**DA 07-1188**

**Released: March 9, 2007**

**WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU ANNOUNCES OMB APPROVAL OF THE RURAL HEALTH
CARE PILOT PROGRAM INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS AND THE DEADLINE
FOR FILING APPLICATIONS**

**Application Filing Deadline: May 7, 2007**

On September 26, 2006, the Commission adopted the *Rural Health Care
Pilot Program Order*, which established a rural health care pilot
program to encourage the provision of telehealth and telemedicine
services throughout the nation.[^1] Under the pilot program, selected
applicants will receive up to 85 percent of the costs of building state
and regional broadband networks and connecting those networks to
Internet2 or National LambdaRail, Inc., dedicated nationwide backbone
providers, as well as the costs of the advanced telecommunications and
information services that will ride over those networks.[^2] Selected
applicants will also receive up to 85 percent of the costs of connecting
to the public Internet.[^3]

The Order included criteria for applications to participate in the rural
health care pilot program.[^4] The Commission requested approval of
these criteria (the "information collection requirements") from the
Office of Management and Budget ("OMB") on January 10, 2007.[^5] On
March 8, 2007, the Commission received OMB approval of the information
collection requirements.

Under the terms of the *Rural Health Care Pilot Program Order*, as
modified by the *Rural Health Care Pilot Program Order on
Reconsideration*, applications to participate in the pilot program are
due sixty (60) days from the date of OMB approval of the information
collection requirements.[^6] Accordingly, applicants must submit their
applications to the Commission no later than **May 7, 2007**.

General filing procedures for applications are detailed in the *Rural
Health Care Pilot Program Order*.[^7] Applicants are also reminded that
documents are consider filed with the Commission upon
**[receipt]{.underline}**, not **postmark**.[^8]

Pilot program applicants should also be aware that the Commission's
rules permit any person submitting information to the Commission to
request that such information be withheld from public inspection
(*i.e*., afforded confidential treatment). Applicants interested in
requesting confidential treatment of their applications should review
section 0.459 of the Commission's rules, which describes the information
that must be included in the request, as well as filing procedures for
those seeking confidential treatment.[^9]

To facilitate transparency and in light of the pilot nature of the
program, the Bureau has determined that this matter will be treated as a
"permit-but-disclose" proceeding in accordance with the Commission's *ex
parte* rules.[^10] Persons making oral *ex parte* presentations are
reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentations must contain
summaries of the substance of the presentation and not merely a listing
of the subjects discussed. More than a one or two sentence description
of the views and arguments presented generally is required.[^11] Other
rules pertaining to oral and written *ex parte* presentations in
permit-but-disclose proceedings are set forth in section 1.1206(b) of
the Commission's rules.[^12]

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 Consumer &
Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty).

For further information, please contact Erika Olsen, Telecommunications
Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau,
Erika.Olsen@fcc.gov, (202) 418-2868.

**-FCC-**

[^1]: *See Rural Health Care Support Mechanism*, WC Docket No. 02-60,
    Order, 21 FCC Rcd 11111 (2006) ("*Rural Health Care Pilot Program
    Order*"); *See also,* Order on Reconsideration, FCC 07-6 (rel. Feb.
    6, 2007) ("*Pilot Program Order on Reconsideration*").

[^2]: *Rural Health Care Pilot Program Order*, 21 FCC Rcd at 11111-12,
    11115, paras. 1-3, 14; *Pilot Program Order on Reconsideration* at
    para. 5..

[^3]: Because participants are authorized to spend program funds on the
    costs of advanced telecommunications and information services,
    applicants are permitted to request funding to connect their
    proposed networks to the public Internet. *See*, *Pilot Program
    Order on Reconsideration* at n. 5.

[^4]: *Rural Health Care Pilot Program Order*, 21 FCC Rcd at 11116,
    para. 17.

[^5]: *See*, 72 Fed. Reg. 1225 (Jan. 10, 2007).

[^6]: *Rural Health Care Pilot Program Order*, 21 FCC Rcd at 11117,
    11118, paras. 20, 24; *Pilot Program Order on Reconsideration* at
    para. 9.

[^7]: *Rural Health Care Pilot Program Order*, 21 FCC Rcd at 11117-18,
    paras. 21-23.

[^8]: 47 C.F.R. § 1.7.

[^9]: 47 C.F.R. § 0.459.

[^10]: 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1200 *et seq*.

[^11]: *See* 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(2).

[^12]: 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b).