“This page is a digitally archived AccessInfo Announcement”
On March 20, 2012, the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) released an Order that will allow state programs participating in the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP) to submit claims for reimbursement either monthly, quarterly or every six months. The Order waives a requirement that had limited these programs to receiving compensation only once every six months.
The goal of the NDBEDP is to ensure that low-income individuals who are deaf-blind receive the equipment they need to effectively access telecommunications services, Internet access services, and advanced communications services. The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) authorizes the Commission to allocate up to
$10 million annually from the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Services Fund (TRS Fund) for this nationwide equipment distribution effort. The Commission will certify and provide funding to one entity in each state for the purpose of distributing communications equipment to low-income individuals who are deaf-blind. The Commission anticipates launching the NDBEDP pilot program on or around July 1, 2012.
Each NDBEDP certified entity that wishes to take advantage of this waiver will be required to elect a reimbursement schedule on either a monthly or quarterly basis. Such entity must notify the TRS Fund Administrator of its election at the start of each Fund Year, and maintain that schedule for the duration of the Year. Entities that do not take advantage of
this waiver do not need to notify the TRS Fund Administrator. In each case, costs submitted must be for those costs actually incurred during each preceding one-, three-, or six- month period.
For further information, contact Jackie Ellington, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, 202-418-1153, e-mail Jackie.Ellington@fcc.gov; or Rosaline Crawford, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, 202-418-2075, e-mail Rosaline.Crawford@fcc.gov.
Links to the Order:
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2012/db0320/DA-12-430A1.doc
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2012/db0320/DA-12-430A1.pdf
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2012/db0320/DA-12-430A1.txt