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How to Complete the Entity Information Page: Government Entities

Updated
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 Government Entity Type must match the Employee 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 this public notice: https://www.fcc.gov/document/guidance-issued-government-entities-filing-verified-data-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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Contact Information

Government Entities are required to submit the following contact information:
  • Data Contact Information-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 Contact Information-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 Contact Information-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.
    • Note: This option will only be available for Entities that request to submit Broadband Availability Data. You can enter different names for each contact, or use the same information in multiple places.

After you have completed all of the required information on the page, click the “Save” button to continue. Once the information has been saved successfully, you will automatically be redirected to the Submissions Dashboard page.

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