How to Complete the Entity Information Page: Government Entities

To start the Entity Information process as a Government Entity, select “Government” from the “Select Entity Type” drop-down menu. Based on your selection, the page will display the required fields for the Entity Type. All fields must be filled out unless they are specifically marked as “optional”.

Note: Governments submitting Broadband Availability Data for their own network deployments (such as through municipal broadband networks or Tribal telcos) and have one or more end-user connections in service at the beginning of a filing period must submit availability data.

Government Type

Select one of the radio button options to select the type of Government Entity for which you will be submitting data – Tribal, Federal, State, or Local. Your Governmental Entity Type must be consistent with the way the governmental entity is characterized on your Employer Identification Number (EIN) associated with your FRN within the FCC Commission Registration System, unless you are a Tribe that lacks an EIN. If your entity is a state, local, or Tribal Government that is not a Broadband Service Provider and intends to submit verified Availability Data on the broadband services offered by Internet Service Providers, you must authenticate your entity as primarily responsible for mapping or tracking broadband access service for a state, unit of local government, or tribe. To authenticate your entity, follow the two-step authentication process set forth in the public notice: Guidance Issued to Government Entities Filing Verified Data in the BDC. This process includes:

  • Obtaining an FCC Username and a 10-digit FRN.
  • Filing a letter with the FCC from the highest-ranking official in a unit of government no later than 45 days prior to the opening of a BDC filing window to authenticate the state, local, or Tribal governmental agency primarily responsible for mapping or tracking broadband availability.

Website URL

Enter the URL that your Entity uses to conduct its primary business. This should be a valid domain name ending in .com, .net, .org, etc. It must use a valid internet protocol (http:// or https://). If your Entity does not have a website, you can click the checkbox to confirm.

Type of Data Submitting

Select at least one of the two available reasons that your Government Entity is using the BDC system. You may also select both options.

  • Broadband Availability Data-Select this option if your Entity will be uploading Availability Data in the form of polygon or location-based files.
  • Bulk Challenge Data-Select this option if your Entity plans to file a Bulk Challenge.

Note: If you represent a Government Entity accessing the system for the first time, your Entity Information will be submitted to the FCC. The Commission must accept your request to submit Broadband Availability Data and/or Bulk Challenge Data in order for your Entity to have access to the Broadband Data Collection application. If your FRN is rejected for any reason, a red banner will be displayed on the Entity Information page, notifying you of the reason for the rejection.

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Contacts

Government Entities are required to submit the contact information for the following individuals associated with BDC filings:

  • Data Contact -The Data Contact should be the person who can best answer questions from FCC staff about the data. You may always specify a different Data Contact when certifying a submission.
  • Certifying Official -Enter the default contact information for the official whose signature certifies the validity of information contained in a submission. You may specify a different certifying official contact for each submission.
    • You will also be required to enter address information for the Certifying Official Contact. If necessary, select the “International Address” option to enter an address outside of the United States.
  • Certifying Engineer - If you choose the option to submit Broadband Availability Data, you must enter information for a Certifying Engineer. Enter the default contact information for the certified professional engineer or corporate engineering officer who has direct knowledge of, or responsibility for, generating the Availability Data (and Supporting Data). This individual must certify that he or she has checked the information in the submission for accuracy and found it in accordance with the entity's ordinary course of network design and engineering.

You can add contacts via the Contacts section. Select the “Add Contact” button and enter in the contact’s information including name, title, email address, and phone number – see below.

If the contact is a certifying official, then the checkbox can be selected. You will then be required to enter the Certifying Official's address information. Click Save. The contact’s information is then added to “All Contacts” at the top of the page.

You can then assign the contact via the “Contact Type” section lower on the page, as shown below. Select the drop down for each type and choose the appropriate contact name for that type. Click Save.

You can then select the “Submissions Dashboard” link to proceed to the Submissions Dashboard page to create a submission.

Entity Information and Contact Updates

Every 180 days, your entity information must be updated. If you have not updated your “Entity Information” and “Contacts” in the BDC system during this time, a red warning icon will appear under Action Required in your Entity Selection page, as shown below.

In addition, a message will appear in your “Entity Information” and “Contacts” boxes of the Entity Information page that an update is required. Please review the information and update as necessary, then click Save.

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