What Does the FCC's Latest Paperwork Review Mean for the Deaf-Blind Equipment Program?

The Program Behind the Paperwork

The National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program operates under the name iCanConnect. It provides specialized telecommunications equipment to low-income individuals who are deafblind. The program draws up to ten million dollars annually from the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Service Fund. Section 719 of the Communications Act authorizes this support. The FCC established permanent rules for the program in August 2016 through a Report and Order published at 81 FR 65948.

Fifty-six entities hold certification. One serves each state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Certification lasts five years. Incumbent programs must apply for renewal. New entrants must apply for initial certification. The current notice concerns a revision of an already approved information collection. OMB Control Number 3060-1225 covers this collection.

What the Revision Covers

The FCC estimates 2,222 respondents will generate 6,067 responses each year. Time per response ranges from thirty minutes to forty hours. Reporting frequencies vary: annual, every five years, monthly, one-time, quarterly, and semi-annual. Recordkeeping and third-party disclosure requirements also apply. The total annual burden comes to 19,421 hours. The total annual cost is listed as three thousand dollars.

Respondents include individuals or households, businesses or other for-profit entities, not-for-profit institutions, and state, local, or tribal governments. Obligation to respond is required to obtain or retain a benefit. Statutory authority rests on sections 1, 4(i), 4(j), and 719 of the Communications Act. That means 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 154(j), and 620.

Certified programs must apply for certification to receive reimbursement. They must disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest. They must notify the Commission of substantive changes affecting their qualifications. They must verify that applicants are deafblind and meet income eligibility. They must re-verify eligibility under certain circumstances. They must permit account transfers when recipients relocate. They must include attestations on consumer application forms. They must conduct annual audits and submit to Commission-directed audits. They must document compliance and retain records for at least five years. They must submit reimbursement claims as instructed by the TRS Fund Administrator. They must submit semi-annual reports as instructed by the NDBEDP Administrator. The entity selected for national outreach submits quarterly reimbursement claims and an annual report.

Federal Suspension Rules Extended to Equipment Program

In March 2026 the Commission adopted the Suspension and Debarment Report and Order, FCC 26-18, published at 91 FR 18134 on April 9, 2026. This order applies the government-wide non-procurement suspension and debarment framework to the program. The rules amend 47 CFR 64.6207 and 64.6215. Certified programs must now submit disclosures required under 2 CFR 180.335 when applying for certification or recertification. They must update those disclosures annually. They must provide updated disclosures upon any substantive change affecting qualifications. They must also obtain and maintain disclosures from lower-tier participants. Contractors, subcontractors, consultants, and suppliers that play a material role in NDBEDP transactions fall under this requirement. These new obligations are reflected in the burden estimates of the current Supporting Statement.

How to Comment

Written comments on the Paperwork Reduction Act aspects must be submitted on or before December 28, 2026. That is fifty-nine days after publication. Comments go to Cathy Williams at the FCC via email to PRA@fcc.gov and Cathy.Williams@fcc.gov. For further information contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection that does not display a valid number.