Federal Communications Commission	DA 22-619


DA 22-619
Released:  June 8, 2022

INCENTIVE AUCTION TASK FORCE AND MEDIA BUREAU REMIND REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS THAT THE THIRD AND FINAL FILING DEADLINE APPROACHES IN 90 DAYS

MB Docket No. 16-306
GN Docket No. 12-268

1. The Incentive Auction Task Force and Media Bureau (Bureau) remind all low power TV and TV translator (LPTV/translator) stations, multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs), and FM stations A small number of full power TV stations that were granted extensions of the first or second invoice filing deadlines are also subject to the September 6, 2022, deadline.
 that they must submit all remaining invoices in the TV Broadcaster Relocation Fund no later than September 6, 2022. See Invoice Filing Deadline PN; Invoice Filing Deadlines for TV Broadcaster Relocation Fund Reimbursement Begin on October 8 2021, Public Notice, DA 21-404, 2021 WL 1328925 (MB/IATF Apr. 8, 2021) (Six Month Reminder of 1st Invoice Filing Deadline PN); TV Broadcaster Relocation Fund Filing Deadline Approaches in Sixty Days, Public Notice, DA 21-970, 2021 WL 3501416 (MB/IATF rel. Aug. 9, 2021); (Sixty Day Reminder of 1st Invoice Filing Deadline PN); TV Broadcaster Relocation Fund Filing Deadline Approaches in Thirty Days, Public Notice, DA-21-1117 (MB/IATF Sep. 28, 2021) (Thirty Day Reminder of 1st Invoice Filing Deadline PN); TV Broadcaster Relocation Fund Invoice Filing Deadline Approaches in Sixty Days, Public Notice, DA 22-72 (MB/IATF Jan. 22, 2022) (Sixty Day Reminder of 2nd Invoice Filing Deadline PN) (amending the third and final invoice filing deadline from September 5 to September 6, 2022, in recognition of Labor Day); Incentive Auction Task Force and Media Bureau Report On Status Of The Post-Incentive Auction Reimbursement Program, Announce Final Allocation And Post-Implementation Site Visit Validation Program, And Remind Stations Of Invoice Filing Deadlines, Public Notice, DA-22-191, (Feb. 28, 2022) (Final Allocation and Thirty Day Reminder of 2nd Invoice Filing Deadline PN).
  
2. Entities do not need to wait for the deadline to submit all remaining invoices and initiate close-out procedures and are encouraged to make submissions as soon as possible.  Close-out procedures were announced over three years ago on February 16, 2019,Close Out Procedures PN.  Earlier this year we announced a final allocation and streamlined the close-out procedures.  See Final Allocation and Thirty Day Reminder of 2nd Invoice Filing Deadline PN.
 and we announced the upcoming September 6, 2022, invoice filing deadline in October 2020 to provide entities with almost two years’ advance notice. Invoice Filing Deadline PN, 35 FCC Rcd 11273.  
  Extensions of the assigned invoice submission deadlines should therefore not be required. An entity requesting a limited extension will have to provide evidence that circumstances requiring the extension were outside of its control, such as local zoning or a force majeure event occurring proximate to the final submission deadline.  Requests for a limited extension should be filed as a legal STA in LMS.  Waiver of the filing fee may be selected when filing the STA in LMS.  We will not consider the availability of reimbursement or the status of specific reimbursement requests to be a mitigating factor in evaluating extension requests, and we will not grant extensions that do not provide the staff with sufficient processing time to complete close-out procedures for all stations.  Thus, an entity’s failure to complete construction in a timely manner and to make final submissions by the assigned deadlines could preclude that entity from receiving full reimbursement because unobligated amounts in the Fund must be rescinded to Treasury by July 3, 2023.  Invoice Filing Deadline PN, 35 FCC Rcd at 11277-78, para 13; Six Month Reminder of 1st Invoice Filing PN, at *2, para 5; Sixty Day Reminder of 1st Invoice Filing PN at n.4; Thirty Day Reminder of 1st Invoice Filing PN at para 2; Sixty Day Reminder of 2nd Invoice Filing Deadline PN at para 2.  
  
3. The Fund Administrator will initiate close out for any entity that has failed to initiate the process by the invoice filing deadline assigned to that entity.  Any unused allocations made to that entity’s account will be returned to the Fund and made available for allocation to other program participants.
4. We again remind participants that they must retain documents for a period ending 10 years after the date they receive their final payments from the Reimbursement Fund. See Invoice Filing Deadline PN, 35 FCC Rcd at 11278-79, paras. 15-17.
 Additionally, entities may be selected for audits, data validations, and site visits at any time during the repack and reimbursement process, i.e., before or after the entity has completed its construction project; during the close-out period; or at a time thereafter.  
5. For additional information or questions about the reimbursement process, please call the Reimbursement Help Line at (202) 418-2009, or e-mail Reimburse@fcc.gov.

–FCC–

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