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OMB Control No: 0572-0160	ICR Reference No: 202303-0572-001
Status: Active	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: USDA/RUS	Agency Tracking No: 0572-New
Title: Broadband Technical Assistance
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 07/06/2023
	Date Received in OIRA: 04/18/2023
Terms of Clearance: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, the information collection is approved for three years. Please make sure to consult with persons outside the agency for the next extension.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	07/31/2026	36 Months From Approved
Responses	472	0	0
Time Burden (Hours)	1,255	0	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Abstract: The Rural eConnectivity Program (ReConnect) was authorized under 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., and Pub. L. 115-141, §779. The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will use technical assistance funds appropriated under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (Pub. L. 117-58). Applications received under the FOA will be administered by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture. The assistance instrument for this program will be through cooperative agreements which RD is authorized to administer pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2204b(b)(4). This FOA provides competitive cooperative agreement funding to eligible entities to ensure technical assistance and training is delivered to rural communities in need of high-speed internet and rural broadband providers. Program funds must be used to support broadband technical assistance activities which include, but are not limited to, project planning and community engagement, operations support, financial sustainability, environmental compliance, engineering, accessing federal resources, and data collection and reporting. The goal of the program is to support the expansion of high-speed internet into unserved rural communities. Applications submitted for consideration will be reviewed for eligibility and completeness. Applications determined to be eligible will be evaluated according to the scoring criteria outlined in the FOA. The scoring criterion is targeted to applicants that demonstrate strong work plans, organizational capacity, clear performance metrics, and the ability to reach the most rural communities. Points are also available for projects benefitting targeted groups such as Tribes and Tribal Entities, colonias, persistent poverty counties, and distressed energy communities. Failure to collect proper information from applicants could hinder the government’s selection of funding recipients, and result in improper determinations of assistance, increase legal costs to the recipients as well as encumber customer service and, ultimately, slow the deployment of assistance to rural areas in need of high-speed internet. The timing of technical assistance is critical due to the historic levels of broadband funding made available under the IIJA. The programs created and funded under the IIJA are beginning to disburse funding and technical assistance is critical to ensure unserved rural communities are able to participate in these programs, successfully implement projects and properly manage funds.

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 7 USC 901 Name of Law: Rural Electricification Act of 1936, as amended

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	87 FR 64200	10/24/2022
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	88 FR 23618	04/18/2023
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Rural eConnectivity Program – Broadband Technical Assistance

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Change Due to Agency Discretion
Annual Number of Responses	472	472
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	1,255	1,255
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This is the first time a FOA for the Broadband Technical Assistance has been issued. The burden is new.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $78,240

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

Agency Contact: Pamela Bennett 202 720-9639 pamela.bennett@usda.gov

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