’s website for a minimum of 28 days before selecting a service provider, executing any contracts for contracted services, and signing and certifying the FCC Form 462, and the requirement that the initial FCC Form 462 be submitted to USAC by September 16, 2022. · September 16, 2022 – Deadline for all selected Projects to submit initial FCC Form 462 (Funding Request Form) to USAC. March 2022 Connected Care Public Notice at 3. · December 31, 2025 – Last date for Pilot Program participants to end their projects. In addition to the dates outlined above, 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. · 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. Second Connected Care Report and Order, 36 FCC Rcd at 10655, para. 28. Pilot participants may install equipment or pay for other non-recuring services before receipt of an FCL, but may not invoice for this equipment 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. Id. at 10650, para. 20. · Service Delivery Deadlines and Invoice Deadline o The service delivery deadline will be specified in the FCL. Id. o All funding commitments shall end three years from the first date of service for the respective Pilot project, Id. at 10658, para. 35. and by no later than December 31, 2025. 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. Id. at 10658, 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